“Mrs Gladys Affum was one of the illustrious Women’s Ministry Leaders The Church of Pentecost has ever had. By dint of hard work and divine grace upon her life, Gladys served the Women’s Ministry at various levels of the Church and worked hand-in-hand with many great women of God such as Deaconesses Eunice Addison, Esme Siriboe, Mama Koram, Perpetual Owusu and Faustina France, among others, to promote the activities of the Women’s Ministry. “
This glowing tribute was paid to the late Mrs Gladys Affum by the General Council of the Church during a memorial service held in her honour at the Ashaley Botwe Old Town Park on Saturday, June 23, 2018. The service was officiated by the Achimota Area Head and Executive Council Member, Apostle Joseph Assabil.
Mrs Gladys Affum, wife of Apostle Narh Affum (Retired), passed on to glory on Friday, April 27, 2018, at age 68.
The tribute, which was read on behalf of the General Council by the La Area Head, Apostle John Appiah Aidoo, further acknowledged the instrumental role she played in the growth of the ministry in the Greater Accra Region in particular and also commended her for conducting herself well as a minister’s wife.
“Mama Gladys Affum was very much involved in the growth and development of the Women’s Ministry in the Greater Accra Region. Her name will remain in the annals of the history of the Ministry, especially in the Greater Accra Region, where she once served as Area Women’s Movement/Ministry Leader for about a decade.”
“Later in her life as a minister’s wife, Mrs Gladys Affum played her roles very well. She supported her husband’s ministry through counselling and prayer. Her dexterity in cooking also attracted many people to the mission house. We would have wished that she stayed a little longer but the Lord who knows best has taken the decision that is best for her,” the tribute read.
The late Mrs Gladys Akerkai Affum, affectionately called Mama Gladys, was born on Friday, May 5, 1950, at Adabraka, Accra to Mr Francis Torto of Nii Torgbor Abrenser We, Osu Anarhor and Madam Theodora Adarku Aryeetey, both of blessed memory.
Mama Gladys accepted the Lord as her personal saviour at the age of 14 and was baptized in water on November 22, 1964, to become a member of The Church of Pentecost.
She got married in 1970 to Mr Ebenezer Kwei Okantey at the Accra New Town Assembly, now Dr Thomas Wyatt Memorial Temple. The officiating ministers included Rev. Egyir Paintsil, Rev. A. T. Nartey, Rev. Vanderpuje and Rev. Okye. The marriage was blessed with two male children, John and James. She later adopted Emmanuel who lost his mother right after birth.
As a result of her zeal in the Lord, she was ordained as a Deaconess at an early age in 1972. She attended many courses in leadership including PACWA in Nigeria and some on Marriage Counselling. Mama Gladys held various offices at the Local, District and Regional/Area levels in The Church of Pentecost including the following:
• Local Women’s Movement Leader – Cantonments (1981 – 1984)
• Local Women’s Movement Leader – Osu (1984 – 1988)
• Assistant District Women’s Movement Leader – La District (1988 – 1994)
• District Women’s Movement Leader – La District (1994 – 1998)
• Area Women’s Movement Executive Committee Member – Accra East (1992 – 1998)
• Area Women’s Movement Leader – Accra East (1998 – 2004)
• Area Women’s Movement Leader – Madina Area (2004 – 2007)
In 1992, her marriage came to an abrupt end after the sudden death of her husband, who had then become the Presiding Elder of Osu Assembly. She married Apostle Jacob Narh Affum in 2007 and served as a minister’s wife at Ho (2017), Asankrangwa (2007-2012), Ejisu (2012-2014) and Agormanya (2014-2017), where they retired from active ministry.
Mrs Gladys Affum is survived by her husband, three children and six grandchildren. May her soul rest in peace.
PENTECOST NEWS
