African Star: Apostle Kojo Safo Kantanka’s spiritual life and tech innovation – all about him
Apostle Dr. Kwadwo Safo, popularly known as “Kantanka, the African Star,” passed away peacefully on Thursday, September 11, 2025, the Safo family and the Kristo Asafo Church have announced. He has been described as a man of God, technological innovator, philanthropist, agriculturalist, and industrialist — a national icon whose life touched millions. In announcing his passing, the family cited Romans 14:8: “For if we live, we live to the Lord and if we die, we die to the Lord.”
He was called the “Star of Africa,” a man whose name became synonymous with invention, faith, and an unshakeable belief in Ghana’s potential. Apostle Dr. Kwadwo Safo Kantanka was not just a preacher or an entrepreneur; he was a pioneer who dared to dream of a self-reliant Africa.
Early life
Apostle Dr. Kwadwo Safo Kantanka was born on August 26, 1948, at Bom near Kensere in the Amansie East district of the Ashanti Region, Ghana. He hailed from Bekwai, where his parents, Opanin Yaw Safo and Obaapanin Yaa Amoanimaa, raised him in modest circumstances.
Even as a child, Safo exhibited unusual curiosity and an ability to blend practical knowledge with spiritual conviction. His rural upbringing, shaped by a strong sense of faith and community, nurtured the qualities that would later define him as both a religious leader and an innovator. These formative experiences laid the foundation for his life’s mission: a balance between spirituality and invention.
His spiritual calling
In the early 1970s, Kwadwo Safo embraced a divine calling, leading to the founding of the Kristo Asafo Mission of Ghana, also known as the Christ Reformed Church. What started as a small fellowship grew into one of the most vibrant indigenous churches in the country.
Kristo Asafo was unique: it combined spiritual teaching with vocational training, agriculture, and technological empowerment. Apostle Safo’s spirituality was legendary—many testified of his miraculous works, from healings to stories of supernatural feats that drew crowds even from outside Ghana, including Cameroon. Some feared him, others revered him, but all acknowledged his extraordinary spiritual influence.
His church has become a place where faith was not only preached but also practiced in ways that changed livelihoods.
The man behind Kantanka Automobile
Apostle Safo became a national symbol of innovation in the 1990s with the founding of Kantanka Automobile, Ghana’s first indigenous car brand. His dream was to design and manufacture vehicles tailored for African needs.
He unveiled SUVs, pickups, and saloon cars with model names such as Omama and Onantefo.
These cars were showcased during Kristo Asafo Technology Exhibitions, which also featured prototypes of aircraft, agricultural machinery, and even military-style inventions.
Critics sometimes questioned the science behind some demonstrations, but there was no denying that his inventions captured imaginations and fueled national conversations on African self-reliance.
Through Kantanka Automobile, Apostle Safo proved that Africans could design and manufacture products locally, breaking the myth of perpetual dependency on foreign imports. Most of its inventions have been branded with local Ghanaian names.
The company notably in 2020 donated a brand new Kantanka Omama Pick-up (2020 edition) to the Ghana Army. The Pick-up which was branded in camouflage colours was received by then Chief Staff Officer (CSO) at the Army Headquarters, Brigadier General Michael Amoah-Ayisi on behalf of the Army during the Kantanka 40th Tech Exhibition at Awoshie.
For over 20 years, the company has made it a tradition to design, construct, and showcase groundbreaking technological and agricultural innovations spearheaded by the African Star himself. Its workshop, located in Mputa in the Central Region, has become a hub of creativity and invention. Many of these innovations have made national headlines, with people eagerly anticipating each year’s unveiling and the excitement it brings from the visionary himself.
Apostle the agric man
Apostle Safo was also a giant in agriculture. He established one of the largest farms in Ghana, producing organic food without preservatives or chemicals. From yams, carrots, eggplants, and tomatoes to herbs and garden eggs, his farms symbolized his belief in natural living.
Determined to revive forgotten indigenous foods and herbs, he also promoted traditional healthcare. He trained youth and adults in herbal medicine and founded the Kantanka Herbal Pharmaceuticals and Research Centre, a functioning hospital dedicated to herbal healthcare.
His agricultural initiatives were coupled with his passion for youth empowerment. He trained over 200 young people in technology and agriculture, constantly preaching self-reliance and discouraging blind dependence on the West.
Apostle as a philanthropist
Philanthropy was at the heart of Apostle Safo’s mission. Through the Kristo Asafo Church, he funded schools, vocational training programs, and agricultural projects to create jobs and food security. His outreach extended to supporting orphans, widows, hospitals, and prisons.
He was not only a father to his six biological children but also to many others he nurtured from infancy into adulthood. Many of these individuals now occupy significant positions in society. His acts of generosity—distributing food, clothing, and resources—made him a household name associated with care and compassion.
By Ruth Sekyi – [email protected]
Publish book about his life
Before his passing, Apostle Safo ensured his life’s story was preserved in writing. His works include “The Life Story of Apostle Dr. Kwadwo Safo and Kristo Asafo Mission” and “Sermons by Apostle Dr. Kwadwo Safo”, authored by Mr. Kwaku Boateng Agyenim, the church’s Deputy General Secretary. These publications immortalize his journey, blending his religious exploits, inventions, and impact on Ghanaian society.
The message Apostle has left us with
Apostle Safo’s message to Africa, and particularly Ghana, was clear: return to the roots of natural living, self-reliance, and integrity. He consistently preached against over-dependence on chemicals in agriculture and the dangers of abandoning organic food, warning that such practices harm both the land and human health.
He reminded Ghanaians that their ancestors thrived without chemicals, cultivating fertile lands and living longer, healthier lives. He urged the nation to reject harmful modern practices, repent, and embrace God’s forgiveness so that the land could be healed.
The Safo family described him as “a true genius, a beacon of hope for many, and a father to the fatherless.”
His daughter, former Member of Parliament for Dome Kwabenya, Sarah Adwoa Safo, confirmed funeral details would be announced in due course. Ghana, indeed, has lost a gallant son and a true legend—but his message of faith, innovation, and self-reliance remains etched in the nation’s memory.
