BY NADIA NTIAMOAH
The founder and leader of the Philadelphia-based Believers Worship Centre, Stephen Adom Kyei Duah, has launched a strong defence of the recent visit by Sports Minister Kofi Adams to his church, accusing critics of applying double standards and attempting to politicise what he described as a spiritual exercise for the nation.
The controversy erupted after Kofi Adams attended a church service at Believers Worship Centre on June 7, 2026, where he received prayers and spiritual support ahead of Ghana’s participation in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The minister’s appearance quickly became a major talking point on social media, with many Ghanaians questioning the decision to seek spiritual intervention for the Black Stars instead of focusing solely on technical preparations and player development.
Videos from the service showed the Sports Minister receiving prayers before addressing the congregation. During his remarks, Adams noted that the final group-stage match at the World Cup would take place in Philadelphia, a coincidence he interpreted as a sign of divine favour given the nickname associated with Adom Kyei Duah’s ministry.
His comments generated significant discussion online and drew criticism from football enthusiasts who argued that success on the field would depend more on preparation than spiritual activities.
A week after the visit, Adom Kyei Duah used a church service to address the growing criticism. Speaking passionately to his congregation, the popular preacher questioned why his ministry was being singled out for condemnation when similar visits to other religious groups would likely have been celebrated rather than criticised.
The preacher specifically referenced two of the most prominent prayer movements, suggesting that public reaction would have been very different had the Sports Minister sought prayers from those platforms instead.
According to Adom Kyei Duah, the backlash had less to do with the minister’s actions and more to do with prejudice against his ministry.
He argued that many of those attacking him were motivated by personal biases and political considerations rather than genuine concern for the national team.
The outspoken religious leader also took issue with commentary from some media panellists whom he accused of unfairly targeting him and misrepresenting the purpose of the Sports Minister’s visit. He maintained that there was nothing wrong with offering prayers for a national team preparing to compete on the world’s biggest football stage.
