Apostle Kwadwo Safo Kantanka Biography: The Kantanka Legacy and His Disputed 2026 Burial

Apostle Kwadwo Safo Kantanka died on September 11, 2025, but he was not finally laid to rest until July 30, 2026, more than ten months later, after a protracted family dispute over his will, the custody of his remains, and the date of his funeral played out in public statements and, eventually, before Ghana’s High Court.

Apostle Professor Emeritus Kwadwo Safo Kantanka was a Ghanaian inventor, industrialist and religious leader, widely known simply as “Kantanka.”

He was the founder of the Kristo Asafo Mission and the Kantanka Group of Companies, and is credited as a pioneer of Ghanaian-made automobiles and electronics.

Profile

Early Life and Education

Kwadwo Safo Kantanka was born in Bom, near Kensere in the Bekwai area of Ghana’s Ashanti Region.

He studied at the Ghana Technical Institute in Kumasi and worked as a welder, including a stint at the Volta Aluminium Company (VALCO), before turning his attention full-time to invention and ministry. He was ordained an Apostle in the Christ Reformed Church in 1971.

Founding the Kristo Asafo Mission

Kwadwo Safo went on to found the Kristo Asafo Mission, a Ghanaian church that combined Christian ministry with an emphasis on science, technology and self-reliance.

From 1978, he began building machines and conducting technical experiments, driven by a stated aim of demonstrating that African ingenuity could match imported technology.

Pioneering Ghanaian-Made Vehicles and the Kantanka Group

Kwadwo Safo founded the Kantanka Automobile Company, which went on to design and assemble vehicles including the Kantanka Omama SUV and the Onantefo pickup truck at a manufacturing plant in Gomoa Mpota, in Ghana’s Central Region.

The vehicles and the wider Kantanka Group, which grew into a multi-sector conglomerate spanning engineering, construction, agriculture and healthcare, drew international attention, including a 2016 profile by CNN describing the family’s cars as built to “survive anything.”

The group also organised an annual technology exhibition each December, showcasing dozens of locally made inventions, from household appliances to prototype military and robotics equipment.

In 2016, after a decade working alongside his father, Nana Kwadwo Safo Akofena, also known as Kwadwo Safo Jnr, was appointed Chief Executive Officer of the Kantanka Group and leader of the Kristo Asafo Mission, with the elder Safo remaining as Chairman Emeritus.

Awards and Recognition

• 2017 — Innovative Pioneer Award — GUBA Awards — Winner

Death and the Dispute Over His Burial

Kwadwo Safo Kantanka died in Accra on September 11, 2025, prompting tributes from across Ghana, including from communities far from the family’s Ashanti Region base.

The family initially announced, at a press conference on May 11, 2026, that his final funeral rites would take place on June 25, 2026. That date did not hold.

By July 2026, competing public statements emerged: Sarah Adwoa Safo, one of the late Apostle’s daughters, said the burial would instead take place on July 30 and 31, while the Aduana Kotoko Royal Family, representing the broader Kantanka family, issued a statement on July 23, 2026, dismissing circulating dates, including July 30, as “fake” and saying no official date had been approved.

Separately, Nana Kwadwo Safo Akofena, described as head of the Kantanka family, announced that the family had instructed lawyers to pursue legal action, alleging that the terms of the late Apostle’s will, including custody of his remains, had not been fully honoured.

He said the family sought to ensure Kwadwo Safo received “a befitting burial in accordance with his wishes, the customs of the family.” Amid the dispute, Obed Safo, the late Apostle’s youngest son, maintained that the family’s own planned dates would proceed regardless, telling DailyGuide Network, “The date for the burial of my father still remains July 30.”

The July–August 2026 Funeral Rites

A private burial service was ultimately held at the Kantanka Automobile Manufacturing Centre in Gomoa Mpota on July 30, 2026, followed by a national farewell and main funeral service at Independence Square in Accra on July 31, and a thanksgiving service in Kumasi in the following days.

Former Presidents John Agyekum Kufuor and Nana Akufo-Addo were among those who indicated they would attend, and Ghana’s Parliament arranged a tribute statement and a documentary broadcast in the late Apostle’s honour.

According to Ghana Business News, hundreds of mourners from all sixteen of Ghana’s regions attended the final rites at Black Star Square, even as the underlying legal dispute over the burial arrangements remained unresolved before the High Court.

Burial and Funeral Timeline

Personal Life

Kwadwo Safo Kantanka had at least seven children, including Sarah Adwoa Safo, a lawyer who served as Member of Parliament for Dome Kwabenya from 2013 to 2025, Kwadwo Safo Jnr (Nana Kwadwo Safo Akofena), who leads the Kantanka Group and the Kristo Asafo Mission, and Obed Safo.

Sources

• Wikipedia — Kwadwo Safo Kantanka
• Ghanaian Times — Ghana’s Foremost Tech Innovator, Apostle Kwadwo Safo, Dead
• ModernGhana — Kadjebi Residents Mourn Apostle Kwadwo Safo Kantanka
• Kantanka Group — Leadership – Kantanka Group
• GhanaWeb — Family of Apostle Kwadwo Safo Announces Final Funeral Rites
• GhanaWeb — Kantanka Family Heads to Court Over Late Apostle Kwadwo Safo’s Burial
• GhanaWeb — Kantanka Family Clarifies Viral Reports on Funeral Date of the Late Apostle Safo
• Asaase Radio — Kantanka Family Head Seeks Court Intervention Over Apostle Kwadwo Safo’s Burial
• DailyGuide Network — No Change in Apostle Kwadwo Safo’s Funeral Date – Family
• Citinewsroom — Family Finalises Arrangements for Apostle Kwadwo Safo’s Burial
• Ghana Business News — Hundreds Attend Final Rites for Apostle Kwadwo Safo

Zeez

Zeez is the editor and founder of BioOrbit, where he researches and writes biographies of public figures from Nigeria and around the world. With 5 years of experience writing about news, entertainment, sports and politics, Zeez focuses on verified facts, clear sourcing and regular updates. Found an error? Report a correction.