Members of the Bantama branch of the Lighthouse Chapel International in the Ashanti regional capital, Kumasi could not worship on Sunday because they met church locked.
According to Starrfmonline.com, the house of God was locked on Saturday by a group of machomen known as the Asante Force, preventing worshippers from meeting with him.
The development follows a threat from 5 Asante youth groups led by Kumasi Youth Association (KUYA) demanding an apology from the leader and founder of Lighthouse Chapel International, Bishop Dag Heward-Mills.
Loyalists of the Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II have been unhappy with the bishop over a comment he made about two decades ago which was critical of the traditional ruler.
The comment in question was made during a sermon many years ago but only surfaced online and created a lot of disaffection for the man of God, especially in the Ashanti region.
In the sermon which bothered on kingship, Bishop Dag Heward-Mills cited the Asantehene as an example and questioned his impact and legacy beyond the yearly celebrations of his reign.
The renowned man of God rendered an apology to the Asantehene after the video attracted negative reactions, saying his comments were taken out of context.
“I am deeply saddened that a message I shared at a conference, nearly 20 years ago, has been taken out of its context and circulated by persons who have previously declared that they will maliciously cause our churches in Kumasi to be closed down”.
Despite the apology, some diehard loyalists of the Ashanti king insist that Dag Heward-Mills must appear in person, failing which they would close down all his churches in the region.
After closing down the Bantama branch of the church, the group has vowed to do worse.
“We gave him 48hours to seek wise counsel which he has failed to respect our order, therefore, will show him that he can’t mess with the overlord of the Asanteman”
It is not clear if Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II himself endorses the action of the Asante Force, neither is it clear what the police in the region have been doing about the development.
