The Gyidi Church History: Who was Prophet Kwaku Emmanuel?

Last week, when I wrote a short piece about my great grandfather Samuel Brako the founder of the Gyidi Church, I was asked about Prophet Kwaku Emmanuel and what relations he had with Samuel Brako. I was also asked about the relationship between Prophet Emmanuel and Opanin Abraham Kwaku Adusei, the General Superintendent of (the) Saviour Church of Ghana. In this short article I answer both questions. 

Prophet Emmanuel Kwaku Adutwum (popularly called Agyaaku by members of the church and Paaku by his siblings) was the fourth child of Mary Akosua Gyamfuah and Samuel Kwame Brako the founder of the Gyidi Church. Samuel Brako and Gyamfuah had 11 children. The first one was Boatemaa who died when she was still a baby. The couples had another daughter whom they named Sarah Akua Konadu (popularly called Awoyaa). Then they had another daughter whom they called Akua Mansa Adutwumwaa. Next they gave birth to a fourth child who was a boy and they named him Emmanuel Kwaku Adutwum. Emmanuel was named after Samuel Brako’s maternal uncle Kwasi Addae Adutwum, hence he was called Emmanuel Kwaku Adutwum.

The birth of Kwaku Emmanuel was foretold through a prophecy. The prophecy came to Samuel Brako that he would give birth to a son who would be a renowned prophet and a man of God. Not long after the prophecy, Mary Gyamfuah conceived and gave birth to Emmanuel. Before Emmanuel was born, there were very few prophets in the Gyidi Church, but 90 days after his birth he was sent to church for christening. During his christening, the Holy Spirit fell on almost all those who had gathered and from there the number of prophets increased considerably in the church. 

Prophet Emmanuel started his prophetic ministry at a very young age. When he was just eight years old, he performed his first miracle by resurrecting a dead person at Osiem. He continued in the prophetic ministry until his father died. After the death of Samuel Brako in mid-1940s, there was a power struggle between some of his aides especially Opanin Isaac Kwadwo Asirifi on one hand and Opanin Barnabas Yaw Dankwa, Abraham Nsiah and Emmanuel Obeng on the other hand. There was attempt to resolve the matter at Kukuom which during colonial time was part of Ashanti but they could not reach any amicable conclusion. During a convention at Obogu in Asante Akyem, the leadership succession matter came up again but they could not reach a final agreement and the church split into two. Opanin Asirifi’s faction became known as Saviour Church while Elders Dankwa, Nsiah and Obeng’s faction became known as True Faith Church. 

Prophet Kwaku Emmanuel joined Opanin Isaac Asirifi and both men teamed up to work together. Between 1949 and 1959, Saviour Church expanded to several parts of the country. Emmanuel as a prolific prophet became the centre of the prophetic ministry in the church. In 1958, Emmanuel and Prophet Peter Mensah (Obotan) of Kumawu resurrected a woman by name Madam Yaa Manu at Kumawu Abotanso. However, Emmanuel and Isaac fell out and Emmanuel left Saviour Church but he did not join True Faith Church straight away. Because Samuel Brako originally came from Juaben in Ashanti, Emmanuel moved and lived at Nkyiripoaso near Juaben and did not seek to join the church until in 1980 when God sent Prophet Elijah Amaning of Besoro near Kumawu to inform Emmanuel to join True Faith Church. He joined True Faith Church and continued his prophetic ministry. 

In 1986 he joined Opanin Abraham Kwabena Nsiah of Asamang when he set up Faith Salvation Church. In 1988, he left Faith Salvation Church and formed United Faith Church but rejoined True Faith Church later on. Many people inside and outside Ghana heard of Emmanuel’s powerful prophetic work and they visited him at Bethel near Nkyiripuaso where Samuel Brako had established a cocoa farm. He continued to work until he died on 22 November 2013. He is considered one of the greatest prophets ever to emerge in the entire Gyidi Church. The miracles he performed are recounted in an upcoming book. 

Who is Opanin Abraham Adusei to Emmanuel Kwaku Adutwum?

Opanin Samuel Brako had several brothers. One of them was Opanin John Kwaku Badu (popularly called Akokora Badu or Nana Badu). In fact, Opanin John Kwaku Badu was the youngest brother of Samuel Brako. Opanin John Kwaku Badu and his lovely wife Madam Sarah Adwoa Oforiwaa gave birth to Opanin Abraham Adusei the current leader of The Saviour Church of Ghana. Therefore, Samuel Brako is Opanin Abraham Adusei’s uncle. As stated above Samuel Brako gave birth to Kwaku Emmanuel and Brako’s brother Nana Badu gave birth to Adusei. Therefore, Pastor Abraham Kwaku Adusei and Prophet Kwaku Emmanuel are cousins.

Written by Lord Adusei