I have pondered over the debate of people standing with Pastor Otabil for a while now and these are my thoughts.

I have been married for a short while and within which God has blessed my union with a son. I am bringing him up well teaching him to know wrong and right. My prayer is that this boy will grow into a responsible young man one day.

God forbid this from happening but assuming that my son grows up and along the line commits a crime against the state. I will pray for mercy for him. I will hope that he will be moderately punishment. If he is put before a court, I will be in court every day to show my support. Should he be sentenced to a prison term, I will visit him as much as I can and send him everything he needs to show him my unflinching support. Even if he is handed a life sentence, I will be there for him. 

It doesn’t mean that I am condoning what he has done; I am simply standing with my son period. And that is the godly thing to do.

In my previous employment in a private university in Ghana, my job schedule included providing counselling for students. I remember a case we handled at the department that made me learn a lot about parenting. For the purpose of confidentiality, I will not give specific details. A female student had been impregnated by a fellow a male student from the same institution. 

This girl was contemplating a termination of the pregnancy until the case reached us through her friend. As we counselled her, we convinced her to get her parents involved. Although she was reluctant because of their obvious reaction, she gave us her father’s contact.  We proceeded to call him and schedule a meeting with him the following. He travelled from Obuasi where he lived to Accra the following day for the scheduled meeting.

When he arrived in our office, we broke the news of his daughter’s pregnancy to him. He was so disappointed. He wondered where he went wrong as he had done everything to bring up his daughter well. Afterwards, we sent for her daughter to come into the office. Upon arrival of his daughter, he told her that she was an adult and that whatever she decides he is with her. He then proceeded to ask her “what do you want to do”. 

The young lady said she wanted to keep the pregnancy. Her father stood by her daughter and her decision. Truth be told, at this point even I the counsellor was stunned at the level of her father’s support for the daughter despite his disappointment. I will later learn when I had a son of my own that he couldn’t help it but stand by her.

The issue got complicated later with pressure from the young man who got her pregnant and his parents for the young lady terminate the pregnancy, but the lady’s father stood firmly behind her throughout the period. She deferred her programme for a year to deliver the baby and guess what? She came back to school the following year and has since completed her bachelor’s degree about four years ago. Her father’s support in the difficult moments of her life gave her the strength to bounce back and I believe that was the godly thing to do.

Pastor Mensa Otabil in his press release on Tuesday 14th August 2018 has admitted that there may have been some decisions they took on the Capital Bank Board that may not have gone well. He has stated that whatever he did, he did in good faith.

So when people say they stand with Pastor Mensa Otabil, they are saying that Pastor Mensa Otabil is a man and so, therefore, is fallible. That he may have erred in some of the decision taken at Capital Bank under his watch. That they agree that he Pastor Mensa Otabil should face the consequences of his actions.

However, Pastor Mensa Otabil is a pastor, a father, a mentor and an inspiration to many in Ghana and beyond. So just like the way, anyone will stand by his child or father or mother should they breach the law; that is exactly how they are standing with Pastor Mensa Otabil. They are standing with him in these difficult times, through all the hell and high waters and this is the godly thing to do.

If you read the account of David in 1 Samuel 21:10-15, 22:1, there was a very low period in his life as he was fleeing from Saul for his life, he found himself in enemy territory. He had to behave in a very humiliating manner mimicking insanity for his life to be spared before the king of Gath.  The bible says that, when his family heard about the humiliation David had been through, they went to give him support. I think they did so because that was the godly thing to do.

In every generation, God lifts a man whose voice transcends religion, demographics, cultures and nations. I believe Pastor Mensa Otabil is one of such people in our generation. There is a reason why the Apostle Paul cautions us in 2 Corinthians 2:11 to not be ignorant of the schemes of the enemy. If Satan’s schemes were black and white, there want to be a need for the warning by Apostle Paul. All that the enemy is interested in, as for as Pastor Mensa Otabil is concerned is in two folds;

1. To drastically reduce the impact and influence of his voice to the people God has called him to serve.

2. To break his spirit to believe and support the ability of the African to rise out of the ashes.

The enemy may have tried his worse but it is too late. Had Satan known that killing Jesus Christ will bring us redemption, he would not have done so. So has Satan only made Pastor Mensa Otabil and his Voice now more sought after. Everyone is waiting to hear what he would say or do next. 

That is the doing of the Lord. God will not leave his man to drown. The Bible says in Isaiah 43:2 that when we go through the waters, He God will be with us. So when people say they stand with Pastor Mensa Otabil, they are actually standing with God. Because God is standing with him and that is the godly thing to do.

#I stand with Pastor Mensa Otabil.