I caught up with renowned actress, Akosua Busia, on the road with Bishop Dag Heward-Mills and Healing Jesus Campaign, in order to interview her about the upcoming 40th anniversary of the passing of her father, Dr. Kofi Abrefa Busia, Prime Minister of the Second Republic of Ghana.
Formerly based in the United States, Akosua Busia made a name for herself in such Internationally critically acclaimed films such as The Color Purple and Tears of The Sun. We last spoke just before she won an OBIE Award, presented to her in New York for her role in the Broadway hit – Eclipsed, co-starting with Lupita Nyongo.
Akosua spoke excitedly of her new project, “Speak The Word Audio” which she is using to bring Christian writings by authors from the African Diaspora, onto Audio Books.
“In celebration of papa’s 40th Anniversary, I’m recording his written sermons. Many people don’t know Papa was a Lay-Preacher. He wrote many sermons, some of which he broadcast on the BBC during the Second World War,” Busia said.
According to her, she will not be in Accra on August 28th, the exact day of her father’s passing, so she prefers to let her father’s words speak in print in her stead.
“I know he would be happy that I’m off doing what I’m doing; spreading the Word of God. I’ll give you excerpts of one of his written sermons we’re recording for the audio. He was a visionary, a true man of God,” she said.
SERMON AT ACHIMOTA (March 22nd, 1942)
“Why Christianity?”
By Dr. Kofi Abrefa Busia
We live in a World that everybody agrees to be in a terrible mess, and we hear many voices telling us how we may get out of it. Among the many voices is that of the Christian, sometimes faint, as though he were not sure of himself; but even when he speaks confidently, his voice is smothered. He is told he lives in a fool’s paradise, and he does not face the facts.
What I would like to say very simply, tonight is that Christianity does face the fact about the World, and about man. Far from denying the faults of human nature, it is very frank about them; it calls them sins, and condemns them very strongly. It says that man is a sinful creature, needing redemption, and history supports that judgment.
Man throughout the whole of history has been mostly engaged, directly or indirectly, in killing his fellow men, and in destroying things he has made. His nature is self-destructive. If you take the last six thousand years of human life, you will find that war has been the normal condition.”
“…Our lovely dreams for a better World limited by man in his own power have continually turned into nightmares. The evidence of history is that when man has become most civilised he is most brutal. The reason is our mastery of nature does not lead to a corresponding mastery of our evil wills, our lust, our pride, our self-centeredness; and so man’s power to do more good, is always power to do more evil. Behind the walls of history, stand frustrated, beaten and dissatisfied men and women, ill-treating one another, sometimes brutally with incredible cruelty and heartlessness and without regard. The explanation that Christianity gives of this situation is that man is sinful….”
“…And that is why Christianity teaches us to despair of man in his own power and ability to make a better World. It teaches self-despair, but it offers us a sure hope, on certain conditions….”
“…Those of you who are teachers know that there is one type of unteachable child. He is the child who thinks he knows. He who wants to learn must be conscious of his ignorance. No progress can be made while men are contented with themselves. If we are satisfied with our opinions we can never discover truth. So also in the religious life, no progress can be made till men despair of themselves. That is the first condition. If we would be saved we must first know ourselves sinners. The second condition is that we must hope in God. We must believe that there is a power available for us; a God who enters into our despair and remakes us. It is He alone who deals with the deep, deep self-centeredness in us…”
“….Christianity is a hopeful, religion because it sees human sin against the background of divine love, it sees man as a sinner, yet with endless possibilities; it sees the World as spoiled by evil, and yet as capable of becoming a hope worthy of man’s destiny and God’s purpose. And it believes that both these are possible, because it believes in God who has revealed himself to us in His son….”
“…Christianity is not magic it will not give quick results. It deals with our ideas, and the way we behave to one another in our social and international relations. We must not expect these things to change suddenly. But something will happen if we allow Christ into our lives, first of all, we are given a new spirit and temper. Instead of thinking of life as a means of getting things for ourselves we begin to think of life as an opportunity for becoming different beings; for becoming what the New Testament calls ‘Sons of God’, humble, joyous, world-responsible, loving…”
“…Life at its highest and freest is life outpoured in self-renouncing love. It is by giving to one another that men can live a full and happy life; but the nations of the world have not yet passed the stage of disputing with one another who shall be greatest amongst them….”
“…We must then think on these things, and make the choice for ourselves. Christianity begins with a choice to follow Christ. To each of us, He says follow me, and to obey Him means you place Him above everything in this World. All He offers you in return is life; abundant life; the mastery of the art of loving. When you have found this life you will find it is an experience you cannot put into words. It is an incommunicable secret. You will find that you will begin at last to live. Your life will be spiritually dynamic, for although you will find your experience inexpressible, your life will be radiantly infectious. You will have a message to pass on to others. I know what the experience is but I cannot put it into words. It is a secret that you must discover for yourself….”
Article by Kwesi Dee