2008 West African Singles Conference

Our God is diverse indeed! Out of so many corners of West Africa he brought disciples from Nigeria, Cote d’Ivoire, Cameroon, Togo and even from Liberia to converge On Ghana for one long, action-packed weekend. From the very first day, expectation that had seized the atmosphere was palpable – thirsty singles had gathered, eager for fellowship and deep, insightful exhortations from the scriptures. God certainly did not disappoint...

After a rigorous bout of morning exercise to shake the sleep off our bodies, the conference officially began with an opening address from Felix Baddoe. The welcoming ceremony followed, replete with brothers decked out in traditional African attire and clutching the brightly coloured flags of the many participating nations. Jide Ojo, lead evangelist of the Accra congregation, delivered the day’s first class, “Renewing Your Inner Strength”. It was a smarting reminder that those who hold onto faith will be richly rewarded.



Next were the split classes which gave singles of all kinds the chance to get more specific needs met; younger and older men, as well as younger and older women, all had a chance to gather and hear a message tailor-made for them. The small-group sharing which took place thereafter was the kind of sincere confession and camaraderie that the International Church of Christ is known for. Lunch was soon served and one could already hear the makings of some fast friendships sparking over the clink-clink of plates and cutlery.

Before diving into the next set of classes, we had the chance to enjoy one of the most unexpected highlights of the conference: the worship. I must admit that I did not see this one coming. Now, every disciple knows the feeling of being caught up in praise and worship, smiling ear-to-ear as you are carried away by an exultant song. I, however, doubt that anyone present was prepared to have that experience multiplied threefold in the jubilant cries of the Ghanaian, Nigerian and francophone ''song-leaders''. Though it was late in the night and many were still exhausted from their cross-country journeys, the riotous praise kept blood pumping and hearts attentive.

The evening closed out with the convicting one-two punch of two classes, each taught by a very capable brother-sister pair. The first class encouraged us to dig deeper than usual in our Bible studies, prayer and fellowship whilst the second class gave useful and practical advice to help dating couples be holy and attractive, all at the same time.

The following morning held a special treat – after breakfast, a passionate devotional was given in French! Our brother Robert instilled in us once more the values of compassion and concern for the poor. It was the perfect precursor to the day’s Hope Worldwide activity which involved us travelling down to the Fever’s Unit of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital where we donned gloves and took up cutlasses, clearing the compound and carting away stray refuse.



Seeing brothers and sisters – some of whom did not even speak the same language or have common backgrounds – working side by side for a common good was special indeed. After making a well-received donation to the hospital, we hit the streets of Accra to feast our eyes and unload our pockets in the city centre.

Some got to experience Accra’s bustling Makola market whilst others instead opted for a trip down memory lane at the Kwame Nkrumah mausoleum. After converging back at the Accra Arts Centre, the buses began their journey back to Winneba, making sure to swing by notable city landmarks such as the newly constructed presidential palace, the Jubilee Complex. Folks arrived back in Winneba worn out, but with satisfied smiles on their faces, not to mention hips eager for a bit of groove time. That evening the main hall was transformed into a disco and it became the spot for brothers and sisters to outdo one another on the dance floor. We even have the videotape to prove it!

By Sunday morning, most of the attendees had new friends and new stories to tell, and so the smiles and hugs in the fellowship were soaked with even more zeal. Another triumphant round of songs and dance in honour of the Most High led us to the closing class for the conference: “The Treasure Within”. Chris Ogbonnaya, the overseeing evangelist of the West African sub region, tied together all the variant themes of the weekend – reminding us just how precious the Kingdom of God was, and how grateful we ought to be for it.

It was easy to be blinded by the classic African hiccups of power cuts and water shortages which had pockmarked the weekend, and ignore the more precious gifts of new bonds formed and forgotten zeal rekindled.



Chris’ point was certainly not lost on us, and he closed out to an enthusiastic round of applause. As I headed back to my room to begin packing for the bus ride back to Accra, it was obvious to me that this was four days well-spent. What I had received in that short time was a priceless reminder from God of how unique our spiritual family is. We certainly do have an inner treasure. Now that we have realised it, don’t you think it’s time that we share that knowledge with those who don’t have it?