Features
Of sexuality, same sex couples – a student’s perspective
The argument on the LGBTQI rights has witnessed two opposing sides: those in favour and those against its endorsement. What informs each argument?
Unlike the Western world, whose stand on gay rights is informed directly by their values — a mostly atheistic society that believes there is no God, and, therefore, humans, being masters of themselves, must be allowed to live, act and do things as they feel – the Ghanaian community, on the other hand, is mostly theistic society. Our society has a culture that’s largely informed by its belief in the existence of God. However, there is a minority in the Ghanaian society that has registered their support for gay rights. What informs their support for gay rights? With the exception of those who argue from a legal perspective, it has been a matter of logic and empathy! I have followed the arguments closely and one line of argument is common with supporters of gay rights: the idea that gay people are humans and must be allowed to exercise their sexual preference.
There are those who also do not see the differences in what gay people are seeking to do and what their critics are already doing. For example, how is it that people who are living in sexual sin – fornication and adultery have openly castigated homosexuals for their sexual preferences? It may interest you to know that supporters of gay rights have interpreted this as hypocritical – that this group of people also lives in sin yet they point fingers at them. But the truth is that what they are seeking to pursue is not only sinful, but defies our very identity as image-bearers of God, so that a person who did not create himself believes he has the right to assume an identity that he desires.
Having said that, homosexuals lament the fact that they were born with such feelings and since they did not decide to feel the way they do, why then can they not be allowed to indulge their feelings. This is perhaps the part that gets many to empathise with them.
This brings me to a more crucial concern: If at all we have taken time to listen to homosexuals, how have we responded? For a person who believes he was created in a certain way and with certain feelings he did not particularly choose, is it enough to tell him it is not right to express his feelings? Maybe Perhaps, the manner in which the anti-gay community has registered their stand against the movement is what makes it look more like an act of hate rather than a condemnation. I wish to share two practical events I witnessed a couple of weeks ago: I listened to a religious leader on television who was asked to share his opinion on the subject of LGBTQI rights in Ghana.
Clearly, given his religious values it was not surprising that he took a stand against it. But I was surprised and disappointed at the tone with which he registered his displeasure. While he quoted some good texts that obviously vilified the act, his tone and choice of words were rather not “scriptural”. I believe that the way in which a message is delivered is as important as the message itself.
When Christ talked about rebuking a brother when he was wrong, He stated that we should do that in love because He knows admonishing the person is not the goal. The goal is to cause a change or redirect the person’s path and it is only love that has the power to do that. This is precisely my perspective: I believe we need to rethink the manner and tone with which we address this issue. If we are against it because God is, then we must do it God’s way. The way to
change a person’s heart has always been through love and that is God’s way. Finding God does not mean the feelings towards same-sex or any type of sin would not haunt you. It definitely will. But what becomes different is that this time, you recognise that God is greater than your feelings and you trust Him to help you overcome sin.
Indeed, we are in an era where the world believes everything can be redefined; A world that believes there are no “absolutes”; A world that has learned to justify everything; a world that believes there is no such thing as “evil”. This, however, is not the case. Ghana is a secular country made up of Christians, Muslims and traditional believers.
None of these sects accept lesbianism and gayism. And as a President once the people you rule abhor these things, equally you cannot accept these cultures on the grounds of human rights. I think that the President should be a strong leader with character and readiness to protect and defend the sanctity of his country.
Irrespective of our challenges, our nation remains paramount against any other foreign aim. Ghanaians must rise up to resist this with all our might. It is time yet again, to see our Civil Society groups, Pastors, Imams, etc to take their microphones to speak against this naturally and logically wicked agenda. Even in the animal kingdom opposite sex feeling is what is embraced.
The author, is a student of the Ghana Institute of Journalism Writer’s email: hakimrichard56 @gmail.com
Conflict at work is more common than you might think. According to 2022 research by The Myers-Briggs Company, more than a third of the workforce reports dealing with conflict often, very often, or all the time in the workplace.
Addressing a dispute might feel tense or awkward, but resolving the conflict is typically well worth it in the long run. Whether you are trying to mediate conflict between colleagues or are directly involved. Last week we looked at three and this week is the remaining four steps you can take to manage workplace conflict.
4. Find common ground
The best way to handle workplace conflict is to start with what you can agree on. Find common ground between the people engaging in conflict. If you are directly involved in the conflict, slow down and focus on results instead of who’s right.
If you are the mediator for conflict resolution between coworkers, observe the discussion and help point out the common ground others may not see.
5. Collectively brainstorm solutions
When deciding how to handle workplace conflict, it can be tempting to problem-solve on your own. Sometimes, it feels easier to work independently rather than collaboratively. However, if you want to achieve a lasting resolution, you will need to motivate your team to get involved.
Brainstorm possible solutions together, and solicit input from everyone involved on the pros and cons of each option until you settle on a solution that feels comfortable to everyone. This will help all team members feel a sense of ownership that can help prevent future conflicts.
6. Create an action plan
Once you have created an open dialogue around workplace conflicts, it is time to resolve them. Just like any other work goal, this requires creating a concrete plan and following through.
Create an action plan and then act on it. It does not matter what the plan is, as long as you commit to it and resolve the conflict as a result.
7. Reflect on what you learned
All conflicts offer an opportunity to grow and become a better communicator. Identify what went well and what did not.
Work with your whole team to gather learnings from the conflict so you can avoid similar situations in the future.
Today, I continue with my narration of personalities and their accomplishments as members of the Ghanaian Diaspora in Finland, with a focus on Mr Joseph Osei Amoah.
Mr Amoah is one of the senior members of the Ghanaian community in Finland and a top member of the Ghana Union Finland, an association of the Ghanaian migrant community in Finland.
He is an active and a well-respected person in the Ghanaian community in Finland. Mr Osei Amoah moved to Finland in the mid-1990s, and he has lived in Helsinki all this time.
Accomplishments and honours
It is important to recount accomplishments as part of the success stories of the personalities of Ghanaian descent in Finland in order to highlight their exploits both within the Ghanaian migrant community and in the wider Finnish society.
Mr Amoah holds a Master’s degree in Demography from the University of Helsinki. At the time he came to Finland in 1994, he had majored in Economics at the Bachelor’s level at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST).
Sometimes affectionately called “Chairman” in the Ghanaian migrant community, Mr Osei is a former Chairman of the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) branch in Finland, assuming office around 2015, a few months after the branch was formed, until 2019 when he did not run again for the elections. He helped to bring vibrancy into the NPP Finland branch.
Religious life
Mr Amoah is a prominent member of the Global Methodist Church in Finland. In spite of his busy working life and other responsibilities, he remains a committed member of the Global Methodist Church in Finland.
He plays a key leadership role in the church, which is attended by many Ghanaian migrants and other African migrants, Finns, and those of other nationalities.
His position in Asanteman Finland
Mr Osei Amoah is an outstanding member of the Asanteman Finland, where he is the Gyasehene, a prominent position as a sub-chief in the Asante (and Akan) royal hierarchy, in the functioning of the traditional authority systemgenerally in Ghana.
The Asanteman Finland is an association formed purposely with the aim of supporting each other as well as to ensure unity among its members and others outside of the group.
One of its top priorities of Asanteman Finland is to display the Asante culture in Finland. Mr Osei Amoah finds this as very important since by upholding the traditional culture and heritage, the association enables its members and especially the young ones to get the chance to learn and appreciate Asante and Ghanaian cultural values. They do this through rites such as marriage, the naming ceremony, and death and funeral rites, which makes the people to learn more of their provenance and not forget their origins.
“My point is that, by displaying the traditional heritage it helps people to learn more about their provenance. For, I think it will be embarrassing to go home and see that even the young ones have much knowledge about how to perform certain rites whilst those of us in the diaspora may be deficient in understanding those practices”, he argued. It is also very important for the young ones who are born in Finland to learn what the culture of their original society is, he continued.
The Finnish educational system
Mr Osei has a lot to say about the Finnish educational system, which he sees as very good. “When we came to Finland, education was free. There were library books and manuscripts readily available in the library, and one could print or make as many photocopies as possible for your studies. There was more flexibility. One could read books and write exams on them for the necessary grades in order to complete your studies”. In his opinion, Ghana could learn much from the Finnish system, which is one of the best in the world.
He said the only initial challenge he found in Finland was how to master the Finnish language, without which it was difficult to get a job befitting one’s status after the studies. But things have changed today and there are many English courses so it is easy to study and get a job that matches your studies, especially in the area of ICT, he said.
His role in the Ghanaian community
Mr Osei Amoah has been very active in the Ghanaian community, as I have indicated earlier. He is still very active in the Ghana Union Finland, and has played a leadership in many functions organised by the Union, as a non-governmental organisation for the Ghanaian migrant community in Finland.
Mr Amoah has been a counsellor and mentor who has guided many young Ghanaian migrants on their career paths and has also been part in settling various kinds of conflicts between opposing parties or persons. In conclusion, I would say Mr Osei Amoah has succeeded in embossing his name in the golden pages of visionary Ghanaians in both Sweden and Finland.
With Dr Perpetual Crentsil
