Meet the Ghanaian pastor driving Africa’s car industry

I cannot start this article without quoting Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah´s famous words: ´The black man is capable (of managing his own affairs),´´ and there is absolute truth in the cliché: ´´Wonders shall never end.´´ Growing up as a little Ghanaian boy, I always learnt in school about some of the world´s greatest inventors who were mostly whites. This undoubtedly contributed to our westernised indoctrination, because it implied that the whites are super-humans. And the black man was always associated with the ills of society in a mischievous manner.

 

Ghanaian pastor – Apostle Kwadwo Safo

Why is the African the only person on earth who apparently cannot (or does not) make a car from scratch – from foundation to finishing – except for assembling parts manufactured by others or repairing cars made by other people? On the roads of Africa, one finds every car of every make – from Germany, Japan, USA, France, UK, Sweden, Italy, South Korea, Malaysia, China, etc – except a car made in Africa by an African! Does it say something about the African’s mechanical and technological prowess?

By no means – if the handiwork of a Ghanaian religious leader, Apostle Kwadwo Safo, is any guide. The 67-year-old is a born mechanical and electronic genius who happens – accidentally some say – to be a man of the cloth.

Apostle Safo’s inventions and creations disprove the idea that an African cannot make a car from foundation to finishing. Part of the African problem has been the lack of government support in direct funding, research and development (R&D), and political will for geniuses like Apostle Safo, which kills their creative talents. If the Toyotas, Volvos, Fords, Renaults, Mercedes, Protons and the other iconic brands of cars that give the African so much joy had been dreamt up in Africa by Africans, they would have remained just dreams!

The amount of money the American federal government, for example, gives in R&D funding for both public and private institutions and companies, makes all the difference for American inventions and the dominance of American businesses globally. This is what is lacking in Africa, and as a result people like Apostle Safo, who are blessed with exceptional creative talents, cannot harness their talents to the advantage of their nations.

In a way, that has been the story of Apostle Kwadwo Safo except that in his case he did not allow the lack of government support to dampen his spirits. He soldiered on regardless until today he has become not only an inventor extraordinaire, but a reputable industrialist, agriculturist, herbalist, philanthropist, investor, and cleric!

His creations are a wonder to behold. Cars, TVs, sound systems, mechanical diggers, armoured cars, block-making machines, computers, road-sweeping vehicles, sundry electrical gadgets, you name it, Apostle Safo has manufactured them all from foundation to finishing – and sometimes he does them even better than the imported versions made by established Western and other companies. And everything he does comes from local raw materials.

His 29-year-old son, who oversees his business empire as CEO, Kwadwo Safo Jnr, told New African: “I want to dethrone [the Nigerian magnate] Aliko Dangote as the richest man in Africa one day and I have age on my side, so I’m working very hard at it.” Safo Jnr uttered these challenging words when welcoming a New African team to the epicentre of his father’s Kantanka Group of Companies, which spreads over 100 acres of the lush environs of Gomoa Mpota in the Central Region of Ghana.

A licensed commercial pilot and the fifth child of his father, Safo Jnr graduated from the Phoenix East Aviation School in Florida, USA. He holds a BA degree in public administration from the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration in Accra.

The flagship of his father’s Kantanka Group of Companies is Kantanka Automobiles, based at Gomoa Mpota, that makes cars and SUVs. Also based at Gomoa Mpota is the electronics division of the Group, which manufactures TVs, sound systems, and other sundry electronic gadgets.

The wonder of Apostle Safo’s achievements is that he has no sophisticated technical background, but he creates and invents to confound. As a result, schools, colleges, and universities in Ghana send students to Gomoa Mpota on internships, to study under him. Today the Kantanka Group of Companies has grown to include the Apostle Safo Suaye Technology Centre at Gomoa Mpota, Great Kosa Company Ltd, Modern Kosa Quarry, Kosa Clinic, Kristo Asafo Schools, Kristo Asafo Farms, Kantanka Automobiles, and Great Imperial Company Limited. The flourishing business empire is spread across Ghana and employs thousands of people in both skilled and unskilled capacities.

Why is the African the only person on earth who apparently cannot (or does not) make a car from scratch – from foundation to finishing – except for assembling parts manufactured by others or repairing cars made by other people? On the roads of Africa, one finds every car of every make – from Germany, Japan, USA, France, UK, Sweden, Italy, South Korea, Malaysia, China, etc – except a car made in Africa by an African! Does it say something about the African’s mechanical and technological prowess?

By no means – if the handiwork of a Ghanaian religious leader, Apostle Kwadwo Safo, is any guide. The 67-year-old is a born mechanical and electronic genius who happens – accidentally some say – to be a man of the cloth.

Apostle Safo’s inventions and creations disprove the idea that an African cannot make a car from foundation to finishing. Part of the African problem has been the lack of government support in direct funding, research and development (R&D), and political will for geniuses like Apostle Safo, which kills their creative talents. If the Toyotas, Volvos, Fords, Renaults, Mercedes, Protons and the other iconic brands of cars that give the African so much joy had been dreamt up in Africa by Africans, they would have remained just dreams!

The amount of money the American federal government, for example, gives in R&D funding for both public and private institutions and companies, makes all the difference for American inventions and the dominance of American businesses globally. This is what is lacking in Africa, and as a result people like Apostle Safo, who are blessed with exceptional creative talents, cannot harness their talents to the advantage of their nations.   

In a way, that has been the story of Apostle Kwadwo Safo except that in his case he did not allow the lack of government support to dampen his spirits. He soldiered on regardless until today he has become not only an inventor extraordinaire, but a reputable industrialist, agriculturist, herbalist, philanthropist, investor, and cleric!

His creations are a wonder to behold. Cars, TVs, sound systems, mechanical diggers, armoured cars, block-making machines, computers, road-sweeping vehicles, sundry electrical gadgets, you name it, Apostle Safo has manufactured them all from foundation to finishing – and sometimes he does them even better than the imported versions made by established Western and other companies. And everything he does comes from local raw materials.

His 29-year-old son, who oversees his business empire as CEO, Kwadwo Safo Jnr, told New African: “I want to dethrone [the Nigerian magnate] Aliko Dangote as the richest man in Africa one day and I have age on my side, so I’m working very hard at it.” Safo Jnr uttered these challenging words when welcoming a New African team to the epicentre of his father’s Kantanka Group of Companies, which spreads over 100 acres of the lush environs of Gomoa Mpota in the Central Region of Ghana.

A licensed commercial pilot and the fifth child of his father, Safo Jnr graduated from the Phoenix East Aviation School in Florida, USA. He holds a BA degree in public administration from the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration in Accra.

The flagship of his father’s Kantanka Group of Companies is Kantanka Automobiles, based at Gomoa Mpota, that makes cars and SUVs. Also based at Gomoa Mpota is the electronics division of the Group, which manufactures TVs, sound systems, and other sundry electronic gadgets.

The wonder of Apostle Safo’s achievements is that he has no sophisticated technical background, but he creates and invents to confound. As a result, schools, colleges, and universities in Ghana send students to Gomoa Mpota on internships, to study under him. Today the Kantanka Group of Companies has grown to include the Apostle Safo Suaye Technology Centre at Gomoa Mpota, Great Kosa Company Ltd, Modern Kosa Quarry, Kosa Clinic, Kristo Asafo Schools, Kristo Asafo Farms, Kantanka Automobiles, and Great Imperial Company Limited. The flourishing business empire is spread across Ghana and employs thousands of people in both skilled and unskilled capacities.

- See more at: http://newafricanmagazine.com/meet-the-ghanaian-pastor-driving-africas-car-industry/#sthash.jukZgK8T.dpuf

Why is the African the only person on earth who apparently cannot (or does not) make a car from scratch – from foundation to finishing – except for assembling parts manufactured by others or repairing cars made by other people? On the roads of Africa, one finds every car of every make – from Germany, Japan, USA, France, UK, Sweden, Italy, South Korea, Malaysia, China, etc – except a car made in Africa by an African! Does it say something about the African’s mechanical and technological prowess?

By no means – if the handiwork of a Ghanaian religious leader, Apostle Kwadwo Safo, is any guide. The 67-year-old is a born mechanical and electronic genius who happens – accidentally some say – to be a man of the cloth.

Apostle Safo’s inventions and creations disprove the idea that an African cannot make a car from foundation to finishing. Part of the African problem has been the lack of government support in direct funding, research and development (R&D), and political will for geniuses like Apostle Safo, which kills their creative talents. If the Toyotas, Volvos, Fords, Renaults, Mercedes, Protons and the other iconic brands of cars that give the African so much joy had been dreamt up in Africa by Africans, they would have remained just dreams!

The amount of money the American federal government, for example, gives in R&D funding for both public and private institutions and companies, makes all the difference for American inventions and the dominance of American businesses globally. This is what is lacking in Africa, and as a result people like Apostle Safo, who are blessed with exceptional creative talents, cannot harness their talents to the advantage of their nations.   

In a way, that has been the story of Apostle Kwadwo Safo except that in his case he did not allow the lack of government support to dampen his spirits. He soldiered on regardless until today he has become not only an inventor extraordinaire, but a reputable industrialist, agriculturist, herbalist, philanthropist, investor, and cleric!

His creations are a wonder to behold. Cars, TVs, sound systems, mechanical diggers, armoured cars, block-making machines, computers, road-sweeping vehicles, sundry electrical gadgets, you name it, Apostle Safo has manufactured them all from foundation to finishing – and sometimes he does them even better than the imported versions made by established Western and other companies. And everything he does comes from local raw materials.

His 29-year-old son, who oversees his business empire as CEO, Kwadwo Safo Jnr, told New African: “I want to dethrone [the Nigerian magnate] Aliko Dangote as the richest man in Africa one day and I have age on my side, so I’m working very hard at it.” Safo Jnr uttered these challenging words when welcoming a New African team to the epicentre of his father’s Kantanka Group of Companies, which spreads over 100 acres of the lush environs of Gomoa Mpota in the Central Region of Ghana.

A licensed commercial pilot and the fifth child of his father, Safo Jnr graduated from the Phoenix East Aviation School in Florida, USA. He holds a BA degree in public administration from the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration in Accra.

The flagship of his father’s Kantanka Group of Companies is Kantanka Automobiles, based at Gomoa Mpota, that makes cars and SUVs. Also based at Gomoa Mpota is the electronics division of the Group, which manufactures TVs, sound systems, and other sundry electronic gadgets.

The wonder of Apostle Safo’s achievements is that he has no sophisticated technical background, but he creates and invents to confound. As a result, schools, colleges, and universities in Ghana send students to Gomoa Mpota on internships, to study under him. Today the Kantanka Group of Companies has grown to include the Apostle Safo Suaye Technology Centre at Gomoa Mpota, Great Kosa Company Ltd, Modern Kosa Quarry, Kosa Clinic, Kristo Asafo Schools, Kristo Asafo Farms, Kantanka Automobiles, and Great Imperial Company Limited. The flourishing business empire is spread across Ghana and employs thousands of people in both skilled and unskilled capacities.

- See more at: http://newafricanmagazine.com/meet-the-ghanaian-pastor-driving-africas-car-industry/#sthash.jukZgK8T.dpuf

Why is the African the only person on earth who apparently cannot (or does not) make a car from scratch – from foundation to finishing – except for assembling parts manufactured by others or repairing cars made by other people? On the roads of Africa, one finds every car of every make – from Germany, Japan, USA, France, UK, Sweden, Italy, South Korea, Malaysia, China, etc – except a car made in Africa by an African! Does it say something about the African’s mechanical and technological prowess?

By no means – if the handiwork of a Ghanaian religious leader, Apostle Kwadwo Safo, is any guide. The 67-year-old is a born mechanical and electronic genius who happens – accidentally some say – to be a man of the cloth.

Apostle Safo’s inventions and creations disprove the idea that an African cannot make a car from foundation to finishing. Part of the African problem has been the lack of government support in direct funding, research and development (R&D), and political will for geniuses like Apostle Safo, which kills their creative talents. If the Toyotas, Volvos, Fords, Renaults, Mercedes, Protons and the other iconic brands of cars that give the African so much joy had been dreamt up in Africa by Africans, they would have remained just dreams!

The amount of money the American federal government, for example, gives in R&D funding for both public and private institutions and companies, makes all the difference for American inventions and the dominance of American businesses globally. This is what is lacking in Africa, and as a result people like Apostle Safo, who are blessed with exceptional creative talents, cannot harness their talents to the advantage of their nations.   

In a way, that has been the story of Apostle Kwadwo Safo except that in his case he did not allow the lack of government support to dampen his spirits. He soldiered on regardless until today he has become not only an inventor extraordinaire, but a reputable industrialist, agriculturist, herbalist, philanthropist, investor, and cleric!

His creations are a wonder to behold. Cars, TVs, sound systems, mechanical diggers, armoured cars, block-making machines, computers, road-sweeping vehicles, sundry electrical gadgets, you name it, Apostle Safo has manufactured them all from foundation to finishing – and sometimes he does them even better than the imported versions made by established Western and other companies. And everything he does comes from local raw materials.

His 29-year-old son, who oversees his business empire as CEO, Kwadwo Safo Jnr, told New African: “I want to dethrone [the Nigerian magnate] Aliko Dangote as the richest man in Africa one day and I have age on my side, so I’m working very hard at it.” Safo Jnr uttered these challenging words when welcoming a New African team to the epicentre of his father’s Kantanka Group of Companies, which spreads over 100 acres of the lush environs of Gomoa Mpota in the Central Region of Ghana.

A licensed commercial pilot and the fifth child of his father, Safo Jnr graduated from the Phoenix East Aviation School in Florida, USA. He holds a BA degree in public administration from the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration in Accra.

The flagship of his father’s Kantanka Group of Companies is Kantanka Automobiles, based at Gomoa Mpota, that makes cars and SUVs. Also based at Gomoa Mpota is the electronics division of the Group, which manufactures TVs, sound systems, and other sundry electronic gadgets.

The wonder of Apostle Safo’s achievements is that he has no sophisticated technical background, but he creates and invents to confound. As a result, schools, colleges, and universities in Ghana send students to Gomoa Mpota on internships, to study under him. Today the Kantanka Group of Companies has grown to include the Apostle Safo Suaye Technology Centre at Gomoa Mpota, Great Kosa Company Ltd, Modern Kosa Quarry, Kosa Clinic, Kristo Asafo Schools, Kristo Asafo Farms, Kantanka Automobiles, and Great Imperial Company Limited. The flourishing business empire is spread across Ghana and employs thousands of people in both skilled and unskilled capacities.

- See more at: http://newafricanmagazine.com/meet-the-ghanaian-pastor-driving-africas-car-industry/#sthash.jukZgK8T.dpuf

Why is the African the only person on earth who apparently cannot (or does not) make a car from scratch – from foundation to finishing – except for assembling parts manufactured by others or repairing cars made by other people? On the roads of Africa, one finds every car of every make – from Germany, Japan, USA, France, UK, Sweden, Italy, South Korea, Malaysia, China, etc – except a car made in Africa by an African! Does it say something about the African’s mechanical and technological prowess?

By no means – if the handiwork of a Ghanaian religious leader, Apostle Kwadwo Safo, is any guide. The 67-year-old is a born mechanical and electronic genius who happens – accidentally some say – to be a man of the cloth.

Apostle Safo’s inventions and creations disprove the idea that an African cannot make a car from foundation to finishing. Part of the African problem has been the lack of government support in direct funding, research and development (R&D), and political will for geniuses like Apostle Safo, which kills their creative talents. If the Toyotas, Volvos, Fords, Renaults, Mercedes, Protons and the other iconic brands of cars that give the African so much joy had been dreamt up in Africa by Africans, they would have remained just dreams!

The amount of money the American federal government, for example, gives in R&D funding for both public and private institutions and companies, makes all the difference for American inventions and the dominance of American businesses globally. This is what is lacking in Africa, and as a result people like Apostle Safo, who are blessed with exceptional creative talents, cannot harness their talents to the advantage of their nations.   

In a way, that has been the story of Apostle Kwadwo Safo except that in his case he did not allow the lack of government support to dampen his spirits. He soldiered on regardless until today he has become not only an inventor extraordinaire, but a reputable industrialist, agriculturist, herbalist, philanthropist, investor, and cleric!

His creations are a wonder to behold. Cars, TVs, sound systems, mechanical diggers, armoured cars, block-making machines, computers, road-sweeping vehicles, sundry electrical gadgets, you name it, Apostle Safo has manufactured them all from foundation to finishing – and sometimes he does them even better than the imported versions made by established Western and other companies. And everything he does comes from local raw materials.

His 29-year-old son, who oversees his business empire as CEO, Kwadwo Safo Jnr, told New African: “I want to dethrone [the Nigerian magnate] Aliko Dangote as the richest man in Africa one day and I have age on my side, so I’m working very hard at it.” Safo Jnr uttered these challenging words when welcoming a New African team to the epicentre of his father’s Kantanka Group of Companies, which spreads over 100 acres of the lush environs of Gomoa Mpota in the Central Region of Ghana.

A licensed commercial pilot and the fifth child of his father, Safo Jnr graduated from the Phoenix East Aviation School in Florida, USA. He holds a BA degree in public administration from the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration in Accra.

The flagship of his father’s Kantanka Group of Companies is Kantanka Automobiles, based at Gomoa Mpota, that makes cars and SUVs. Also based at Gomoa Mpota is the electronics division of the Group, which manufactures TVs, sound systems, and other sundry electronic gadgets.

The wonder of Apostle Safo’s achievements is that he has no sophisticated technical background, but he creates and invents to confound. As a result, schools, colleges, and universities in Ghana send students to Gomoa Mpota on internships, to study under him. Today the Kantanka Group of Companies has grown to include the Apostle Safo Suaye Technology Centre at Gomoa Mpota, Great Kosa Company Ltd, Modern Kosa Quarry, Kosa Clinic, Kristo Asafo Schools, Kristo Asafo Farms, Kantanka Automobiles, and Great Imperial Company Limited. The flourishing business empire is spread across Ghana and employs thousands of people in both skilled and unskilled capacities.

- See more at: http://newafricanmagazine.com/meet-the-ghanaian-pastor-driving-africas-car-industry/#sthash.jukZgK8T.dpuf