I Cut Off  My ‘Prison Bestie’ to Focus on Change – Nana Agradaa

Evangelist Patricia Asiedu Asiamah, popularly known as Nana Agradaa, has shared details of her experience in prison, including how she ended a friendship with an inmate whose behaviour she believed could affect her journey towards change.

According to Nana Agradaa, the inmate became her friend during her time in prison and often provided food for her. However, she said the person had a habit of fighting with officers and other inmates, while also using abusive language regularly.

She explained that she decided to distance herself from the inmate because she wanted to focus on becoming a better person after her own past actions led her to prison.

“The person who befriended me and provided food for me in prison was someone who loved fighting and cursing. I said to myself, ‘I have also been fighting for a long time, and it has landed me in prison. I have come to prison to change, yet my friend fights with officers and inmates every day. So, I had to quit being friends with that person,” she asserted.

Speaking to her church members, Nana Agradaa advised people to be careful about the kind of friendships they keep, especially when they are trying to make positive changes in their lives.

She said some relationships can prevent people from experiencing transformation and encouraged individuals to stay away from friends who do not support their spiritual growth.

“If you intend to change the person, advise them for six months. If they do not listen, leave them alone because, if you are not strong, such a person would bring you down.

“If you are listening to the word of God and want to repent, but you have a friend who does not talk to you about God and instead leads you to nightclubs, prostitution and alcoholism, quit that person. Run away because such a person will not help you,” she stated.

Nana Agradaa, who has become known for her religious activities after leaving her former spiritual practices, said people seeking change must protect themselves from influences that could lead them back to their old ways.

Her comments come after she spent time in prison following a conviction for defrauding by false pretence and charlatanic advertisement.

On July 3, 2025, an Accra Circuit Court sentenced her to 15 years in prison on two counts. The case was linked to a 2022 televised announcement in which she claimed she would share GH¢300,000 with members of the public. However, the court found that she collected money from several individuals without giving out the promised funds.

Her lawyers later appealed the sentence at the Amasaman High Court, arguing that the punishment was too harsh. In February 2026, Justice Solomon Oppong-Twumasi reduced her sentence to 12 calendar months.

Following the court’s decision, Nana Agradaa was released from prison in March 2026. Since her release, she has continued to share lessons from her experience, encouraging people to make positive choices and avoid influences that may prevent personal growth.