Remove your shoes! The fetish priest barked as the two men en­tered the shrine. They complied.

You are welcome to the presence of Nana Kofi Broni, the mighty one who scatters his enemies and turns them into dust, the powerful one who walks with six legs and reaches his destination way ahead of everyone. What can I do for you, my children?

Er, Okomfo, this is my friend Papa An­tobam. He has a problem, and I assured him that you can….. ‘But the fetish priest cut him short.

If it is he who has the problem, then let him speak for himself.

Antobam cleared his throat. Er, Okomfo, I will not make a long speech. I want to start a church, and I want to be able to do wonders, so that more people will join my church. Of course, the bottom line is money! I want the kind of spiritual power that will make people pay money for my services, without complaining. That is why I have come. Yaw Ansah tells me you can help me.

The fetish priest stared at Antobam for what seemed like ages. Finally, he spoke.

‘You want asore aduro?’

‘Precisely’, Okomfo, Antobam re­plied.

`Okay. Nana will do it for you. It is not hard for him at all. But there are a few requirements that you have to meet. I need to perform some rites which will enable Nana to bring the wealth you are asking for, from the spiritual world so that you can lay your hands on it, whenever you need it`.

`That is what I am looking for, Okomfo`.

‘Well then. You are clearly focused on what you want, and how you want to achieve it. Nana Broni is ever willing to help you. There are two sets of rituals to be performed. One of them can be done today, and the other can be done whenever you are able to put together the necessary items.

‘Nana’, Antobam said, ‘I came pre­pared, so if you don’t mind, please con­vert the items into cash. I think I can find enough money to pay. I would very much like to perform all the necessary rites here, today’.

‘Okay, an amount of two thousand ce­dis will settle it all. If you pay that, we will go ahead and perform the rituals shortly’.

Antobam rose, drew out an envelope from his trouser pocket and counted out some notes.

‘Here you are, Nana. Two thousand. I’m ready’.

‘Okay’, the fetish priest said as he picked up the money. He placed it gently in a big calabash, whispering some unintelligible words as he did so. Then he went outside, prepared a fire and put a huge pot on it. Within some fifteen minutes the water was boiling. He poured several concoctions in it, reciting some incantations as he did so.

‘Now’, he declared, ‘we are ready! Come forward. Papa went close to the big pot.

‘Step on that stone and get into the pot’. Papa Antobam hesitated, wonder­ing whether it was wise to step into a pot of boiling water with his eyes wide open.

‘I say, get inside the pot!’ the man shouted. ‘Gingerly, Antobam stepped inside, but realised to his great surprise that instead of being very hot, the wa­ter felt cool. The fetish priest grabbed his head with his two hands and pushed him down for about a minute. Although he had closed his eyes and was inside for only a minute, he ‘saw’ quite a number of big, strange creatures in the water. They all came to him, pushing large crates containing money. The fetish priest pulled his head out just when he started gasping for air.

‘Did you see money? Lots of money’? The fetish priest asked.

‘Yes! I saw some big animals, and they brought big crates of money to me.’

‘Congratulations!’ Now go and start your church, and do your stuff. But remember, you must once a year to give thanks to the great Nana Kofi Broni for giving you the power to make money. But wait, you need to take this’. He brought out a gallon container, poured some of the contents of the huge pot into it, and gave it to him.

‘A few hours before your first service, pour this at the venue. From then, Nana Kofi Broni’s messengers will follow you wherever you go. You will see wonders.’

‘Thank you’, Antobam replied. ‘I will certainly be back.’ They shook hands, and the two friends left the shrine.

‘I told you I knew the man who could help you,’ Yaw Ansah said as they walked to the lorry station to join a vehicle for the twenty minute journey back to Koforidua.

‘I believe you now, Yaw, and I am re­ally grateful. I assure you that I will not forget you when money starts rolling in’.

‘I will hold you to that promise. But I’m sure you will ‘do something’ for now, won’t you?’

‘Well’, Antobam said, let’s see what I can do now. He brought out the white envelope and took out a fifty cedi note. ‘You can have this for now, Yaw. As you know already, life has been very tough. In order to prepare for this trip I sold my TV and I gave out my rented room in Koforidua. I made three thousand cedis, from which I have already given out two thousand at the shrine. I have already spent two hundred cedis on our transport and food. Here is GH¢50 for you. I have to be careful with money until I start getting some money from the church business. I am going to col­lect my things from Koforidua and move into the family house at Kukurantumi until things start looking up. I will give out GH¢100 to my mother, and try to survive on what is left’.

‘I’m sure you will start making money the moment you start making yourself known. You must start immediately’.

‘I will do exactly that. I will find a place to start at Tafo this week, then I will open branches all over the Eastern Region, and move to Accra and Kumasi. In a few months I will be on all the big radio and TV stations’.

‘That’s the spirit, my brother. Others have made it, so why can’t you?’

‘You have a good point’. Very soon I will be among the big preachers in Ghana’.

A few days later, Antobam rented a loud hailer for GH¢10 and went round the lorry station and the town cen­tre. ‘Do you need a quick, long-term solution to your marriage, financial and health problems? Do you want to travel abroad and get a good paying job? The day of your solution is here! Come to the open space behind the Zion school park, and see wonders. Solutions! Solu­tions! Solutions! 6’oclock sharp, every morning. We are waiting for you! Mira­cles! Miracles! Come and take yours!

The following morning, Antobam got to the venue just after four. He had selected that venue because apart from being out of town, there were no churches to compete with him. He erected a small platform to serve as pulpit, and sprinkled the water from the shrine all over the place, as the fetish priest had directed. Soon after that, he heard shrill sounds like voices. He looked around him and saw nothing, but the voices were certainly there. He felt some initial fear, but remem­bered that having paid for the services of Nana Kofi Broni’s angels, any spirits that had come there would work on his behalf. The voices, he told himself, confirmed that he was on his way to becoming a very rich, powerful man.

By six o’clock quite a number of people, mostly women, had gathered there.

‘My brothers and sisters’ you are all welcome. I assure you that today, you will see the end of your problems. I do not talk too much. I do as I say. Let’s allow some fifteen minutes for other brothers and sisters to arrive, then the service will begin. For now, let us start singing some praises to God. Can anyone lead us in some praises? A young woman did, and the service got un­derway. The numbers increased as the singing went on.

Antobam raised his hand for the singing to stop, and addressed the gathering.

‘My brothers and sisters, my name is Prophet Papa Antobam. I have come as your servant to bring you solutions to your problems. I have been praying for a long time, asking God when He would release me to go and serve my people. Finally, your prayers have been answered. I have brought quick, lasting solutions to any problem you will face. The Almighty God has heard your cry, and today, I assure you that you will see real solutions. One thing I ask of you, is that when you see the solutions, do not forget to come and give thanks for what God has done for you.

If it is he who has the problem, then let him speak for himself

By Ekow de Heer