PROFILE OF THE RT. REV’D. COL. JOHN KWAMINA OTOO,

DIOCESAN BISHOP OF SEKONDI.

Rt. Rev’d. Col. John Kwamina Otoo was born on Saturday, 5^th October, 1946 to the late John Daniel Otoo of Moree and the late Madam Mary Ackon of Anomabu in the Central Region of Ghana.

Bishop Otoo had his basic education at Ashanti Bekwai Anglican School and entered Adisadel College, Cape Coast for his Secondary Education (1962-1967). In 1969, he gained admission to the Veterinary College Pong, Tamale where he successfully completed his studies with a certificate in Veterinary Medicine. He worked with the Veterinary Services Division of the Ministry of Agriculture as a Technical Officer in Sekondi/Takoradi, Asankrangwa and Samreboi from January, 1972 to September, 1975.

The Lord Bishop was born into the Anglican Church and at the age of eleven in 1957 enrolled as a Mass Server. He became more committed to God’s work as a Lay Reader/Preacher, a member of St. Mary’s Guild and a Sunday School Teacher. His selfless and devoted services to the Church led to his call into the divine Ministry, whilst in employment with the Ministry of Agriculture.

Bishop Otoo left the Ministry of Agriculture to pursue Theological Education at the Trinity College, Legon and successfully completed with both a Certificate and Diploma in Theology (Legon). He was ordained a Deacon on 26^th June, 1077 and a Priest; a year later on 25^th June, 1978 both by the then Archbishop of the Church of the Province of West Africa and Bishop of Accra, the late Most Rev’d. I.S.M. LeMaire.

His first parochial station was at St. Mark’s Anglican Church, Essikadu and after a year of very hard, he was selected by the then Archbishop on secondment to the Military.

After his success at the GAF Selection Board interview, he entered Ghana Military Academy and was commissioned as a Lieutenant in December, 1979. He was posted to the Naval Base, Sekondi and had the chance to Minister in the Cathedral Church of St. Andrew the Apostle, Sekondi and other churches in the Metropolis. The then Bishop of Sekondi, the late Rt. Rev’d. T.S.A. Annobil, later gave him permission to assist the Good Shepherd Anglican Church, Effia Kuma and St. Peter’s Anglican Church, Abontiakoon, Tarkwa, which then did not have resident priests.

Bishop Otoo found himself on postings to Armed Forces Recruits Training Centre at Nyoni, Tamale and the opportunity in assisting Bishop Aglionby Memorial Cathedral Church in Tamale.

After two and a half years in Tamale the Bishop was posted to Accra as an Administrative Officer at the Directorate of Religious Affairs at the General Headquarters of the Ghana Armed Forces. He was additionally assigned to assist Rev’d. Major C.K. Affanie the then Senior Anglican Chaplain at St. George’s Garrison Church, Burma Camp.

Rt. Rev’d. Col. John K. Otoo was again posted to Naval Base, Sekondi and after about a year and half stay he was re-posted to Accra in January, 1990. On the retirement of Ven. Major C.K. Affanie, Bishop Otoo succeeded him as the Senior Anglican Chaplain and Assistant Director of the Religious Affairs Directorate of the Ghana Armed Forces. He was also the Chaplain in-charge of the Religious Garrison Church, Burma Camp. By dint of hardwork, Bishop Otoo was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in July, 1994 and in 1995 became the Deputy Director of the Religious Affairs Directorate of the Ghana Armed Forces Headquarters.

Bishop Otoo did not rest on his oars; he continued to give quality and meaningful spiritual and moral leadership to the Armed Forces until he was finally promoted to the rank of a full Colonel and appointed Director of Religious Affairs and Chaplain General of the Ghana Armed Forces in December, 2000. Bishop Otoo distinguished himself creditably as a Director whose vision, initiative and drive uplifted the Directorate especially in the areas of Human Resource Development, Training and Infrastructural Development.

Bishop Otoo served on three UN Peace Keeping Operations in Lebanon (UNIFIL) and was decorated with United Nations Medals. With his good knowledge of Israel, he was the battalion’s main guide for conducted tours to Israel. He took troops to the Holy sites and Biblical places of interests including Jerusalem, i.e. Wailing Wall, the Holy Selpulchure, Gethsamane, Bethlehem, Jericho, Nazareth, Kafr Cana, Tiberias, the Sea of Galilee, etc. He was also awarded other Military medals for long service, good conduct and efficiency.

Bishop Otoo did not keep his work solely to the Military and thus caught the attention of two successive Bishops of Accra. In 1992, the then Bishop of Accra, the late Rt. Rev’d. Lt.Col. F.W.B. Thompson appointed him Honorary Canon of the Cathedral Church of the Most Holy Trinity. He served as Chairman of Accra East District Council which later became an Archdeaconry. Bishop Otoo was appointed the second Archdeacon of Accra East Archdeaconry by the Most Rev’d. Dr. Justice O.Y. Akrofi to succeed the late Ven. Percy R. Quarcoopome who retired in 1997.

Bishop John K. Otoo is a strong believer in family planning and was the Chairman of the Western Region Branch of the Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana (PPAG) for six yeas. He also became a member of the National Council of PPAG. As the Archdeacon of Accra East, he was the Board Chairman of the Anglican Vocational/Technical School, Teshie for nearly ten years. He was also the Vice President of the Ghana Armed Forces AIDS Committee.

Bishop John Otoo is a man of God whose faith is solid. He believes strongly in the Church carrying out the Great Commission of our Lord Jesus Christ with all seriousness. As a retired Military Officer/Chaplain, discipline, hard-work, selflessness and devotion to duty are dear to his heart. He abhors boot licking as a means to rise in life. He is a good mixer who is prepared to listen to good advice and suggestions, very generous especially to the needy, humorous and love people. Bishop Otoo was a footballer and so loves soccer, films and good music.

He is happily married to Mother Beatrice Otoo (nee: Nunoo) and they have a son, Mike and three daughters, Sylvia, Theophilia and Prisca. With the exception of Prisca who has just completed a BSc. Psycology Programme at the University of Cape Coast, the other three are married. He has two grand daughters Dyanne and Daniella.

Rt. Rev’d. Col. John K. Otoo was successfully elected as the third Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Sekondi at a Special Synod held at Saint Peter’s Parish, Abontiakoon, Tarkwa, on Saturday, 10^th January, 2004. After four unsuccessful attempts to elect a bishop by special synods of the Diocese of Sekondi, he won the election “one touch” on the fifth attempt where his name appeared the first time.

On assuming the Episcopal office he had benefitted from a course for new bishops organized by the USPG in London in January 2007. Bishop Otoo and Mother Beatrice participated in the 2008 Lambeth Conference held in the United Kingdom for all Anglican Bishops and spouses worldwide in July 2008. He had also represented the Archbishop and Primate of West Africa at a 4-day CAPA meeting of Primates in Kenya in September, 2008; on Governments and Religious Bodies collaboration on HIV/AIDS Pandemic and its social stigmatization

In spite of the challenges facing the Diocese on his assumption of duty following two years in search of the bishop which was fraught with litigations at the law courts and a breakaway of a section of the congregation from the St. Andrew’s Cathedral, Sekondi; Bishop Otoo has virtually proofed his critics wrong by the rapid and mass development witnessed by the diocese in terms of an open administration, tremendous improvement of the Diocesan funds, regular and prompt monthly payment of stipends of clergy and work force. A permanent and well furnished spacious Diocesan office, provision of reliable and comfortable vehicles for the Diocesan and Archdeacons with a programme in process to provide reliable and efficient transportation to all parishes in the Diocese; which St. Mark’s Parish, Essikadu has been the first beneficiary.