Dr. Isaac Ofori Tieku, personal physician to the late Apostle Kwadwo Safo, has alleged that an alliance between members of the extended family and certain elders of the Kristo Asafo Mission — not the founder’s children — lies at the heart of the ongoing succession dispute.
Speaking on Asempa FM’s ‘Ekosii Sen’ programme on Monday, Dr. Ofori Tieku pushed back against narratives framing the conflict as a rift among Apostle Safo’s children. Instead, he pointed to efforts by sections of the extended family working alongside some church elders to shape the succession process in their favour.
It’s a distinction he appears keen to draw clearly, given how easily such disputes can be mischaracterised as family infighting when the dynamics, in his telling, run deeper.
Funeral Plans Caught in the Crossfire
The physician said these internal disagreements have had real consequences, complicating preparations for the burial of the inventor, industrialist, and religious leader. He alleged that the resulting tensions are causing delays and making it difficult for the family to reach consensus on key funeral decisions — a practical toll layered on top of an already emotionally fraught moment for those mourning Apostle Safo.
Family Disclaimers, Funeral Disputes: The Untold Rifts Behind Kristo Asafo Succession ‘Big’ Fight
The allegations land amid intense public interest in who will lead the Kristo Asafo movement and the wider business empire Apostle Safo built, which includes the Kantanka Group, Ghana’s homegrown automobile manufacturer celebrated for its push toward indigenous technology and local manufacturing. With so much riding on the outcome — spiritually, institutionally, and commercially — it’s little surprise the succession question has drawn this level of scrutiny.
As of now, neither the extended family nor the leadership of the Kristo Asafo Mission has publicly responded to Dr. Ofori Tieku’s claims.