Ghanaian gospel musician and evangelist, Diana Asamoah, has ignited a fiery debate by calling on the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) to investigate the sale of ‘sobolo’—a traditional hibiscus drink—by pastors within church premises.
In a candid interview on Accra’s Angel FM, Asamoah expressed deep concern over the unchecked distribution of sobolo and similar products by religious leaders, often marketed as spiritual remedies without proper health certifications. She urged the FDA to conduct thorough inspections of churches nationwide to ensure the safety of such consumables being offered to congregants.
“Because the FDA hasn’t evaluated sobolo to ensure it’s safe for human consumption, some pastors claim to sell it as blood. I’m pleading with the FDA to visit different churches to see if they’re offering their people safe products,” Asamoah stated.
Highlighting the potential health risks, she recounted instances where individuals developed serious conditions, such as diabetes, after consuming these unverified concoctions. Asamoah emphasized the need for pastors to consult medical professionals before introducing any consumable products to their congregations.
“Any pastor who wants to sell sobolo or any other items in their church should hire doctors to test the blood of the church members to check whether they will benefit from drinking the sobolo. A lot of people have been diagnosed with diabetes because of the sobolo and other items pastors have sold to their church members,” she added.
Asamoah’s bold stance has sparked widespread discussions about the commercialization of religious practices and the importance of regulatory oversight to protect public health within spiritual settings.
