President Mahama with Bishop Dag hugging at the Good Friday Service at the Independence Square
On April 18, 2025, President John Dramani Mahama joined the Good Friday Service at the Independence Square in Accra, organised by the United Denominations Originating from the Lighthouse Group of Churches (UD-OLGC), formerly the Lighthouse Chapel International.
As thousands gathered for the solemn event, with the president participating in the service alongside Christians from Ghana and beyond, Bishop Dag Heward-Mills, the leader of the church, offered four prayers for the president.
He praised Mahama’s return to leadership, describing it as significant and purposeful.
The bishop further referred to the prayers as special gifts for the president.
Below are the four ‘gift’ prayers offered for the president:
The Gift of Moses – Leadership and Deliverance
Using Hosea 12:13 as a reference, the man of God explained that Moses led the Israelites out of captivity in Pharaoh’s domain.
He then prayed that the president would, likewise, lead Ghana out of years of underdevelopment into prosperity.
“Moses was the Head of State of Israel at the time, and God used him to bring the Israelites from Egypt and used him to preserve the nation, Israel. So, Your Excellency, we are praying that God will give you this gift so that you can take the nation out of difficulties, captivity, stress, and confusion we have found ourselves in after 68 years of independence,” he said.
The Gift of Solomon – Memorable and Outstanding
The second gift the prophet spoke of was the gift of Solomon, symbolising wisdom and understanding.
It also represents being memorable and outstanding.
To support his prayer, the preacher referenced 1 Kings 3:12, which highlights a heart filled with wisdom.
He said, “The gift of Solomon is the gift to be outstanding and memorable. It’s a gift to have a wise and understanding heart so that there’d be none like you before and after you. There is a grace to be memorable, and I believe God that President Mahama is going to receive the gift of Solomon to be a memorable president.”
The Gift of the Messiah – Judgment and Justice
The other gift prayer offered for the president was the gift of the Messiah.
According to Dag Heward-Mills, this gift represents judgment and justice.
He urged the president to make wise decisions and govern with fairness, referencing Isaiah 9:6 as a guiding scripture.
“So, His Excellency, we’re going to pray that that gift that was on the Messiah, which is judgment and justice, will come upon you. Judgment means good decisions, and justice means fairness for everyone. I pray that God will give you this gift of the Messiah,” Dag Heward-Mills stated.
The Gift of David – Living a longer life
The final gift prayer for President Mahama was for a long-life and the blessing of growing old.
Referencing 1 Chronicles 29:28, the man of God urged the congregation to pray that the president would enjoy good health, riches, and honour, just as David did.
“So, let’s pray that the Lord will bless our president to be an old man in Ghana that when his days are finished, he will be full of three things: full of years and age, riches to be a prosperous man, and full of honour. He’ll go out of Ghana as an honoured and honourable person,” the preacher man added.
VKB/AE