I’m keen about 31st night more than Messi was with 2022 World Cup final – Rev Owusu Bempah

Reverend Isaac Owusu Bempah, the founder and leader of the Glorious Word Power Ministries is promising fireworks at this year’s 31st Night church service.

In a sermon on Sunday, December 18, 2022, Reverend Owusu Bempah urged the congregants to anticipate something extraordinary and unprecedented.

He likened his eagerness towards the day to how Lionel Messi of Argentina was reported to be having sleepless nights relative to Argentina’s final World Cup game against France on Sunday, December 18, 2022.

“This year’s 31st All Night will be different from the others. We will see things we’ve not seen before and Ghanaians will hear what they’ve never heard before.

"I have meant the 31st night service and I can't sleep. I wish tomorrow was 31st. It’s like Jesus rising to Heaven after his death. He was wild because he didn’t want anything to disturb him.

“In the World Cup, there is an Argentine player called Messi and I heard that he couldn’t sleep because of the game, I’ve meant 31st night more than Messi meant the World Cup,” he said.

31st night services have become a feature of Ghana’s end-of-year activities with prophecies usually dominating church services.

Reverend Owusu Bempah, Prophet Nigel Gaisie and Prophet Badu Kobi are but a few pastors who have made year-in and out made strange and controversial prophecies every 31st December.

The space used to be unchecked until the arrival of the Inspector-General of Police, Dr George Akuffo Dampare who instituted measures to control the proliferation of prophecies which he deemed to be nuisance to public safety and peace.

In a statement last year, the police said, religious groups and leaders must be measured in their utterances, especially how they communicate prophecies, which may injure the right of others and the public interest.

“We want to caution that under Ghanaian law, it is a crime for a person to publish or reproduce a statement, rumour or report which is likely to cause fear and alarm to the public or to disturb the public peace, where that person has no evidence to prove that the statement, rumour or report is true,” part of the statement released in December 2021 read.