‘The righteous perish, and no one ponders it in his heart; devout men are taken away, and no one understands that the righteous is taken away to be spared from evil. Those who walk uprightly enter into peace; they find rest as they lie in death’ (Isaiah 57:1-2)
Words cannot describe the shock and sorrow that engulfed the entire Church members of the Mount Sinai Methodist Society, Atomic, when the unwelcome news reached us that death had laid its icy hands on our dearest Very Rev Prof Joshua N. Kudadjie, popularly known to all as ‘Osofo Kudadjie’, on Tuesday afternoon, 21st January, 2020 at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital.
The shock that engulfed us is rooted in the fact that Osofo Kudadjie, who was affiliated to the then Kwabenya ‘B’ Methodist Society at Atomic over a decade (1989-1999) as our Minister-in-Charge, had joined us, with Osofo Maame Miriam, only the previous month in the celebration of our 50th Anniversary (Golden Jubilee).
It was during his tenure of pastoral oversight that the Leaders’ Meeting requested, from the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC), a plot of land to construct a permanent chapel for worship. This request opened the way for other churches and the Moslem Community, with significant numbers of members as GAEC staff and residents, to also get plots on GAEC’s land for mission work.
Construction work of the chapel building started from the foundation to trestle stage by 30th June, 1995 and roofing was completed in October 2000. But the Society continued to worship regularly at the Club House of the GAEC.
Among the practices Osofo Kudadjie introduced are:
Bible Class meetings during Service (8:30- 9:30 am);
Teaching services in the last month of each quarter; and
Pastoral visits to the homes of members.
He also supervised the introduction of church structures:
inauguration of the Women’s Fellowship (1991);
establishment of Vessels of Faith (Glorious Praise), 1995
inauguration of the Men’s Fellowship (30th May 1998);
establishment of SUWMA (1999)
Under his pastoral care, the Kwabenya ‘B’ Methodist Society evolved the following as its Mission Statement: That the Society shall be a “Bible Believing; Christ-Centered; Spirit-Filled; Spirit-Led; Praying, Caring; and Witnessing (Soul Winning) Church.”
His passion for soul winning and church planting was revealed when a preaching post (now Ascension Methodist Society) was established at Haatso. He was at the verge of leaving the Society, but he and Rt. Rev. W.H.Y Ametepe worked together for a couple of months to establish the Haatso Preaching Post on 9th November, 1999 before he finally left the Society.
Osofo Kudadjie preached and taught many times in the Madina West Society, between 1989 and 1999, at the invitation of their Caretaker, the Late Rev. Samuel Asare Bediako of blessed memory. The name was later changed to the Victory Methodist Society in 2004. He also faithfully and joyfully combined his pastoral work at the Kwabenya ‘B’ Society (now Mount Sinai Society) with the then Kwabenya ‘A’ Society (now Grace Society). That all these four Societies Osofo Kudadjie worked in now constitute the Kwabenya Circuit under the Northern Accra Diocese (NAD) is a legacy he has left us, and Kwabenya Circuit will forever treasure.
As we gather here at this opportune time and moment to bid farewell to his mortal remains, let us all hold on to his values as good examples in our lives. Osofo was a great teacher, a mentor, an epitome of knowledge and humility and in all estimation, a beloved brother, colleague, counsellor and father among the membership of both the clergy and laity of the Methodist fraternity.
The outstanding leadership qualities he showed throughout his career provide an example of good leadership for us all to emulate. Our thoughts will always be with him and all his allied families. We know that separation in whatever form is a stressful and difficult experience; and the healing process is slow and painful. Our best assurance is that our presence here is a manifestation that the healing process has already begun, and our Lord, Jesus the Christ, will complete it.
May we all be comforted by what the 12th century hymnist Bernard of Cluny said (MHB 652):
“Brief life is here our portion; brief sorrow, short-lived care.
The life that knows no ending, the tearless life, is there.
O happy retribution: short toil, eternal rest;
For mortals and for sinners a mansion with the blest!”
Osofo, Mount Sinai Methodist Society and indeed the entire Kwabenya Circuit salute you. Your days on earth have come to an end but we still hope for better days to come when we shall meet again. Fare thee well, our dearest Osofo Prof.