PHOTOS: The women behind these powerful Ghanaian pastors

”But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence” – 1 Timothy 2:12

If you are a follower of the principles of the Holy Bible, you may have seen, read or know about the scripture above.

While this is the scripture many people have used to justify their arguments that the Bible does not allow women to mount pulpits and preach, it has been proven over many centuries that women are equally called to preach the Gospel.

There is also no denying the immeasurable contributions and roles that women play in the church.
GhanaWeb takes a look at the women who are behind some of the country’s powerful preachers.

If the Bible says a man and a woman shall leave their parents and cling to each other, becoming one, then these women are the ones who complete the ‘oneness’ of these famous pastors.

Rev. Mrs. Rita Korankye Ankrah:

The name Rev. Mrs. Rita Korankye-Ankrah, much as it carries a wealth of the weight of her husband, the founder of the Royalhouse Chapel International, Sam Korankye-Ankrah’s clout, is as much a tower of a name.

When many female spouses of pastors have only preferred the shadows of the call of God on the lives of their husbands, she has embraced the odds, carried along her own cross and in line with the vision of her husband’s mission, has gathered for herself her own ‘army.’

Popularly known as ‘Mama Rita,’ or the ‘Swagger Mama,’ Rev. Mrs. Rita Korankye-Ankrah has not only been a mother to millions across the world, but she is what many call an approachable person.

As a core part of the RCI vision, Mama Rita serves as Director of Social and Practical Ministry, which allows her to interact with a lot of downtrodden people, as well as women and most especially the aged.

With the support of her husband, and over the years, they have been able to impact many lives with the likes of their outreach missions to prisons facilities across the country, winning many people to Christ.

With her impact reaching to the farthest parts of the world, and with many young women taking inspiration from her, a group of young ladies who look to taking after her have formed a vibrant group called the 2G Ladies (Second Generation Ladies), in her honour.

She is also the President of Royal Ladies, the women’s wing of the church globally.

She is also in charge of the School of Restoration, a branch of the church that allows for people who have left prisons to be well-prepared for reintegration into society. She also is in charge of the City of Shiloh project aimed at serving as a prayer ground for women, as well as serve as orphanage for homeless people.

Rev. Mrs. Rita Korankye-Ankrah is also the host of a relationship and counseling program on Powerline TV called the Family Life Series.

Together with her husband, the couple is blessed with four children and two grandchildren; and make their home in Accra, Ghana.

Episcopal Sister Adelaide Heward-Mills:

E. S. Adelaide Heward-Mills is a lawyer, educator, counsellor, preacher, and philanthropist.

She is the First Lady of the United Denomination Originating from the Lighthouse Group of Churches (UD-OLGC), a denomination with over 4000 satellites across all continents of the world.

Before she married Bishop Dag Heward-Mills, she served faithfully for many years as a State Attorney in the Attorney General’s Office of Ghana.

Adelaide has a remarkable reputation as a peacemaker in her speech and demeanour.

Together with her husband, they are blessed with four (4) children (although the eldest died a few weeks ago).

Rosa Whitaker:

Rosa Whitaker was born in Washington, D.C. and holds Master’s and bachelor’s degrees from American University in Washington, D.C. and studied in the United Kingdom and Italy as well as at the Foreign Service Institute.

She is president and CEO of The Whitaker Group (TWG) and the wife of the Archbishop Nicholas Duncan-Williams of the Christian Action Faith Ministries Worldwide, also known as the Action Chapel International (ACI).

TWG, which she founded 2003, is a transaction advisory, investment facilitation and project development firm specializing in Africa with offices in Washington DC and Accra, Ghana.

As the first-ever Assistant US Trade Representative for Africa, Whitaker served in the administrations of Presidents William J. Clinton and George W. Bush, she played a leading role in the development, passage, implementation and extension of the African Growth and Opportunity Act. AGOA grants virtually all African products duty-free access to the US market and continues to be the cornerstone of US economic engagement with Africa.

Whitaker started the United States Trade Representative’s Office of African Affairs and was the lead U.S. negotiator for trade agreements with African countries. Under her leadership, the US undertook a string of initiatives to enhance American trade, investment and economic cooperation with African countries.

Before joining USTR, Whitaker was Senior Trade Adviser to Congressman Charles Rangel, the legendary “Lion of Harlem”.

Whitaker joined Rangel’s staff from the State Department. As a career foreign service officer, she was posted to the US embassy in Cote d’Ivoire and served in the Office of International Energy Policy.

Whitaker began her career in trade and economic diplomacy as Executive Director of the Washington DC Office of International Business.

She also launched The Whitaker Group after leaving USTR in 2003. At the outset, her goal was to help companies and governments take full advantage of the opportunities created by AGOA. Clients included the governments of Uganda, Ghana, Lesotho, Côte d’Ivoire and Nigeria as well as a number of well-known multinationals. As co-chair with the late Congressman Jack Kemp of the AGOA Action Committee, Whitaker remained in the forefront of efforts to strengthen AGOA.

In 2006 Whitaker added health to TWG’s portfolio.

Whitaker is a widely sought-after expert on business, trade and investment in Africa in a variety of venues and has been a guest on broadcasts on ABC News, CNN, the BBC and Bloomberg.

In April 2008, Whitaker married Archbishop Nicholas Duncan-Williams, overseer of Christian Action Faith Ministries Worldwide. In 2014, Whitaker and Duncan-Williams were named one of Africa’s “Power Couples”.

Rev. Mrs. Rosemond Anaba:

Rosemond Anaba is the wife of Pastor Eastwood and is a dedicated teacher of the word of God with very practical insights into family life and personal development.

She is a Biological Sciences graduate of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology- Ghana.

Rosemond Anaba is the Vice- President of Eastwood Anaba Ministries (EAM) and also, oversees the Social Transformation division of EAM whose mission is to equip and empower orphans and destitute children in Ghana and beyond to acquire quality formal education and or entrepreneurial skills so as to stem the increasing incidence of crime and moral decadence.

Her sterling leadership qualities are evident in whatever responsibility she undertakes. She is the Director of the Fountain Gate International School in Bolgatanga, a school that promotes the spirit of excellence in all spheres in that part of the world.

As a pastor, she has an unusual caring spirit and is a great source of inspiration to many women around the globe.

With a meticulous approach to the things of God, Rosemond has inspired pastors’ wives and other women around the world to pursue God and discover their self-worth. Her strength lies in her personal devotion to Christ, affableness and her humility. Her husband Eastwood calls her an ideal Christian.

Through the medium of the radio, Rosemond imparts grace and power to the peoples of the Upper East Region where she lives every week. She is one of the most heard female voices in the entire northern parts of Ghana. Her gentle spirit affords a perfect balance to her husband’s militant approach to life and ministry.

Lady Joy Otabil:

Lady Joy Otabil is the beautiful wife of the renowned Ghanaian pastor and teacher, Dr. Mensa Otabil, the founder of the International Central Gospel Church (ICGC).

Born on April 22, 1961, Lady Joy is an extraordinary worker, hardworking, result-oriented and pushes to get results.

Reports say that she quietly carries a lot of the burden of the ICGC and gets things done.

Pastor Mensa Otabil has spoken of how hardworking and supportive his wife is, adding that she is the secret behind their successful marriage.

Joy Otabil and her husband got married in the year 1986. They have been blessed with four children namely; Sompa, Nhyira, Baaba Aseda, and their only son, Yoofi.

Rev. Mrs Vivian Sena Agyinasare:

Rev. (Mrs) Vivian Sena Agyinasare is the Co-founder and International Women’s Director of the Perez Chapel International and Associate Churches Worldwide and the wife of the Founder and Archbishop of the Perez Chapel International.

Mama Vivi as she is affectionately called is a teacher by profession and a graduate of the Word Miracle Ministerial Bible College Ghana, and Theological International Seminary USA’s affiliate branch in Ghana and a graduate of Birbeck University, London.

Rev. (Mrs) Agyinasare is also a Minister of the Gospel and currently presides over the Franco-phone Service; a French constituent branch of Perez Chapel International.

Mama Vivi is the founder of Women of Faith formerly called Miracle Ladies (The Women’s Ministry) of the Perez Chapel International.

She has travelled extensively across many nations of the world with her Husband and Partner in ministry Bishop Charles Agyinasare preaching the Gospel and bringing God’s Miracle Healing Power to many hurting and oppressed people. Under her Husband’s support and oversight, she has seen God move in unprecedented ways in Her own ministry through miracles, signs and wonders.

She and Her husband, Archbishop Charles Agyinasare, are blessed with three adult children and an adopted daughter; Rev. Dr Selaise Agyinasare, Rev. Francis Nyamekye Agyinasare, and Mrs Charlene Agyinasare Ampah and Mrs Clementina Quarshie Tetteh.

Rev. Mrs. Jane Mensah:

Very little is known about the wife of the General Overseer of the Charismatic Evangelistic Ministry, Rev, Steve Mensah, except for her name: Rev. Mrs. Jane Mensah.

She is also a preacher of the Gospel and supports her husband’s ministry by playing many background roles in the church.

Adwoa Abrafi Ampiah-Kwofi:

Known as Mama Adwoa Abrafi Ampiah-Kwofi, very little is also known about the wife of the Rev. Dr. Robert Ampiah-Kwofi, the General Overseer of the Global Revival Ministries, as well as the President of the Ampiah-Kwofi World Outreach.

Florence Obinim:

Florence Obinim is a gospel musician from Ghana. She started singing when she was about 11 in the Assemblies of God church in Kumasi where she grew up and had been singing until she tied the nuptial knot with her husband Daniel Obinim.

Her parents, Akosua Serwaa and Nana Kwabena, the chief of Sreso in Kumasi have been and still are supportive and she hopes to stay in the music ministry as long as God permits.

Her debut album was a massive favorite with many Ghanaians and had many children singing along. She was inspired to write her to hit, ‘Osoro ne me fie’ (Heaven is my home) after her husband, Rev. Daniel Obinim preached about it.

The song borrows from a popular Rebecca Malope (South Africa) song. Her popular songs include Wagye me, Oben me, Mehia w’adom, Mdimafo, Mahunu bi da, Ma me nyansa.

Grace Onyinah:

Another wife of popular pastors who very little is known about is Grace Onyinah, the spouse of Apostle Prof. Opoku Onyinah, a past Chairman of the Church of Pentecost.