Mother-in-law of ICGC Leader Pastor Mensa Otabil Laid to Rest Today in Accra

The burial service for Mrs Evelyn Naa-Otua Addo (née Bonney), mother-in-law of International Central Gospel Church (ICGC) founder Pastor Mensa Otabil, takes place today, Thursday, August 20, at the ICGC Christ Temple East in Teshie, Accra, beginning at 9:00 a.m.

Mrs Addo, who passed away on Sunday, June 28, 2026, leaves behind family and a community that has kept her memory in their thoughts during the funeral period. Her interment will be conducted privately, with only close family members expected to be present at the gravesite.

Thanksgiving Service and Final Rites

Following the burial, the family will hold a Thanksgiving service on Sunday, August 23, at 10:00 a.m., also at ICGC Christ Temple East. Mourners attending the Thanksgiving service are requested to wear white as a symbol of celebration of life and hope, a common practice in Ghanaian funeral traditions that honours the departed whilst acknowledging their peaceful rest.

The timing of the Thanksgiving service allows extended family, friends, and church members who may not have been able to attend the burial to pay their respects and share in remembrance of Mrs Addo's life and legacy.

Who Was Mrs Evelyn Naa-Otua Addo

Whilst details about Mrs Addo's personal accomplishments remain limited, her connection to one of Ghana's most prominent religious leaders underscores the interconnected nature of Ghana's ecclesiastical circles. Pastor Mensa Otabil, the founder of ICGC, is widely recognised as one of Ghana's most influential Christian leaders, with a significant following across the country and in the diaspora. The ICGC congregation extends beyond Ghana, with branches in multiple countries, reflecting the pastor's broad influence in evangelical Christianity across Africa.

The Significance in Ghana's Religious Landscape

Deaths within prominent pastoral families often resonate within Ghana's Christian community, as church leaders and their families are deeply woven into the spiritual fabric of Ghanaian society. Pastor Otabil's ICGC has been a defining force in Ghanaian Christianity since its establishment, known for its emphasis on prosperity theology and motivational preaching that has attracted urban, educated audiences.

Funeral rites and thanksgiving services remain central to Ghanaian cultural and religious expression, regardless of social status. The structure of Mrs Addo's funeral—a burial service followed by a Thanksgiving gathering—reflects traditional Ghanaian funeral practices that allow the community to collectively process grief whilst celebrating the life of the deceased. The observance of white clothing at the Thanksgiving service aligns with modern Ghanaian funeral customs that have evolved to blend traditional respect with Christian symbolism.

For church members of ICGC and the broader Ghanaian Christian community, such services serve as occasions for pastoral reflection and spiritual unity during periods of loss affecting prominent families.