Mensa Otabil

Last updated
Mensa Otabil
Born (1959-08-31) August 31, 1959 (age 64)
Sekondi-Takoradi, Ghana
Spouse
Joy Otabil
​
(m. 1986)​
Children4
Parent(s)Dinah Otabil
LLoyd Otabil
Religion Christianity
Church International Central Gospel Church
Congregations served
Christ Temple, Abossey Okai, Accra
Offices held
Head Pastor, Christ Temple
Chancellor (Central University College)
TitleFounder, ICGC
Head Pastor, ICGC Christ Temple

Mensa Otabil (born August 31, 1959), is a Ghanaian theologian, motivational speaker, and entrepreneur. [1] [2] He is the founder of International Central Gospel Church headquartered in Accra, Ghana. [2] [3] He is also the founder and Chancellor of Central University College, and CEO of Otabil and Associates, an executive and Leadership Growth Consultancy. [2]

Contents

He currently oversees the International Central Gospel churches, which has a network of local assemblies in Ghana, Europe, the United States, Canada and other parts of Africa. He also serves as the senior pastor of Christ Temple, a ministry of the International Central Gospel Church. His work has centered on African issues, although he has spoken internationally at various conferences and churches. [ citation needed ]

Personal life

Mensa Anamua Otabil was born on 31 August 1959 to Dinah and Lloyd Otabil who lived on Asafo Street in Sekondi, in the Western Region of Ghana. He was the 4th born and the 3rd son in a family of 5 comprising 4 boys and a girl (Effie, Kojo, Ekow, Mensa and Kofi). He married his wife, Joy, in 1986 and they currently have four children: Sompa, Nhyira, Yoofi and Baaba Aseda.

In his early years, his family moved to Baka-ekyir,(Sekondi) where he attended Anglican Primary School near Gyandu Park, Sekondi. He later enrolled in Class 2 at the Community 2 No.3 Primary & Middle School (now Mexico School) in January 1966. This was when his family moved to Tema as a result of his father's promotion to Personnel Manager at GIHOC Boat Yard in Tema.

After passing his Common Entrance Exams, Otabil gained admission to Swedru Secondary School (SWESCO) in 1972 and completed his Ordinary Level Studies in 1977. While in Tema, he worshipped with his mother at St. Alban's Anglican Church, Tema Community 1, and later followed her to the Assemblies of God Church in Tema Community 4. Otabil was a member of the Power House Fellowship in Tema.

His mother died in 1975, and his father in 1976. In the late 1970s, he moved to Roman Ridge and later to Kanda in Accra where he joined the Kanda fellowship. Around that time, he also gained employment with the Audio Visual Department of the Ministry of Information. It was there that he met and worked with Edwin Donkor, who was later to become a pastor at ICGC. On 26 February 1984, he started the International Central Gospel Church ministry at the Kanda Cluster of Schools, and later moved to Sal Valley School, also in the Kanda area. [4]

He serves as General Overseer of the Church and Senior Pastor of Christ Temple, Abossey Okai in Accra. Otabil has been awarded honorary doctorate degrees for his work in various fields. He was also a recipient of a Millennium Excellence Award. In 2007, he was honoured by the Government of Ghana with a state award, Order of the Volta (Religion). [4]

Awards and recognition

In March 2018, Otabil, with Kofi Annan and Martin Amidu made it to the list of 100 Most Reputable Africans. [5] The list also featured individuals from diverse sectors including Leadership, Entertainment, Advocacy, Education and Business.

In 2015, Ghanaians voted him as the "Most Influential Person in Ghana", according to a list published by ETV Ghana. [6]

He was, in 2013, considered the twenty-fourth most influential Ghanaian, in a poll run by ETV Ghana. [7]

Television and radio

Otabil presents a radio and television program called Living Word where he addresses life issues such as religion, education, economic development, family life, and politics. [8]

The program has been broadcast by several radio and television networks in Ghana.

The show also runs on Matthew Ashimolowo's network KICC-TV, which reaches homes across Europe and into North Africa and parts of the Middle East. [9]

Politics and social views

Otabil has been cited in numerous Ghanaian news media for his pragmatic views on governance and Africa as a whole.

He has been accused for being politically biased [10] and affiliated to NPP (a political party in Ghana). [11] In March 2018, former president, John Dramani Mahama launched a similar subtle jab on Otabil. [10]

The claims have been denied by officials of the New patriotic party (NPP) [12] and former president John Agyekum Kuffour [13] who believes Mensa Otabil is not a politician, but rather a pragmatist who likes to talk about the realities of the day. [13]

Capital Bank saga

Otabil was chairman of the collapsed Capital Bank. [14] Otabil is said to have led the receival of inappropriate money grants from the Bank on behalf of parties related to him which contributed to the collapse. Sections of Ghanaians have called for sanctioning of Directors of the Bank found to have played a lead role in its collapse. However, in December 2018, Otabil filed his defence against a suit initiated by Vish Ashiagbor and Eric Nana Nipah of PricewaterhouseCoopers, who are receivers of the defunct Capital Bank (Ghana). The Plaintiffs, Messrs Vish Ashiagbor and Eric Nana Nipah from PricewaterhouseCoopers, said the bank's collapse was a “direct result of defendants’ “misgovernance” and “willful” breaches of banking regulations. Pastor Otabil in his defence filed at the court said that the board he chaired did not make any misrepresentation to the Bank of Ghana as regards the payment of the minimum capital required for the granting of the requisite banking license - which was one of the issues in the suit against him and other directors.

Otabil also explained in his defence that the debt of a total of GHȼ482 million found on the books of Capital Bank (Ghana) did not result from the negligence of the directors. He said it was the result of the plaintiff having identified various outstanding or impaired legacy assets traceable to the microfinance days of First Capital Plus which later became Capital Bank (Ghana). [15]

Publications

Otabil has published several motivational, leadership, and devotional books:

e-Books:

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Transport in Ghana</span> System of transport in Ghana

Transport in Ghana is accomplished by road, rail, air and water. Ghana's transportation and communications networks are centered in the southern regions, especially the areas in which gold, cocoa, and timber are produced. The northern and central areas are connected through a major road system.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Accra</span> Capital and the largest city of Ghana

Accra is the capital and largest city of Ghana, located on the southern coast at the Gulf of Guinea, which is part of the Atlantic Ocean. As of 2021 census, the Accra Metropolitan District, 20.4 km2 (7.9 sq mi), had a population of 284,124 inhabitants, and the larger Greater Accra Region, 3,245 km2 (1,253 sq mi), had a population of 5,455,692 inhabitants. In common usage, the name "Accra" often refers to the territory of the Accra Metropolitan District as it existed before 2008, when it covered 199.4 km2 (77.0 sq mi). This territory has since been split into 13 local government districts: 12 independent municipal districts and the reduced Accra Metropolitan District (20.4 km2), which is the only district within the capital to be granted city status. This territory of 199.4 km2 contained 1,782,150 inhabitants at the 2021 census, and serves as the capital of Ghana, while the district under the jurisdiction of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly proper (20.4 km2) is distinguished from the rest of the capital as the "City of Accra".

Articles related to Ghana include:

Joseph Kofi Kowe Adda was a Ghanaian politician, who served as a Member of Parliament and also the Minister for Aviation in the New Patriotic Party government under President Akufo-Addo until January 2021. He was also a Financial Economist and a Management Consultant.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Central University (Ghana)</span> Private university in Accra region, Ghana

The Central University is a Private university in Ghana, founded by the International Central Gospel Church (ICGC). It was founded as a pastoral training institute by Mensah Otabil in 1988. In June 1991, it was known as the Central Bible College. It later became the Central Christian College in 1993 and eventually became the Central University College in 1998. In 2016, Central University College attained the status of a fully-fledged University thus now Central University. The stated aims of the university is to provide an "integrated and biblically-based tertiary education with particular reference to the needs of the African continent". It is currently the biggest private university in Ghana.

Amalgamated Holdings and Securities Limited, commonly known as AmalSec & Securities Subsidiaries, is a commercial financial and securities outfit in Ghana.

UT Bank (UTB), formally known as UT Bank Ghana Limited, was a commercial bank in Ghana until 2017 when its license was revoked by the Bank of Ghana due to severe impairment of their capital and was taken over by GCB Bank.

Ghanaian Indians are Ghanaians citizens of Indian origin or descent. Many Ghanaian Indians are descendants from those who migrated from India following India's partition in 1947.

Ghanaian Arabs are Ghanaians and citizens of Arab origin or descent. Ghanaian Arabs are mainly from Lebanon, Syria and Arab Maghreb. Ghana has the largest Arab population in western Africa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joe Ghartey</span> Ghanaian lawyer and politician

Joe Ghartey is a Ghanaian lawyer and politician. He is a former Attorney-General of Ghana (2006–2009), Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament (2013–2017) and Railways Development Minister (2017–2021). Joe Ghartey hails from Shama, in the Western Region of the Republic of Ghana.

The 2013–14 Ghanaian Premier League season is the 55th season of top-tier football in Ghana. The competition began on 15 September 2013, and ended on 4 June 2014, with Asante Kotoko crowned as champions.

The International Central Gospel Church (ICGC) is an evangelical, Charismatic Christian church headquartered at Abossey Okai in Accra, Ghana. It is considered to be one of the fastest growing Charismatic churches in Ghana, having a church attendance close to 50,000. The headquarters is Christ Temple and is located in Abossey Okai, Accra Ghana. It now has a new ultramodern church complex called ICGC Christ Temple East at Teshie on the Rasta Road.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Theodore S. Clerk</span> Ghanaian architect and urban planner (1909-1965)

Theodore Shealtiel Clerk, was an urban planner on the Gold Coast and the first formally trained, professionally certified Ghanaian architect. Attaining a few historic firsts in his lifetime, Theodore Clerk became the chief architect, city planner, designer and developer of Tema which is the metropolis of the Tema Harbour, the largest port in Ghana. The first chief executive officer (CEO) of the Ghanaian parastatal, the Tema Development Corporation as well as a presidential advisor to Ghana's first Head of State, Kwame Nkrumah, T. S. Clerk was a founding member and the first president of the first post-independent, wholly indigenous and self-governing Ghanaian professional body, the Ghana Institute of Architects (GIA), that had its early beginnings in 1963. He was also an Associate of the Royal Institute of British Architects and the Royal Town Planning Institute.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andrew Egyapa Mercer</span> Ghanaian politician and lawyer

Andrew Kofi Egyapa Mercer is a Ghanaian lawyer and politician. He is a member of the New Patriotic Party. He is the incumbent Member of Parliament for the Sekondi Constituency in the Western Region of Ghana. He succeeded Papa Owusu-Ankomah, who had been MP for 20 years.

Daniel Nii Kwartei Titus Glover is a Ghanaian politician and the Member of Parliament of Tema East constituency. He is a member of the New Patriotic Party and the Deputy Minister of Transport in Ghana.

Victor Kusi Boateng is a Ghanaian theologian, philanthropist, motivational speaker. He is the founder of Power Chapel Worldwide, headquartered in Kumasi, Ghana. He has spoken internationally at various conferences and churches.

Mike Eghan is a Ghanaian broadcaster, also known as "The Magnificent Emperor". In a career as a disc jockey and radio presenter spanning six decades, Eghan hosted programmes for the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) and for the BBC World Service in London. He was the master of ceremonies for the historic concert in Ghana Soul to Soul, which took place in Black Star Square in 1971 and showcased many prominent African-American artists alongside Ghanaian musicians.

Nii Oakley Quaye-Kumah is a Ghanaian politician and a Veterinary Surgeon. He was the member of parliament for the Krowor Constituency from 7 January 2009 to 6 January 2017. He was also the chief executive officer of a number of veterinary hospitals.

Henry Harding also known as Pattington Papa Nii Papafio or Oesophagus is a Ghanaian film actor. He is best known for the role he played in the Taxi Driver TV series using a large vocabulary.

References

  1. ↑ "Founder & Overseer". International Central Gospel Church. Retrieved 5 February 2014.
  2. 1 2 3 "Pastor Mensah Otabil: Ghanaians talk loudly". GhanaToGhana. March 25, 2011. Archived from the original on 24 August 2012. Retrieved 21 July 2015.
  3. ↑ "Playback: Pastor Mensa Otabil's ICGC holds service online". MyJoyOnline. 2020-05-17. Retrieved 2020-05-17.
  4. 1 2 Kumah, Edward (2022-08-07). "Who is Mensa Otabil? Biography, Net Worth, Age, Wife, Children, Parents, Siblings". Coverghana. Retrieved 2022-09-09.
  5. ↑ Tornyi, Emmanuel. "Martin Amidu, Otabil make list of 100 Most Reputable Africans" . Retrieved 2018-03-24.
  6. ↑ "Otabil is most influential Ghanaian". Starr FM online. February 16, 2015. Archived from the original on 8 July 2015. Retrieved 21 July 2015.
  7. ↑ "Ghana's 100 Most Influential personalities in 2012 finally revealed". Etv Ghana. Retrieved 4 February 2014.
  8. ↑ "ICGC_California_ICGC_Founder_&_Overseerer_Dr_Mensa_Otabil". International Central Gospel Church california. Retrieved 2018-03-24.
  9. ↑ "LIVING WORD WITH MENSA OTABIL". kicctv. Retrieved 2018-03-24.
  10. 1 2 "Mahama viciously attacks Otabil for being 'tired' of politics". Mobile GhanaWeb. Retrieved 2018-03-24.
  11. ↑ "Mensah Otabil is pure NPP – Ponkoh asserts". Mobile GhanaWeb. Retrieved 2018-03-24.
  12. ↑ Ayitey, Charles. "Mensa Otabil is not part of us – NPP insists" . Retrieved 2018-03-24.
  13. 1 2 Debrah, Ameyaw. "Dr Mensa Otabil is not a politician – J.A Kufuor (video)" . Retrieved 2018-03-24.
  14. ↑ "Mensa and collapse of Capital Bank".
  15. ↑ "Otabil Files Defence". Adomonline. Retrieved 2019-02-04.
  16. ↑ Buy the Future: Learning to Negotiate for a Future Better Than Your Present. ISBN   1562291904.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.