Josiah
The Accra High Court has halted the funeral of the late Apostle Professor Emeritus Engineer Kwadwo Safo Kantanka for 10 days, suspending all burial arrangements as a legal dispute over the funeral and leadership of the Kristo Asafo Mission continues.
The court granted an interim injunction on Wednesday, stopping the funeral service that had been scheduled to begin on July 30. The parties are expected to return to court after the 10-day period as the case proceeds.
The ruling follows weeks of public disagreement within the Safo family over the timing and organisation of the burial of the Kristo Asafo founder.
Former Dome-Kwabenya MP Sarah Adwoa Safo has insisted that the proposed funeral date was not her personal decision but one approved by the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, after months of consultations with the Manhyia Palace due to her father’s royal heritage.
Speaking on Citi FM on Tuesday, July 28, Adwoa Safo said preparations for the funeral commenced after the family’s 40-day observance and that the family sought the guidance and approval of the Asantehene before finalising any arrangements.
She explained that because her father came from a royal family in the Ashanti Region, it was necessary to consult the Asantehene before proceeding with the funeral plans.
According to her, several engagements were held with officials at the Manhyia Palace before the King approved a burial date.
Adwoa Safo dismissed suggestions that she had independently chosen the funeral date, stressing that the decision originated from the Manhyia Palace and not from her.
Her remarks came in response to comments by her brother, Nana Kwadwo Safo Akofena I, Head of the Safo Family and leader of the Kristo Asafo Mission, who maintained that disagreements over the funeral arrangements had not been resolved and that no official burial date had been agreed upon.
The dispute has since expanded beyond the funeral to include disagreements over the future leadership of the Kristo Asafo Mission following the death of its founder.
Adwoa Safo accused her brother of undermining their father’s legacy by allowing internal family disagreements over both the funeral and the leadership of the church to become public.
She further argued that leadership of the church should be determined by divine calling rather than personal ambition, cautioning against attempts to force one’s way into the position.
Although Adwoa Safo had maintained that the funeral would proceed from July 30, the Kristo Asafo Mission rejected that position.
At a press conference on Monday, July 27, the Mission declared the proposed burial date “null and void,” stating that mediation efforts involving respected personalities had failed to resolve the impasse.
The Mission said no new funeral date had been fixed and that an official announcement would only be made after consultations had been concluded.
It also maintained that Nana Kwadwo Safo Akofena, whom it says was named as successor in the late Apostle’s will, has the legal authority to oversee the funeral arrangements.
With the High Court’s interim injunction now in effect, all funeral activities have been suspended pending the outcome of the legal proceedings over the burial arrangements and the broader family dispute.
