The sudden death of the Moderator of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church Ghana has sent shock waves among members of the church, given that he had delivered the sermon only the previous Sunday.

Rt Rev. Dr Seth Senyo Agidi reportedly died last Saturday morning at the Ho Teaching Hospital after a short illness.

But even more intriguing was the fact that he had addressed a news conference just the day before, where — with no signs of ill-health — he had condemned the activities of the so-called Western Togoland Movement, a supposed separatist group, in the Volta Region.

In an apparent tribute, the church played videos of some of the sermons and teachings of the late Moderator during service last Sunday, evoking emotions as some of the congregants sobbed, unable to hold back tears in the sombre atmosphere.

Devastated

The Director of Administration of the church, Rev. Sylvanus Tettey, said the church was devastated by the death of Rt Rev. Dr Agidi, adding that the church in recent times had lost prominent people such as the Synod Clerk of the General Assembly, Rev. Godwin Osiaboa, and the wife of the General Seventh Clerk of the General Assembly, Mrs Caroline Ammeyi.

Rev. Tettey said the EP Church was praying to God to comfort members and the bereaved family in their difficult moment.

"We regret to announce the sudden death of the Moderator of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church Ghana. The church is so devastated, and we are looking up to God to revisit us, console and lead us during this difficult time because we have also lost the past Synod Clerk of the church and Mrs Caroline Ammeyi, and as we are preparing to lay her to rest on October 17, 2020, this untimely calamity has also befallen us," he said,

"We pray for the spirit of God to restore and revisit the church to heal every wound and broken heart," he added.

He said an update would be given soon towards the funeral, and sent his condolence to the family of the late Rt Rev. Dr Agidi and members of the EP Church.

Church members

A member of the church, Ms Gladys Nukunu, compared the death of the Moderator to a two-edged sword piercing through her heart.

Rt Rev. Dr Agidi, the 13th Moderator of the church, had held a news conference a day before he died to condemn the activities of the so-called Western Togoland Movement, saying the activities of the supposed separatist group was affecting the security situation in the region.

He was elected in August 2014 and inducted into office on January 11, 2015, as the 13th Moderator of the Church to serve a six-year term.

Although a new Moderator has been elected since August this year, Rt Rev. Dr Agidi's tenure was to end on December 13, 2020.

As part of his achievement, he is credited with the setting up a five-year strategic plan to give the church more focus on its divine mandate, and also to make it more visible.

He further made the effort to expand the church beyond the borders of the country, and had worked to enhance its development.