Rodney Oheneba Ahenkan, affectionately known as Papa Smurf, isn’t your typical forex guru. His journey into forex trading was anything but conventional. It wasn’t a love for charts or a childhood dream of trading that led him to the financial markets—it was heartbreak.
His journey began in Australia his country of birth, where a painful breakup became the catalyst for change. The sting of rejection, publicly amplified by his role as a youth pastor and gospel artist, ignited a fire within him. He sought not just financial success, but a way to rebuild his life and inspire others.
“I began watching videos and tutorials about how forex trading worked. And I was very intrigued by it. I became very obsessed by the nature of you can press a button on your phone and make money. And so for 10 hours a day, I was studying everything I could. I didn’t have a mentor. YouTube was my university to study,” Rodney recalls.
Now based in Ghana, Rodney’s journey has taken him from the pulpit to the trading charts, driven by a unique calling to bridge the gap between faith and finance. “I received a prophecy about how I was going to venture in a very unique form of ministry that focuses on the realities of Christianity and not so much the spiritual element of it,” Rodney explains. This prophecy, coupled with a personal experience of feeling inadequate due to financial constraints in a past relationship, ignited a passion for forex trading.
He first joined iMarketsLive (IML) as a signal provider when he was relatively unknown. However, once he became known, many people from Africa reached out, leading him to travel and teach across Africa. Initially planning a three-month holiday in 2018, he ended up staying, visiting multiple countries, including Zimbabwe, South Africa and eventually settling in Ghana.
There, he met the love of his life and spent four years together while building their business. However, during this journey, they contracted COVID, which led to severe health complications, keeping them out of the public eye for two years. Just as they were preparing for a comeback and planning their wedding, tragedy struck—three months before the wedding, his partner passed away.
From Heartbreak to Hope: The Genesis of a Movement
Rodney’s foray into forex wasn’t a smooth ride. Initially, he confesses, “I expected to have 200 turned into 20,000 in a few weeks. I did not comprehend how this thing worked.” Like many beginners, he fell prey to the allure of quick riches, a misconception he now actively combats in his training programs. “And I know a lot of people hear about forex trading and it’s some gateway into the prosperity realm. And they think that they can make copious amounts of money in a short time. And I had to renew my mindset from that mentality because it’s not always the case. It’s a long journey,” he emphasizes.
This initial setback, however, led him to a deeper understanding of the market and a renewed commitment to his prophetic calling. He pioneered a unique approach to trading, incorporating geometric principles, “where the God I serve is very well interested in the art of shapes and numbers.” He saw the power of shapes and numbers, a concept often overlooked in the Christian context, and applied it to his trading with remarkable success.
Navigating the African Forex Landscape: Challenges and Triumphs
Rodney’s mission took him to Africa around 2018, where he witnessed firsthand the challenges and opportunities within the forex trading community. He identifies a critical issue: “People who are in the position to teach are taking advantage of those who don’t know any better in the industry.” He criticizes the “gurus” who prioritize lifestyle branding over genuine mentorship and profitability. “It’s easy to have 100 people buy a course from you for $300 and then tell them that you will make them rich and prosperous and then use their course money to buy a Lamborghini,” he asserts.
This deceptive practice, he believes, erodes trust and hinders the growth of aspiring traders. “And so we are now at the point, especially in Africa, where there is a shift because people have gone from mentor to mentor and there is no substance in what they are teaching.”
Furthermore, Rodney highlights the challenge of dealing with those who plagiarize his unique trading methods. “I have had several people take my material, pirate my material, pirate my works, damage my reputation and then sell what I taught them so that they can make the money from it.” Despite these obstacles, Rodney remains focused on the success of his students. “I truly believe that your weight and your impact as a mentor is in what your students are able to do through your teaching.”
Dispelling the Myths: Forex as a Legitimate Pursuit
Rodney tackles common misconceptions about forex trading head-on. He argues against the notion that forex is simply gambling or a scam. “And forex trading cannot be a scam because the same people who are praying for a visa to go to America, your South African Rand or your Ghana Cedi or your Nigerian Naira will not be working in those countries,” he explains. He draws parallels between everyday currency exchange and the digital transactions of forex trading, emphasizing the concept of calculated risk.
“They know the art of calculated risks in terms of life because they know what it will benefit them. But they don’t know the calculated areas when it comes to forex trading because they don’t fully understand the concept. This is not sports betting where you’re relying on different people to perform at a certain capacity in order to flip your money. Forex trading is a calculated approach investing in certain currencies and reaping a reward.”
He also addresses the misconception that faith and finance are mutually exclusive. “And the final misconception is that God doesn’t endorse or God doesn’t promote or a Christian should not participate in forex trading because God is not concerned with money like that,” he states. He counters this argument by citing biblical examples of financial wisdom and emphasizing the importance of financial stewardship. “60% of Jesus’s teachings had to do with money. The book of Proverbs is considered financial advice when it comes to being wealthy.”
Success Stories and the Power of Mentorship
Rodney’s impact is best measured by the success stories of his students. He shares inspiring examples of students who have achieved financial independence through forex trading. One student in Botswana, he recounts, “was able to grow from a three-figure account in the span of a few months to then being able to withdraw… the equivalent of $30,000 and their dream was always to get into farming.” Another student in Ghana turned a $50 investment into a thriving pharmacy business.
These stories, Rodney believes, are a testament to the power of mentorship and the transformative potential of forex trading. “And so, this ministry or this Forex movement, the only thing I rely on now is not what I can accomplish… but them, allowing them to be able to see those results and be able to withdraw constantly and to be able to live a life that they wouldn’t have thought they were able to live, that is a sort of impact and a lasting impression I wanted to have.”
Advice for Aspiring Forex Entrepreneurs: Focus on the Craft
Rodney’s advice for aspiring forex entrepreneurs is grounded in his own experiences. He stresses the importance of focusing on mastering the craft rather than chasing the allure of fame and fortune. “A lot of people want to rush to be the top dog because they see the lifestyle of these influencers and these gurus and they want that and they think that being in that position is a license to be able to kind of be irresponsible with your income. I would tell people that they should really focus on learning the craft.”
He also cautions against the pressures of public life, emphasizing the responsibility that comes with mentorship. “You will miss birthdays, you will miss funerals, you will miss children growing up, you will miss everything because the lives of other people are now in your hands and you are responsible for them.”
Emerging Trends and a Vision for the Future: Automation and Accessibility
Looking ahead, Rodney is excited about the emerging trends in the forex industry, particularly the role of automation. He has partnered with Weltrade, a broker aiming to revolutionize forex and synthetic indices trading in Africa. He is pioneering a scholarship program that provides free access to his academy for those who fund their trading accounts. “I’ve been able to create solutions inside of my own academy… to be able to allow people to be onboarded into the broker and into the academy in a seamless fashion,” he explains.
This automated system streamlines the onboarding process and allows him to scale his mentorship program effectively. The partnership with Weltrade is based on a shared incentive: their revenue is tied to the profitability of their clients. “So, if they don’t win, we don’t make money. So, we’re incentivized to be able to create an ideal platform and an ideal learning solution so that our clients can win.”
Rodney envisions a trading academy with at least 100,000 students, seeing this as a small but significant goal for Africa. Beyond this, his true aspiration is to cultivate a thriving generation that no longer seeks opportunities abroad but instead builds wealth locally.
He believes that past generations have hoarded resources, leaving younger Africans with limited opportunities. Now, as they raise families, they aim to be the “repairing generation” that revitalizes the continent. Rodney advocates for financial independence through forex trading, entrepreneurship, e-commerce, and other digital ventures, blending industrial and information revolutions to create new economic pathways.
By generating wealth within Africa, he aims to enhance the continent’s credibility, attract investment, and promote tourism. His vision for the next decade is to reshape Africa’s global image, making it a desirable destination for both living and business opportunities.
Rodney Oheneba Ahenkan’s story is a powerful reminder that success is not just about financial gain; it’s about impact, resilience, and a commitment to empowering others. His journey, is an inspiration to aspiring forex traders and entrepreneurs across Africa and beyond.
