In a disturbing case that exposes the dangerous intersection of religious intolerance and societal stigma, a young man from Ada has recounted the heartbreaking ordeal he suffered after being publicly ousted as gay by his church, Faith Power Ministries, in Ada in the Greater Accra region of Ghana.
In what should have been a safe space for spiritual growth and support, Joshua Tsatsu Kugblenu found betrayal, rejection, and trauma.
“I was a devoted member of the church, faithfully serving and contributing to its growth,” he recalled. But that devotion meant nothing the moment whispers of his sexual orientation reached church leaders. Rather than extend compassion or seek to understand his journey, the church chose to publicly humiliate him.
On May 17, 2016, instead of offering prayer or counseling, Faith Power Ministries held a meeting, not to announce a revival or celebrate a milestone, but to denounce him as a member of the church.
The gathering turned into a spectacle of condemnation, where his name was mentioned, his identity exposed, and his humanity stripped in front of the cameras.
What followed was even more chilling. The community, stirred by the church’s actions, declared him an abomination. Branded as a “bad omen,” he was chased out of Ada like a fugitive. Fearful for his life, he fled, leaving behind his home, family, and everything he had known.
“I became homeless overnight,” he said. “Not because I committed a crime, but because I was different. Because I was me.”
This incident is a painful reminder of the consequences of bigotry masked as righteousness. It raises urgent questions: Where is the place of compassion in our churches? What happens when religious institutions, instead of being a refuge, become the source of persecution?
Today, while many still live in silence and fear, he has chosen to speak out — not just for himself, but for every LGBTQ+ person who has been cast out, silenced, or scarred in the name of morality.
“Ghana must do better,” he says. “Our society must choose humanity over hate, love over fear and acceptance over ignorance.”
As global conversations on human rights continue to evolve, it’s time we hold a mirror to our communities and institutions. Because no one — absolutely no one — deserves to be exiled for simply being who they are.
Joshua, tells me in an interview that he still lives in fear and look forward to a day of freedom and acceptance.