As tributes continue to pour in for Ghanaian inventor and religious leader Apostle Kwadwo Safo Kantanka who passed away on 11th September 2025 at the age of 77, much focus has been on his contributions to education, agriculture and technology. It is equally important to recognise how deeply he influenced Ghana’s cultural and creative sectors.
Concert party theatre
After founding the Kristo Asafo Mission in 1969, as a prayer group and later expanding into an African-initiated church and industrial organisation, Apostle Safo later in 1970s established the Kristo Asafo Concert Party. This was a troupe that evangelised through comedy, sketches and music. It immediately became one of Ghana’s most popular drama outlets. Through its stages many actors and comedians found their footing, and figures such as Mercy Asiedu, Akrobeto, Bob Okala, and Nkomode are among those influenced by performance traditions forged under Kristo Asafo.
Music and performance innovations
Safo was himself an accomplished guitarist and keyboardist. He founded the Kristo Asafo Band, one of Ghana’s early gospel-highlife bands. The types of songs they produced were fusions of traditional rhythms and Christian messages. Their songs were mainly tagged as “gospel highlife.” This made gospel music more accessible and commercially viable in Ghana.
Indigenous technology and film-related arts
While he is largely known for his inventions and manufacturing, Apostle Safo also inspired more visual and technical arts creations. His innovations pushed boundaries in film prop and stage equipment, electronics used in theatre, sound systems, audiovisual tools and so on. These innovations indirectly supported the growth of film and stage arts by providing local alternatives.
Talent grooming and cultural transmission
Through his concert parties, bands, and annual technology exhibitions, Apostle Safo created platforms that gave visibility to comedians, actors, musicians, and technicians at a time when the mainstream entertainment infrastructure was less developed. Many of these talents later transitioned to Kumawood (Ghanaian local film industry), TV comedy shows, gospel music, and stage drama. His church mission also ran training centres and workshops that encouraged youth in technical, artistic, and performance skills.
Legacy in media ownership
Besides theatre and music, Safo founded Kantanka TV, which has served as a broadcast outlet for his church’s programmes, innovations, concert party performances, and creative arts content. Its role in giving artistic and Christian content more airplay has been part of his broader impact on Ghana’s entertainment and media industries.
It is worthy of note that Apostle Dr Kwadwo Safo Kantanka did more than lead a church or invent machines. He built bridges between faith, culture, performance, and industry. He inspired artists, engineers, actors, musicians, and everyday Ghanaians to believe in home-grown creativity. Though he has passed on, his creative legacy continues to shape Ghana’s arts, entertainment, and innovation for years to come.
About the Author
