Breaking News: Apostle Kwadwo Safo Kantanka passes on

Apostle Dr. Kwadwo Safo Kantanka, revered man of God, inventor, industrialist, and philanthropist, has passed away peacefully at the age of 77.

The Safo Family and Kristo Asafo Church confirmed that the man affectionately called “Kantanka, the African Star” died on Thursday, September 11, 2025.

Born on August 26, 1948, in Bekwai in the Ashanti Region, Safo rose from modest beginnings to become one of Ghana’s most celebrated figures in religion, technology, and entrepreneurship.

His lifelong passion for science and engineering led him to the Ghana Technical Works Institute in Kumasi, where he trained in engineering. He later worked at the Volta Aluminium Company (VALCO) and other firms before charting his own path.

In 1969, he established the Kristo Asafo Mission, initially as a prayer group that later developed into a church with a distinctive African-centered vision. Beyond spirituality, the Mission became a hub for manufacturing, producing electronics, agricultural tools and eventually automobiles.

Its teachings emphasized African self-reliance, with Safo promoting the idea that all humans carry divine potential and that Heaven and Hell are conditions of the mind rather than distant destinations.

His industrial legacy was cemented in 1994 when he founded Kantanka Automobile to design vehicles suited for African terrain and needs. By 1998, production had begun, introducing models such as the Omama SUV and the Onantefo pickup truck.

In 2012, the company expanded with an assembly plant in Accra, established in partnership with Chongqing Big Science & Technology of China. The plant has since produced vehicles assembled in Ghana and sold both locally and across West Africa, including Nigeria and the Ivory Coast.

Apostle Safo’s passing marks the end of an era. To many, he was not only a spiritual leader but also a symbol of African ingenuity and determination.

His innovations, philanthropy and vision for technological independence leave behind a legacy that will inspire generations to come.