The International Central Gospel Church (ICGC) Christ Temple East in Teshie was grossly misrepresented and slandered in the recent Kingdom World Tour 2024 venue controversy.

A source close to the technical team at the church responsible for the event divulged this to Class News’ Prince Benjamin (PB) in an exclusive interview. For the purposes of this publication, the source shall be called Kane – not their real name.

According to Kane, the Culture Management Group (CMG) Gospel and co-organisers of the said event had originally agreed with ICGC Christ Temple East to use the latter’s out-door property in “addition to parking – and some lights to support”.

Everything else for the successful organisation and coordination of the event was agreed on to be handled by the CMG Gospel and its partner Faith Collective, per a contract. 

Friday morning, August 16 – two days more to the event – however, an emergency meeting was had via Zoom and it was announced the organisers of the much-anticipated programme had made a last minute request to move the out-door event into the Christ Temple East auditorium. 

This request came with obvious implications; the church, which, hitherto, had little supervisory work for the event, had to now commit resources not earlier discussed; human resource, time, the auditorium and its infrastructural contents, etc, to the event. 

| Obeng Kojo (Pic, 2023): A bit of the ICGC Christ Temple auditorium and grounds outside

According to Kane, the church was under tremendous pressure given the constraint of time and pending a decision by its board, administration and leaders, among other things, but to demonstrate its humane considerations, it agreed to move the event indoors. It, however, proposed a change in fee, reflecting its reviewed commitments to the event. 

Furthermore, since the drawing of a new contract to facilitate post-event payments was going to be impossible, given the time challenges, it was suggested to CMG Gospel and co to make immediate payments of the reviewed fee, reflecting their reviewed request, in the absence of a contract.

It is standard practice for venues to consider their infrastructural endowments as part of the pricing process and so Kane outlined some of the equipment that was going to be at the disposal of the Kingdom World Tour 2024 organisers, apart from comfortable seating, lighting, air-conditioning, and intensified supervision, among other things. 

He mentioned the top-of-the-shelf Martin Audio sound infrastructure, adding he had learned Christ Temple East was one out of two to have this setup in the ECOWAS sub-region; he mentioned a Tama drum setup, also, which “only a few number of churches in Africa have, and, among other things, a state-of-the-art LED screen about 25 metre wide and 8 metre high”.

| Yaw Darko (Pic, 2023): Inside the ICGC Christ Temple auditorium with the LED in sight

Kane emphasised the impossible position the church had been put in especially because the event was well at hand and “the organisers had sprung this on us”. 

While CMG Gospel and ICGC Christ Temple talked over the matter, Kanea said, as scheduled, Friday afternoon till late, a team had assembled at the church grounds on standby to setup. No positive instruction came.  

On Saturday morning, it had been found out an impasse had resulted from all the deliberations, and CMG Gospel was not yielding to the new price scenario presented to them due to their own decision to review the venue arrangements, heavily impacting logistics and staffing. 

Kane said he was deeply disappointed, thus, later that day to see CMG Gospel had shared a statement with the public accusing ICGC Christ Temple East of suddenly, arbitrarily, and maliciously increasing the venue price by 80 per cent.

In their statement, CMG Gospel also said the church had only given them a 24-hour notice for the price review. It registered its disappointment and announced a new venue for the Sunday, August 18 event which showcased American Gospel superstars Kirk Franklin and Maverick City. 

| Kevin Winter/Getty (Pic, 2022) Kirk Franklin and Maverick City at the BETs

The Pastor Mensa Otabil-led International Central Gospel Church (ICGC) Christ Temple East is yet to issue an official statement on the matter.

| Greater Works 2024 (Pic): An aerial view of the expansive ICGC Christ Temple grounds