By: Opheli Garcia Lawler
“At church, they call me Macho Jesus,” Peter Ackatia- Kwaidoo says, a 23 year old Ghanaian, who is striving to be a personal trainer. “They say I’m the only Jesus with an eight-pack.”
Born in Accra, Peter is talking about the church he attends where hes is an active leader, and last year played Jesus Christ for a church production. Becoming Macho Jesus didn’t happen overnight though.
“I have this uncle, who lives in the United States now. When he came home on holidays, I used to love to watch him. I admired his physique. I used to think ‘nice.’ I used to watch him lift the metals and I thought ‘I want to be like Uncle Michael.’ So that’s when I started working out”
At first, it was just a hobby for Peter, but over time, schoolyard bullies no longer messed with him, after his scrawny frame transformed into chiseled arms and chest. (Truly chiseled, it is the only word to describe the bulk of muscle that shapes his arms. If it was possible to have a deficit of body fat, Peter’s arms would be a primary example. Every time he takes a breath, he involuntarily flexes.) His physique soon garnered the type of admiration that he once had for his own Uncle Michael.
“In senior high school, when other guys used to gather around and talk I used to do press ups. At first I did 1000 a day. Then eventually, I did 2000 a day. I can show you if you’d like.”
After training many people for free, a cousin’s success with Peter’s workout plans inspired Peter to attempt to monetize his expertise. His dedication to starting his own business leads to a rather insular lifestyle.
“I have few friends. I’m worried about growing my business. I will not be content with my life until I am successful.”
He currently has over 1000 fliers printed, with plans to spread them throughout Accra, especially at churches like his own, where he is the president of the Catholic Student Union, in addition to being ‘Macho Jesus.’
