In a chilling narrative, the widow of the late Odiyifo or Prophet Asare, founder of “The Lord is my Shepherd Church” in Kumasi, Ghana, recounts the horrific events leading to her husband’s tragic death in 1982.
The story unveils a dark chapter in the nation’s history.
On Sunday, February 7, 1982, during a church service at the Lord is my Shepherd Church, a shocking incident unfolded. Maj Joe Darko of the Ghana Army Medical Corps, Kumasi, entered the church, armed with a pistol.
He ordered the Odiyifo and the congregation to leave the church and fill potholes in the street.
The Odiyifo attempted to reason with Maj Joe Darko, requesting that the church service be completed before they undertook the task.
Surprisingly, Maj Darko agreed and left the church premises with his military driver. However, the situation took a dire turn when the Major returned, still brandishing a loaded gun, after the Odiyifo had lodged a complaint at a military barracks about the earlier incident.
In a confrontation with church members, Maj Darko discharged his weapon, seriously injuring a policewoman who was attending the church service.
In response, the congregation disarmed the Major, and in the process, he sustained fatal injuries and died on the church premises.
The driver of Maj Darko fled the scene and later reported the incident to soldiers at the barracks. This triggered a series of unfortunate events.
Soldiers from the barracks combed the town in search of Odiyifo and church members. Simultaneously, a radio announcement was made, urging Odiyifo and all church members to surrender either to the police or military authorities.
The soldiers descended on the Lord is my Shepherd Church, setting it ablaze and firing their weapons indiscriminately. This chaos resulted in the death and injuries of innocent bystanders, including football fans leaving the nearby Kumasi Sports Stadium.
The soldiers embarked on a rampage, torturing and mistreating several individuals.
The police woman who was shot by Major Darko, Constable Joana Essien, was receiving treatment at the Komfo Anokye Hospital, but she was shot dead in her hospital bed.
Alfred Avorgah, a football fan leaving the stadium after a match between Kotoko and Hearts of Oak, was also fatally shot.
Furthermore, the soldiers looted, seized, destroyed, and burned properties belonging to the church, its members, landlords, landladies of church members, co-tenants, and neighbours.
Odiyifo Asare, who had gone into hiding, surrendered to the police the next day.
The police then handed him to the soldiers.
Recounting the horrifying ordeal, the wife of the late prophet described how her husband was attached to a car, dragged to Kejetia, and subsequently gunned down.
She recalled the chilling announcement made publicly, in a tiktok video, “We are burning Odiyifo Asare; everyone should come and see.”
Following these tragic events, an investigative committee was established at the 4th Battalion Uaddara Barracks in Kumasi.
Some victims testified before the committee. However, no prosecutions were initiated, and no compensation was provided to those affected.
Watch as his wife narrates what happened to him after the soldiers got hold of him:
