The leaders of Nogokpo town remain resolute in their stance, refusing to withdraw their 14-day ultimatum issued to Archbishop Charles Agyinasare, the founder and leader of Perez Chapel International.
The ultimatum demands his appearance before them to address a dispute stemming from his statement labelling Nogokpo as the “demonic headquarters of the Volta Region.”
The National Peace Council, in a statement on Tuesday, appealed for peace between the chiefs and people of Nogokpo and Archbishop Agyinasare, seeking a resolution to the escalating tensions.
Nufialaga Mawufemor Korbla Nonyigbey, the convener of the Nogokpo community, emphasized during an interview on Eyewitness News on Citi FM that the Archbishop has yet to offer an apology to the community. The community expects him to appear before the town's elders and rectify the situation in a respectful manner.
“Honestly, I find it difficult when they say he has sent an apology when there is no such thing. He came to justify himself by saying he is married to an Ewe and his children have Ewe names. To us, that is not an apology, and we would want him to come before us to apologize,” Nonyigbey expressed.
Archbishop Agyinasare had previously explained on May 28 that his comments were not intended to disparage the people of Nogokpo. He clarified that his statements were misconstrued, amounting to a stereotype against the community.
“Nogokpo is a land of peace, and we are caring people, and we are a land of justice. We are known for serving justice and not on the negative side but on the positive side, and Nogokpo has been a source of justice the world over. When someone robs you of your belongings, and you have tried all other means without getting your belongings, that is when you say you are going to Nogokpo. The perception that people have is a result of comments like what Agyinasare made,” the Archbishop elaborated.
Mr. Nonyigbey also expressed concern about the implications of the Archbishop's remarks, emphasizing the potential negative impact on future generations.
“Attention is now focused on the Archbishop, but we are not paying attention to the damage it has done to the people of the town. The implications of this on the next generation are very negative, so we have to get to the bottom of it so that it doesn't happen again,” Nonyigbey lamented.