Apostle Dr. Alfred Koduah, the man who has seen it all in The Church of Pentecost, rising through the ranks to the position of General Secretary – the head of administration of the church – has retired from the full-time ministry.
A glorious retirement service, which was held in his honour at the Fred Stephen Safo Memorial Temple at Nungua on Sunday, August 15, 2021, was heavily attended by the rank and file of the church, leaders of para-church organisations, politicians, and traditional leaders.
The mammoth service was officiated by the Chairman of the church, Apostle Eric Nyamekye. He was assisted by Prophet David Kankam Beditor (Coordinator, Greater Accra Regional Coordinating Committee of the church), Apostle Emmanuel Agyemang Bekoe (International Missions Director-Elect), Apostle Yaw Adjei-Kwarteng (Executive Council Member), Apostle Vincent Anane Denteh (PEMEM Director and Executive Council Member-Elect), and Apostle Lawrence Otu-Nyarko (Finance and Administration Director at the Headquarters). Also present was the former Chairman, Apostle Prof Opoku Onyinah, and the National Head of the church in the United States of America, Apostle Michael Agyemang-Amoako.
Apostle Dr Koduah, who was called into the full-time ministry of the church 37 years ago together with his wife Rachel, was born on February 6, 1956, at Kumawu in the Ashanti Region to the late Krontihene of Kumawu, Nana Kwadwo Koduah, and Madam Abenaa Sarfowaa of Kumawu-Besoro. His mother is still alive and is currently 101 years old.
He completed elementary school in 1972. While working as a messenger with the Ministry of Agriculture, he enrolled in night classes at the City Business College at Caprice in Accra, where he studied Typing, Shorthand and English from 1973 to 1974. In 1974, he qualified as a professional typist from the Government Secretariat School. Later, he was granted study leave by the Ministry of Agriculture to study at the Kwadaso and Ejura Agricultural Colleges from 1980 to 1982. In 1993, nine years after he had been called into the full-time ministry, he wrote and passed the General Certificate of Education – Ordinary Level (GCE ‘O’ Level) examinations as a private candidate.
While in the full-time ministry, he had the opportunity to pursue a master’s degree in Applied Theology from the University of Manchester, UK, after successfully studying at the Regents Theological College, Nantwich, UK, from 2000 to 2002. He also obtained a Doctor of Philosophy Degree in 2012, after studying at the South African Theological Seminary.
His work as an Agriculturalist took him to Akumadan in Ashanti Region in September 1974, Tanoso, Techiman in February 1975, and Asante Bekwai in April 1976.
He accepted the call into the full-time ministry of The Church of Pentecost in 1984 and resigned from the public sector. He was stationed at Adukrom-Akwapim in the Eastern Region and later at Tema, where he was appointed as Area Head and transferred to the Upper East Region as regional head, from 1992-1994, after which he was transferred to Zambia as Missionary and National Head, from 1994-1998. He was recalled to Ghana and stationed at Sunyani as Area Head, from 1998-2003. He was appointed the General Secretary of the church, from 2003-2013, went back to the field, and was stationed at Takoradi as Area Head, from 2013-2018, and finally Teshie-Nungua, from 2018-2021.
Among the high positions, boards and committees he served on in the church and outside the church are: General Secretary (2003-2013), Executive Council Member (2003-2018), Member of the Pentecost University Council (2004-2013), Board Chairman of the erstwhile Pentecost Theological Seminary (2013-2019), Chairman, Constitutional Review Committee (2013-2021), Chairman of the Religious Broadcasts Advisory Council of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (2009 to date), Vice President of the Bible Society of Ghana (2017-2020), and Chairman, National Cathedral Governance Research Working Group (2021 to date).
The Chairman of the church, Apostle Eric Nyamekye, in a sermon on the topic, “Life For A Prize,” based on Jeremiah 45:1-5 and other supporting scriptures, was full of praise to God for sustaining the life of Apostle Koduah and his family throughout the 37 years of their service in the ministry.
He said that Apostle Dr. Koduah lives by biblical principles that Jesus Christ expounded in Matthew 6:25-34 and manages his life well by not allowing anything to worry him. According to the Chairman, Apostle Dr. Koduah is a team player who is forthright with his opinions and ever ready to work for the general good of the church.
Various testimonies eulogized Apostle Dr. Koduah and his wife for their dedicated services rendered to the church and humanity.
The General Council described him as a doyen of contemporary Pentecostalism and a great scholar of theology.
“During his time as the General Secretary, he supported leadership to initiate a lot of reforms which have contributed in no small way to the transformation agenda of the church and the Headquarters administration,” it said, adding: “Apostle Dr. Koduah has contributed his quota to the transformation of the Christian community in Ghana, having served on various boards and committees outside the church.”
Apostle Dr. Alfred Koduah is a prolific writer with about 20 books to his credit.
PENTECOST NEWS.