A coalition of Ghana’s most prominent Apostolic church leaders has issued a powerful declaration in support of President John Mahama, following the reported withdrawal of an honorary doctorate by Lincoln University in Pennsylvania.
The university had planned to honour President Mahama for his public service and global leadership but reportedly rescinded the recognition due to his opposition to LGBTQI+ ideologies and his support for Ghana’s ongoing legislative process regarding anti-LGBTQI+ bills.
In response, the Apostolic Fathers of Ghana, a group of influential Pentecostal and charismatic leaders, described the controversy not as a loss, but as a revelation of true character.
“In what was meant to diminish honour, we perceive a paradox: for true honour is not bestowed by institutions alone but is revealed in moments where conviction is tested,” the declaration reads.
The statement, signed by Bishop Dr. Gideon Titi-Ofei on behalf of 17 senior clergy — including Archbishop Nicholas Duncan-Williams, Archbishop Dr. Charles Agyinasare, and Apostle General Sam Korankye Ankrah — praises Mahama for refusing to yield to what they called “the shifting winds of global opinion.”
“His Excellency has risen, not diminished, but elevated,” the clergy declared.
They characterized Mahama’s stance as “the narrow path of conviction, anchored in the enduring values of his people, guided by conscience, and aligned with the moral architecture that defines nations.”
The Apostolic Fathers were careful to frame their support not as a partisan political endorsement, but as a defence of cultural and spiritual integrity.
“His Excellency’s principled stance against the promotion of LGBTQI+ ideologies and his fidelity to the ongoing legislative process in Ghanaian Parliament transcends politics,” the statement said. “It is a reflection of courage, quiet yet unyielding, firm yet measured, and principled yet respectful.”
They added that such leadership “does not merely govern a nation — it shapes its identity and secures its future.”
The declaration also served as a pointed message to the international community, reaffirming Ghana’s sovereignty over its moral and cultural direction.
“Ghana remains a sovereign nation, shaped by its history, defined by its cultural values, and guided by a moral vision that cannot be outsourced nor overridden,” the clergy wrote.
The statement concluded with a prayer for Mahama, asking that God would “strengthen your resolve, enlarge your wisdom, and crown your leadership with enduring legacy.”
“History will not remember the noise of opposition, but the nobility of conviction,” the declaration read. “In that history, your name shall be written among those who stood firm when it mattered most.”
Lincoln University, a historically Black institution in Pennsylvania, has not issued a public statement detailing the reasons for the withdrawal.
However, sources indicate the decision followed internal and external pressure related to President Mahama’s public comments and actions regarding LGBTQI+ rights, a polarizing issue in Ghana, where same-sex relations are already criminalized and proposed legislation has drawn international condemnation.
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