June 10, 1998
SGI Central Committee
P.O. Box 6718 Accra North
Ghana
Dear SGI-Ghana Central Committee
I received your letter to me dated March 22, 1998. Minutes prior to me receiving your
letter I was talking to an SGI Friend regarding SGI/Nichiren Shoshu issues. First I must
compliment and thank you for your rebuttal to my February 26th 1998 letter.
Your letter posture me in a fight I choose not to win or involve myself with. I do not
know who the SGI-Ghana Central Committee is but I would be interested at learning more
about your group. I make this point clear, I refuse to get off into some political war and
I do not have to defend myself regarding my sincerity of my African Heritage.
I could better answer your charges if I knew who I was dealing with and signing a letter SGI Central Committee is vague and cowardice. I would love to hear the facts and it is credible in my opinion if whoever you are would sign your name. In January of 1998 I had a meeting with SGI-Vice General Director Samuel Kudamasu and I enjoyed talking to Mr. Kudamasu face to face, SGI members scheduled a meeting with him at my home and we talked. It is very ironic that SGI-African/American males who I practiced with for 20 years have not visited my home or answered any of my letters or charges that I have made relating to Nichiren Shoshu/SGI issues, while two Japanese top paid leaders have visited me this year. The concern that I have about your letter is that you could be a mortal enemy of Mr. Asomani and you and your entire SGI-Ghana Central Committee also could lack credibility or be misleading. Is any of the SGI-Ghana Central Committee paid staff members? There are no names associated with your letter. One fact is clear the quality of the type and intensity of your letter is beyond the scope of the average Ghanaian.
Your letter included a document of the original 16 trustees of Nichiren Shoshu of Ghana registered in January of 1975. You imply by your letter that all of the trustees now living with the exception of Mr. Asomani remained with SGI. The original trustees were 16 as indicated by the document that you sent. Seven are now deceased and the remaining eight are with SGI and Mr. Asomani is the only one to join Hokkeko out of nine living. The question that I ask is all of the other nine active in SGI? Also I noticed the name Hiromi Asomani and I assume she is Mr. Asomani former wife and I noticed the name of Tadashi Minai who is a strong SGI Patroit. How many of the names of the original Trustees are on the SGI-Ghana Central Committee, how many are paid SGI staff members?
Since you have opened the arena for dialog I do indeed commend you for answering a letter I addressed to SGI friends in Memphis, Tn and I will answer your charges paragraph by paragraph as matters relate to things that I wrote to SGI Friends in Memphis. The words written by me that SGI financed a Japanese excursion for President Rawlings, his wife and other Ghanians is erroneous and I apologize to President Rawlings and my SGI friends in Memphis for reporting such an error. My understanding was the SGI hosted a meeting with the President Of Ghana and the issue was about the power of the SGI and not the President of Ghana. Mr. Asomani corrected me on those errors and I did write a corrected version of the letter. Since writing the letter I had asked for dialog regarding what I had witnessed in Ghana and I was to present the corrected version of my letter. The shameful part about the entire matter is that the African/Americans sent my personal letter to the SGI heads and my letter made its way to you in Ghana. However in no way was it my intention to mislead SGI members. Sirs whoever you may be I hold the highest love and respect for Ghana and its President. Moreover I love my African brothers and sisters and I do not wish to be thrown into a political battle that will split brothers and sisters. During my visit to Ghana I met an excellent tailor who I am doing business with and the tailor is a Christian, despite his religious belief we are able to do business and I treat him as a brother. Upon my return from Ghana I contacted an SGI friend who does tailoring for a living and I suggested that we work together in business. This member also informed me that a dear friend who I wrote a letter to was reprimanded for communicating with me. Many of these African/Americans act like Zombies as if they were controlled by a cult.
In your letter you mentioned that I used words like "African Kings", "Ashanti Warriors", "African Chiefs" "Meeting in the Bush", typifies an unenlightened and backward attitude towards this great continent. Sirs please elaborate on this point not only for my sake, but, for the sake of others who will read your rebuttal. I am under the impression that you are being clever and just playing on words to confuse me and others who will read your rebuttal to me. Per history regarding Ghana it reads about the Great Ashanti Empire. Please refer to the Ghana page on the Internet and challenge Ghanaians writers and not Anthony Elmore about an unenlightened attitude about Ghana.
It is also interesting to me how on page 7 paragraph one, you talk about reporting me to the Ghana & Japanese governments to block my visa from me coming to Ghana or Japan. Sirs what kind of evil political posturing and threats are you making to me? I am no threat to Ghana or Japan, however you seem to have some political influence and are willing to use your influence. Nichiren Daishonin says in the Gosho "It is the nature of the beasts to fear the strong and threaten the weak". My letter was not political and the issue was not about the Ghanaian or Japanese Governments but what I witnessed in Ghana regarding the wonderful opening of the Nichiren Shoshu temple in Ghana. Your letter is a documentary fact that the SGI Central Committee would stoop to any level to manipulate facts and we find it very interesting that you insinuate in your letter that you would use the Honorable President of Ghana Jerry Rawlings as pon for your political manipulations. What kind of treacherous mind do you have thinking that you can use the office of your President to silence me and use the office of the ministry Interior for your own selfish purpose. The SGI underhandedly manipulated the circumstances to block High Priest Nikken Shonin’s Visa to attend the temple ceremony in Ghana. The SGI preach a philosophy of humanism, democracy and justice but practice a philosophy of manipulation, treachery, and deceit. The SGI fabricated the Crowe story to vilify Nikken Shonin, the SGI also manipulated a photograph and inserted women to further vilify Nikken Shonin in the eyes of unsuspecting SGI members.
Please review my web page on the internet and you will see my Company www.elmorecarpets.com . Further our company import goods from Ghana, promote African tours, and we promote re-newing relationships between African and Americans. A few years ago I had the pleasure to meet with the President Of Kenya the Honorable Daniel Arap Moi and we talked about relations between Africans & African/Americans. How dare any of you to question my character and good will. Anthony Elmore is a 5 time World Kickboxing Champion and I am at the time of my writing this letter negotiating fighting a World televised international bout in Las Vegas. I have am the producer of a film titled "Iron Thunder" and I am in pre-production on a New Movie titled "War In The Hood". In 1999 our company is organizing a tour of Kenya for Memphians. I mention these facts not to boast but to challenge you SGI-Central Committee members not to hide behind the title SGI-Ghana Central Committee, but challenge you to stand up individually and put your names and records on the line as you challenge me to do.
Sirs whoever you may be, you mentioned in page one, paragraph two of your letter to me that I speak of having "strong feelings for Africa and that my talk about culture and identity is a ploy to lure others to my side and that I am using emotionalism to lure African/Americans to my side while at the same time antagonizing white Americans. You SGI-Ghana Central Committee members speak like spineless, Uncle Tom, Colonial Servants. How dare you say that I am isolating or antagonizing white Americans by talking about African and African/American culture. Sirs what backwards antiquated thinking you have. African culture is fine and acceptable and just a few months ago the President of the United States showed respect for African/Culture while you SGI-Central Committee are still in 1998 worrying about antagonizing white people because you are display your culture. When we made the decision to attend the Nichiren Shoshu Temple opening in Ghana African/Americans, Ghanaians living in America and some whites attended the ceremony in Ghana. We African/Americans in Nichiren Shoshu feel strong about Africa we do not feel that we are isolating white Americans by our supporting a temple in Mother Africa.
In 1991 I left SGI because I found SGI to be a colonial militaristic organization. I wrote letters to Daisaku Ikeda, George M. Willams General director SGI-USA and all leaders in SGI and no one responded to my letters. African/Americans in Memphis took the same attitude as you SGI-Ghana Central Committee, as spineless, Kowtowing, colonial servants. In America we would have these grand cultural festivals and every culture was recognized but African & African/Americans and I protested while other African/Americans watched. In America while African/Americans were Congress persons, mayors, heads of major American corporations, SGI refused to have an African/American on its executive board. While the Berlin wall fell, Mandela was freed, and the Soviet Union dismantled, African/Americans were still in the colonials days in SGI an organization that purported to be about world peace, humanism and democracy. Recently I met with SGI Vice General Director Samuel Kudamasu and Mr. Kudamasu admitted and apologized for SGI’s racist ills. On the other hand African/Americans will not admit that SGI was wrong regarding its treatment of African/Americans. To this very date I know of no African/American male in an SGI paid staff position. Further there is no African/American male who is in SGI who is a strong figure.
President Clinton was courageous in his stand to promote Africa to the world and Anthony Elmore take the same courageous stand. African and African/American culture is not against the spirit of "itai doshin" and such thinking is the mindset of SGI to control the thinking of its members. Nichiren Daishonin says in the Gosho "There should be no discrimination between those who propagate Myoho-Renge-Kyo". Sirs standing strong regarding your heritage is in no way or an attempt to organize an African or Blackman Buddhism. Sirs one must delineate between Nichiren Daishonin’s Buddhism, Japanese Culture, and SGI orientation. In Memphis, Tn some African/American leaders developed Japanese accents and cultural posturing and called such things Nichiren Daishonin’s Buddhism. I found such behavior as Black people emulating Japanese embarrassing and I refused to expose myself or my child to such Japanese dominate orientation. In the SGI magazines articles were never written about African or African/American contribution to our society and I found this discriminatory. Even in SGI today there is no strong African or African/American figure. It is shameful that there is no recognizable African/American in SGI or a single African person in the SGI-Ghana Central Committee. Throughout SGI the only recognizable Black face was Joseph Asomani ( General Director NSG).
Our SGI organ newspaper the World Tribune would list in its news years issue greetings from SGI General Directors and for years I would read greetings from Ghana’s General Director Joseph Asomani. In my heart I was proud of Ghana and it was always my dream to visit Ghana and thank Mr. Asomani and Ghana members for their inspiration to me.
During my 1996 Tozan visit I learned from a Ghana member that Mr. Asomani and the majority of Ghana members had left SGI and joined Hokkeko. Soon thereafter I read that Ghana would be getting a Nichiren Shoshu Temple. When I read that Ghana would be getting I temple my heart was overjoyed because I wanted so bad to visit Ghana and hear Mr. Asomani’s story first hand. Many African/Americans Hokkeko members wanted to attend the opening ceremony but we were advised not to because we had heard that the SGI was causing many problems and we never got a date of the opening. Just ten days prior to the opening were we informed and we had to change our schedule and take off to Ghana. Many African/Americans wanted to be at the temple opening but they did not have time to arrange their schedules on such short notice.
When I arrived to Ghana it was a dream come true and my intentions was only to attend the temple opening and build wonderful relationships with my Ghana brothers and sisters. I video taped the ceremony because my wife and I desires to have a son who will one day be a Nichiren Shoshu Priest and the temple in Ghana could be a place where our future son will reside. I have no intention to get into a battle with SGI and if the letter you sent me is from sincere SGI-Ghana members I sincerely apologize if I have offended you. If you are real individuals willing to sign your names I would be willing to return to Ghana to discuss any concerns you have about my report. Also you should invite African/Americans and other SGI-members to Ghana to see things for themselves.
Your letter had a quite extensive detail report on Mr. Asomani and if I believe your report Mr. Asomani must be one of the most despicable humans alive or "snakey throat" as you characterize Mr. Asomani. During my visit in Ghana I found Mr. Asomani to be a very credible human respected and loved by many. During the Nichiren Shoshu Temple opening there were 1000 Ghanians by Mr. Asoman’s side. What was so amazing to me were the young men that I spoke to regarding their practice. I spoke to a young man who indicated to me that when Mr. Asomani was ousted by the SGI he personally took the initiative to purchase land for them to build a temple or community center to worship. The young man also indicated that the young men in Hokkeko has purchased land around the temple to build homes to protect and assist their temple and priest. Your letter indicated many things about Mr. Asoman’s personal life with women and you site his dismissal was based upon his conduct with women. Issues of men and women are very complex. During Shakamuni’s time devadetta held a grudge due to a woman. Allegations about our U.S. President and women are made each day. Please note that Daisaku Ikeda has a current rape charge pending and serveral women since the charge have come forward with allegations of sexual misconduct. Even Hiro Clowe came forward with a claim against High Priest Nikken Shonin for something she alleged happened 30 years ago. The problem is you SGI Central Committee make charges but will not come forward with your name and reputation and refuse to be judged by the standards that you ask of Mr. Asomani. During my visit in Ghana I met Mr. Asoman’s current wife who you informed me in your letter was a former NSG YWD young women’s division chief. During my visit I interviewed Mrs. Asomani she was pregnant and she seemed to be a special person with exceptional skills, ability and insight. Since departing Ghana I have learned that she had boy baby. Mr. Asomani seems to be very stable with his wife and family. I was very happy to meet and greet Ghanaians in Nichiren Shoshu who stand proud regarding their African Heritage. Being a Nichiren Shoshu Buddhist does not mean giving up one’s identity and heritage as we were expected to do in SGI.
During my SGI days one was expected to conform to the SGI orientation and individuals were expected to give up one’s identity. One case in point years ago a young mans division member by the name of Earnest Brown had to shave his beard to conform to the SGI image. There were no beards, long hair, ethic dress, or anything considered un-American. During my SGI days individuals were expected to present this all American wholesome image. At cultural festivals we had to wear uniforms as if we were in the miltary. SGI forced members to do street Shakubuku. At the end of meetings we had to join hands and sing sensei. All final guidance was always words of sensei and not the words of Nichiren Daishonin (Gosho). The organization was even structured into divisions. SGI-Ghana central committee; please note none of these requirements had nothing to do with Nichiren Daishonin’s Buddhism only SGI orientation.
Your letter speak of the ills of Mr. Asomani but you fail to speak of all of the grave ills of Sensei Ikeda. Mr. Asomani never altered the teaching of Nichiren Shoshu. Please note that Sensei Ikeda had to resign for carving Gohonzons. It was Sensei Ikeda that changed the prayer books, it was Sensei Ikeda that introduced his own brand of Buddhist teaching. Please find enclosed a speech by High Priest Nittatsu Shonin dated March 31, 1979. It is Sensei Ikeda who has turned sincere members to slander Nichiren Daishonin’s Buddhism. From a doctrinal standpoint SGI members are practicing erroneous teaching not Joseph Asomani.
The Wednesday February 25, 1998 issue of the "Ghanaian Times" newspaper’s editorial wrote a misleading, treacherous, and untrue article about the opening of the Nichiren Shoshu Temple in Ghana and I was shocked and embarrassed by the newspaper’s account of the Temple opening. It was explained to me that the powerful well financed SGI orchestrated the misleading editorial. Time International and many other publications report shocking information regarding the SGI and for me I found it hard to believe such reports about SGI however during my visit to Ghana I witness firsthand how manipulative and underhanded the SGI can be just by the "Ghanaian Time" editorial. On February 26, 1998 I visited Adwoa Asiedu the Ghana Times New Editor and personally refuted the lies about Nichiren Shoshu and Ms. Asiedu explained to me that she did not know the source of the Editorial and only the editor in chief could explain the story. During my visit the Editor in chief was not in his office and I cannot verify where the misleading information came from.
The ironic thing about the article is that the average Ghanaian could careless one way or the other. Ghanaians are attempting to live life and a Nichiren Shoshu temple is not a concern Ghanaians are fearful of. It was incredulous that a Nichiren Shoshu temple opening in Ghana would arouse so much attention in a country that have far greater issues to be concerned about. During our visit Ghana did not have sufficient electrical power and most Ghanaians were concerned about improving their standard of living rather worrying about a Nichiren Shoshu temple opening. Only a paid political announcement could garner such attention from the Ghanaian press.
During the temple opening I did a head count of over 1000 Nichiren Shoshu members and I with my camera interviewed many members. Despite you calling my judgment of these members superficial my heart was touched and even as I write about tears are welling in my eyes as to the sincerity and genuineness of Nichiren Shoshu Buddhist Ghana. Earlier this year we made the offer to pay the expense of any SGI member in Memphis who would travel to Japan see the Dai-Gohonzon to answer concerns about the SGI/Nichiren Shoshu issue or simply report what they learned and no one responded to our offer. However during my visit to Ghana many members explained to me that it was their life’s dream to see the Dai-Gohonzon. After hearing such sincere members I personally made a vow to sponsor a Ghanaian the opportunity to visit the Dai-Gohonzon.
Since returning from Ghana my life has experienced many positive changes and my feelings for Africa are deeper. Thank goodness that I am not a part of SGI and I do not have to worry about as you state in your letter isolating and antagonizing white Americans. Grammy award winner, movie star, and famous song writer Issac Hayes who song the nation Anthem at one of my world championship bouts explained to me that His Excellency The Honorable Jerry Rawling President Of Ghana offer African/Americans dual citizenship and one day I will buy land in Ghana and possibly become a Ghanaian Citizen . We African/Americans are African people living in America and it is you sirs who have an unenlightened and backwards attitude about Africa. My wife is Kenyan and the other half of our family live in Kenya. Our daughter was born in Kenya and to date my wife is a Kenyan citizen until she qualifies to become an American citizen.
Your March 22, 1998 letter was apparently directed to appease the African/Americans in Memphis and you hide behind the banner of your Ghanian citizenship, African heritage and SGI Central Committee anomaly. Prior to our travel to Ghana via Ghana Airways we had the opportunity to spend the night in New York with two Ghanaian families who are Hokkeko members. The Ghanaian members accompanied us to Ghana and I challenge the SGI Central Committee to direct the cultural issues or challenges made to me to the Ghanaian members now living in America who witness the historic temple opening in Ghana. It is very easy to deceive and threaten Anthony Elmore but your argument would not be valid with other Ghanaians. The Ghanaian members who resides in New York video taped events in Ghana and these members are more familiar with circumstances in Ghana than Anthony Elmore. The New York member recently built a nine bed room home in Ghana and accommodated rooms for USA Hokeko members to reside during our visit in Ghana. The SGI-Ghana Central Committee cannot threaten to block the Visa of Ghana members. The New York member taped more in Ghana than Anthony Elmore. Also the New York member began his Buddhist practice in Ghana and he resides in the U. S. and Ghana. This New York Ghanaian I am sure can identify each one of you in the SGI Central Committee. The challenge that I make to the SGI-Ghana Central Committee is for each of you to put your names and reputations open as you ask Anthony Elmore. The criterion that you judge Anthony Elmore’s report should be based on community standards and not SGI-Ghana Central Committee’s personal judgment. The issues that I speak of African culture is supported by other Ghanaians and I will challenge any authority that your can present regarding this matter. Regarding the SGI-Ghana Central Committee threat to block my visa and your effort to manipulate the Ghana’s Government. I ask you to come forward with your threat by signing your name to the letter you sent to me and we can present your threat to the proper ministers and you will be the one’s censured not Anthony Elmore.
Myself as an African living in America love the country of Ghana and during my talk with the newspaper editor it was suggested that I introduce Kickboxing in Ghana. Just by my own personal efforts I can bring positive exposure to Ghana and in 1999 I am considering bringing my sport to Ghana and my aim is to use my sport to expose the positive side of Ghana. I personally plan to introduce my sport in Ghana and revenues would be targeted for education of Ghana’s youth. At present I am organizing a computer for a school in Ghana. Despite your personal opinion this office believes that the Ghanaian Government and it people would applaud my efforts.
Our import business is a positive for Ghana in that we create jobs for Ghanaians and we bring revenues to Ghana. Exports and tourism are positive for Ghana and the Ghanaian government promotes tourism and exports, it would be great if the SGI could support African/Americans and other members to visit your community center. Our visit to Ghana included African/Americans and whites to Ghana. In February the Ghana Government promotes Black History Month and specials are offered by Ghana Airways. This office would be happy if the SGI would invite the Memphis SGI members to Ghana.
Africa is special to me and the first Nichiren Shoshu Temple in Ghana makes Ghana more special. Many African/Americans will be in Ghana for the first year anniversary of the first Nichiren Shoshu Temple in Africa and we are elated to have a temple in Ghana.
In an October 1995 British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) report it was reported that the SGI is worth over 125 Billion U.S. Dollars. The BBC reported that the SGI daily newspaper the Seikyo Shimbun is a highly profitable dream machine with a daily circulation of 5,500,000 and it makes over 100 million U.S. dollars a year. The SGI owns its own publishing empire and it is a communications conglomerate. Not only do the SGI owns news papers in Japan it has new papers in over 125 countries. The BBC also report that SGI owns a strong interest in Mitsubishi Bank in Japan and the Mitsubishi Group is a strong business concern worldwide. The SGI even makes millions and millions via selling cemetery plots to members. The BBC further report that the SGI owns its own communications network. This office finds it very strange that the SGI central committee failed to send the SGI articles regarding circumstances in Ghana. I joined NSA in 1974 and for many years I read reports in our world tribune newspaper about Ghana. Please forward to our office reports about Ghana. I was a member of SGI and maintained a subscription of the World Tribune & the Seikyo Times until 1996. Mr. Asomani was ousted as General director of Ghana in 1990. Where are all of the great news stories about Ghana since 1990? Your letter never identified the number of SGI members in Ghana and I find it very strange and outright misleading that the SGI has failed to report to its members regarding the circumstances in Ghana. No matter how you put it court battles have ensued, police had to be called and you have 1000 former SGI members in Ghana. Since 1991 the SGI often talk about the great Soka Renaissance and there is no Asomani, no Nichiren Shoshu to inhibit your movement in Ghana. A November 1995 Time International Magazine article reported in a 1995 cover page story that the SGI raise over 4 billion U.S. dollars in political contributions each year. Sirs; 4 billions dollars is enough money to finance the entire Ghana economy for years. With such enormous power, influence & will the SGI certainly can report influential articles regarding SGI circumstances in Ghana to its U.S.A. Memphis members. Further the African/American members in Memphis have little or no concern about Ghana and the Ghana SGI Central committee do not have to worry about me disabusing the minds of Memphis SGI members.
In August of 1996 A shakubuku insisted that I travel to Taisekiji to visit the Dai-Gohonzon. Prior to going to Tozan I had the greatest love for President Ikeda and the excommunication troubled me very much. After going on Tozan and visiting the Dai-Gohonzon I learned that the SGI reported mis-information about Nichiren Shoshu. More importantly it was my experience with the Dai-Gohonzon that moved me to practice my faith directly with Nichiren Shoshu and I have grown to love and respect the Nichiren Shoshu Priesthood. It pains me very deeply to witness the SGI spreading outright lies and rumors about Nichiren Shoshu. The circumstances reported to the media in Ghana about Nichiren Shoshu were outright lies and deception and such a practice by SGI is unethical behavior.
Mr. Asomani has moved own with his life and Mr. Asomani said very little about the SGI other than he is moving forward with his life and he is happy with Nichiren Shoshu and he and other former SGI members are happy to practice with the Priest. After the Nichiren Shoshu Temple opening I remained in Ghana for over a week and I had the pleasure to video the first meeting of the Priest and lay members. Rev. Yoshida outlined the temple schedule and he instructed members on Temple etiquette. Nichiren Shoshu has nearly 750 years of experience of teaching True Buddhism and Ghana is in good hands with Rev. Yoshida.
During a video interview with Rev. Yoshida Rev. Yoshida said that he was a Ghanaian in his past life and he identified strongly with Ghana. We openly discussed racial and cultural issues with Rev. Yoshida and Rev. Yoshida was open and sensitive regarding cultural issues. We discussed slavery, African history and we talked about the fact the Shakyamuni was Black. History records that the first inhabitants of India were the Dravidians who migrated from Ethiopia 30,000 years ago. Shakyamuni was a Dravidian and he had Kinky hair, full lips and broad nose. In 1991 I presented this fact to our SGI leader in Memphis by the name of George Kusaba and Kusaba called me a racist by reporting facts and he said that Shakyamuni ethnic origin was not important. Since joining Nichiren Shoshu temple it is taught in the historical writing about the Dravidians.
In your letter to me you requested an un-edited copy of my video to hear Mr. Asomani and see things for yourselves. The SGI owns one of the largest communications and publishing empires in the world and Mr. Asomani is in Ghana for you to communicate with him face to face. Mr. Asomani would say the same to you as he said to Anthony Elmore. Also Nichiren Shoshu has many, many fiery men who would be happy to talk to you.
On page 7 paragraph two you sound like the white Colonialist who has re-wrote history for their own convenience. In America students are still taught that Columbus discovered America while America was inhabited for centuries by native Americans. In Africa during the Colonial period Africans were taught that their country was discovered by whites. Nichiren Shoshu is the parent and SGI is the child. Buddhism began in Ghana as Nichiren Shoshu Ghana (NSG) not SGI-Ghana. I must remind you that SGI was a lay organization of Nichiren Shoshu until the SGI was excommunicated by Nichiren Shoshu. Up until the excommunication of the SGI all Gohonzons were issued by Nichiren Shoshu not SGI. From my personal standpoint I respect the Three Treasures and the correct lineage of Nichiren Daishonin’s Buddhism resides with the Dai-Gohonzon and Nichiren Shoshu. Nichiren Shoshu temples are not as you describe moribund temples, but a sacred, respectful home where the Buddha resides. The Nichiren Shoshu Temple in Ghana is vibrant, energetic and a new era in Ghana has begun.
All of these issues are mute points and I would like to close this letter by wishing you the best. I am at the disadvantage of not knowing who I am communicating with. During my visit to Ghana I noticed that most of Ghana’s work force were young people and I imagine that many of you in the SGI-Ghana Central Committee are youth. Your letter was well written and full of passion and I hope that you use that passion to help Ghana prosper.
Please note that this letter is postmarked from Ghana an understand that I am I am in Ghana and will be in Ghana for two weeks. It is easy for the SGI-Ghana Central committee to hide behind a name or make allegations while I am 10,000 miles away in America. Your letter was an attempt to discredit my letter to SGI friends in Memphis but I stand behind my claim that the Nichiren Shoshu temple opening in Ghana was tremendous and exciting. If you wish to communicate with me face to face I will be happy to meet with the SGI-Ghana Central Committee and I will give you three ways to communicate with me. I will not list my hotel because I am fearful that if you manipulated a treacherous, mean-spirited story about the Nichiren Shoshu Temple opening you would do the same to harm Anthony Elmore who simply reported what he saw in Ghana. One Nichiren Shoshu Member is a police officer who I am sure you know detective John Ganyo, I would feel safe if detective Ganyo would accompany me to a meeting with you. Also I have Ghanaian university professors who can support my cultural claims, Rev. Yoshida can support Nichiren Shoshu doctrinal claims. Whatever the issue I would be willing to stand face to face and defend. Also I am sure Mr. Asomani can defend any charge that you have made against him. These are the ways you can reach me Call my office and leave a number at (901)452-5705 or fax my office at (901) 452-9566 and my office can get a message to me. In Ghana leave a message for Samuel Adontng to contact me 403-238 or fax 400-509. Contact Martin Appiah at 665-699 or Detective Ganyo at 024-310.
Anthony Elmore
Waiting on your personal reply