Ghana is mourning the loss of Apostle Dr. Kwadwo Safo, the founder of the Kristo Asafo Mission and the visionary behind Kantanka Automobile, who passed away on September 11, 2025, at the age of 77.
Known affectionately as Kantanka, the African Star, he embodied a rare fusion of spirituality, science, and social transformation.
For nearly five decades, his annual technology exhibitions dazzled crowds and sparked debates, showcasing vehicles, robots, solar-powered gadgets, and even prototypes of helicopters and aircraft. Some inventions were practical and functional; others, ambitious and theatrical.
Yet, collectively, they defined Safo as Ghana’s most daring inventor — one who refused to accept Africa’s dependence on imported technologies.
Early life and spiritual calling
Born in 1948 in Bekwai in the Ashanti Region, Safo’s early years were shaped by modest beginnings.
In the late 1960s, he founded the Kristo Asafo Mission, which grew into one of Ghana’s most vibrant indigenous churches. Known for blending religious devotion with practical service, his ministry emphasized self-reliance, community support, and the belief that science and faith could complement each other.
By the 1980s, Safo had become more than a preacher.
He was a mentor, a philanthropist, and increasingly, an inventor.
His sermons were often illustrated with demonstrations of his machines, reflecting his conviction that God’s gifts included the ability to innovate.
Apostle Safo School of Arts and Sciences
In 1997, Safo established the Apostle Safo School of Arts and Sciences, a private institution dedicated to nurturing young talent in engineering, applied sciences, and mechanics.
It became a training ground for artisans and technologists, ensuring his vision extended beyond his personal workshop.
The school reinforced his conviction that Ghana’s youth could rise to solve Africa’s industrial and technological challenges if given the right platform.
Automobiles: Ghana’s only indigenous car brand
Apostle Safo’s most enduring industrial legacy is Kantanka Automobile, the only Ghanaian-owned vehicle assembly plant. Situated at Gomoa Mpota in the Central Region, the plant became operational in the 2010s and has since produced a range of vehicles, some for commercial sale, others for exhibition.
Key models and innovations
Kantanka Saloon (1998)
Recognized as Ghana’s first locally manufactured car, this model was assembled with a large proportion of locally fabricated parts.
Onantefo I & II (2006–2007)
Cross-country SUVs designed to withstand Ghana’s challenging road networks, presented as robust “Made in Ghana” alternatives to imported 4x4s.
Obrempon / Obrempong (2007 onward)
A limousine-style luxury car that symbolized Safo’s ambition to enter the high-end market, with newer iterations like the “Obrempong 2025” unveiled in recent years.
Nsoromma, Daasebre, Otumfo, Omama, Opasuo, Mensah, Amoanimaa, Nkunimdie were names given to a series of SUVs, pickups, and saloon variants that catered to different market segments.
Some were displayed with unusual ignition features such as starting with a wristwatch, shirt button, or even voice command — ideas more symbolic than commercially standardized.
Odeneho (late 2000s)
A solar-powered saloon car that represented Safo’s early foray into renewable energy, though it remained largely a concept prototype.
While critics argue that many Kantanka cars are assembled from imported knock-down kits supplemented with local parts, the plant’s establishment remains a historic milestone.
It made Ghana one of the few African nations with an indigenous automobile brand, alongside Nigeria’s Innoson.
Military and defence demonstrations
No annual Kantanka exhibition was complete without a dramatic unveiling of defence-style prototypes.
These grabbed headlines, both for their spectacle and for the skepticism they generated.
Armoured bullion vehicles (ABVs):
SUVs reinforced with protective plating, marketed for secure transport.
KTK-02 helicopter and other aerial prototypes
Small helicopter concepts that highlighted his aviation ambitions, though they were never formally certified for use.
Walking machines and humanoid robots
Towering mechanical “guards” that walked or saluted, capturing the imagination of Ghanaians.
Independent engineers often described them as theatrical rather than fully functional, but they became iconic symbols of his exhibitions.
These projects underscored Safo’s restless ambition — that Ghana could build not just cars, but also defence technology.
Aviation dreams
Safo’s fascination with flight extended beyond helicopters. He repeatedly spoke of building a passenger aircraft powered by engines designed locally.
Prototypes of small planes were presented at technology fairs, though none gained civil aviation approval.
While unrealized, these projects reflected his belief that Africans must aim for the skies rather than settle for imported solutions.
Agricultural and industrial machines
As an agriculturist, Safo placed heavy emphasis on machines that would aid farmers and artisans.
Tractors and harvesters
Designed to mechanize maize and other crop production.
Excavators and block-moulding machines: Introduced to support local construction and reduce reliance on imported heavy equipment.
Processing machines
Including embroidery equipment, spot-welders, and milling machines, tailored for small-scale industry.
Unlike the more theatrical military prototypes, many of these machines were practically useful and deployed in communities, reinforcing his reputation as an innovator for the common man.
Electronics and household gadgets
Kantanka exhibitions also featured a wide range of household technologies.
Gesture-controlled TVs and appliances
Devices that could be turned on with a clap or hand wave.
Small gadgets designed for off-grid households in rural Ghana.
Audio systems and mixers
Locally fabricated equipment that found use in churches and community events.
These gadgets were less ambitious than his cars or aircraft, but they directly addressed everyday needs.
Agricultural biology and experimentation
In addition to machines, Safo experimented with agricultural inputs, including plant extracts and animal feed boosters.
While these lacked peer-reviewed validation, they reflected his experimental approach to solving Ghana’s food security challenges.
Public reactions and criticism
Over the years, Apostle Safo attracted both admirers and critics. To his followers, he was a modern-day genius who proved that Ghanaians could innovate.
To skeptics, some of his inventions were exaggerated or impractical.
Independent engineers noted that while many Kantanka cars were real, some of the more sensational claims — such as military-grade robots or fully home-built aircraft — lacked independent verification.
Yet even critics acknowledged that his work inspired pride and possibility in a nation often conditioned to import rather than invent.
Philanthropy and Faith
Beyond technology, Safo was a philanthropist who funded scholarships, supported hospitals, and fed the needy.
Through Kristo Asafo, he became a father figure to thousands, blending worship with empowerment.
His church services often included free distribution of food, clothes, and even financial assistance.
A lasting legacy
Today, Kantanka Automobile continues to assemble and market cars, while Kristo Asafo remains a thriving religious and social movement.
Even if some of his grandest projects never became mainstream, his insistence that Africans could design and build their own technologies remains his most powerful legacy.
As Ghana mourns his passing, Apostle Dr. Kwadwo Safo will be remembered not only as a man of faith but as a daring dreamer who defied limitations.
His life’s work reminds the continent that technological self-reliance is not a fantasy, but a goal worth striving for.
“Ghana has indeed lost a gallant son and a true legend,” his daughter, Sarah Adwoa Safo, said in announcing his passing.
For many Ghanaians, the image of Kantanka cars parading through the streets, or robots saluting at his tech exhibitions, will remain a lasting symbol of what is possible when vision, courage, and determination.
