Jesus Christ of Dzorwulu: The infamous pastor who allegedly sold urine as holy water

The recent activities of self-acclaimed Ghanaian evangelist, Patricia Asiedu, alias Nana Agradaa, has brought to the fore discussions about perceived charlatans who parade themselves as anointed servants of God but who end up fleecing people of their resources.

The country has since time immemorial dealt with some of these perceived impostors who used the Bible to carry out a number of activities considered immoral and illegal.

One of such personalities who gained notoriety for defrauding and abusing his congregation was the founder of the Jesus Christ of Dzorwulu congregation.

According to reports, the pastor who responded to the name ‘Jesus Christ of Dzorwulu’ allegedly served urine in his church as holy water and sold it to the unsuspecting members who believed that the ‘holy water’ could cure them of their diseases, financial and other issues.

Various accounts of events at the time (in the late 1980s) indicate that Jesus Christ of Dzorwulu was so popular that his church premises was almost always filled with expectant congregants, mostly women with cups to buy and drink his urine.

The downfall of Jesus Christ of Dzorwulu

Two factors have been ascribed as the causes of the end of the pastor. The first one, was the wokeness of the members of the church who had realized that they had been brainwashed and that the charm of the pastor was not working.

Reports say that some members of the church nearly lynched him one morning.

The other factor was the state crackdown on some religious institutions in June 1989.

The AFP reported at the time that the state broadcaster announced that two small sects, Nyame Sunkwa and Jesus Christ of Dzorwulu, were banned by the Rawlings administration.

The Provisional National Defence Council, PNDC, administration at the time had placed a ban on multinational churches – the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and Jehovah’s Witnesses.

The statement of the banning of the two churches as announced by the state broadcaster read: “Despite repeated warnings, the two sects have continued to conduct themselves in a manner which not only undermines the sovereignty of Ghana but is also not conducive to public order.”

The announcement gave no specific details of foreigners’ political intervention but said the government had canceled residence permits for foreign missionaries and other workers, as well as ordering churches closed.”