Accusations of secrecy and a bizarre claim about “presidential permission” have thrown the burial of Ghanaian inventor Apostle Kwadwo Safo into turmoil, with the family alleging that his daughter, former MP Adwoa Safo, is concealing the location of his remains.
Dr. Philip Siaw Kissi, the Family Secretary and Co-Chairman of the funeral planning committee, made the explosive allegations during an interview on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem on Thursday, May 21, 2026 .
Speaking on behalf of the Aduana (Kotoko) Royal Family, Dr. Siaw Kissi expressed frustration that eight months after the inventor’s death, most relatives remain in the dark regarding his body’s whereabouts.
“When someone dies, the family is supposed to go and see the body as per tradition. However, right now as I speak, even we, the family, do not know where Apostle Safo’s body is,” he stated .
He further claimed that six of the Apostle’s seven children are unaware of where their father is being kept. According to Dr. Siaw Kissi, the only person with knowledge is the former Dome Kwabenya MP, Sarah Adwoa Safo .
‘Presidential Permission’ Claim
The family secretary disclosed that when relatives pressed Adwoa Safo for answers, they received an explanation they found baffling.
“Adwoa Safo told the family that where her father’s body was being kept was somewhere special. She claimed that even she needed the President’s permission to access the location and see the body,” Dr. Siaw Kissi revealed .
He noted that the explanation “did not make any sense to us,” but the family initially chose to remain silent to avoid a public scandal .
Concerns Over Burial Wishes and Authority
The controversy is further complicated by the late Apostle’s specific burial requests. Dr. Siaw Kissi told Adom FM that before his death on September 11, 2025, Apostle Safo explicitly requested an early burial and rejected any post-mortem examination.
“What pains us is that before his death, Apostle Kwadwo Safo told us that he should be buried early without delay and there should be no post-mortem. He said he shouldn’t be touched with a knife,” Dr. Siaw Kissi explained .
The family is now uncertain whether these spiritual and cultural wishes have been respected while the body remains inaccessible.
Family Disputes Funeral Date
Amid the secrecy surrounding the body, the family has also moved to correct what they describe as misinformation regarding the funeral date. While some factions have suggested dates in July, the family insists that the official date for the final burial rites remains Thursday, June 25, 2026 .
“The general public is therefore advised to rely solely on official communications issued by the Aduana (Kotoko) Royal Family regarding all matters relating to the burial arrangements,” Dr. Siaw Kissi said in a press statement .
The family has also rejected attempts by the children to unilaterally announce funeral arrangements, asserting that under Ghanaian custom, the extended family holds the authority to bury the deceased .
As of now, Adwoa Safo has not publicly responded to the allegations of hiding the body, and the exact location of the late inventor remains unknown to the broader family.
