Features
A dilemma called Ghana (Part 1)
Just after midnight on March 6, 1957, a nation was inspired to take its destiny into its own hands. A nation was given hope of becoming great by managing its own affairs. Today, that nation is not only in a dilemma; that nation is a dilemma.
Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah set out to lead six million or so Ghanaians at the time to a future of self-sufficiency and wealth. He embarked on providing infrastructure for education, manufacturing, health, transport, agriculture and many more.
Many secondary schools were built, roads constructed, industries set up and an agricultural brigade put in place. State farms were established, and Tema and Takoradi ports were built to facilitate trade. A national shipping line was set up and named the Black Star Line.
To give impetus to the industrial revolution, Nkrumah built the hydropower station known as the Volta Dam at Akosombo to provide cheap electricity for the industries. Tema was billed to spearhead this industrial revolution. Many factories sprang up in Tema, providing jobs for thousands of people.
The Volta Aluminium Company (VALCO) was the leader in this endeavour, followed by textile mills, the State Fishing Company, steel works and many others. Tema itself was zoned and built as a modern city with all the amenities befitting its status. The 19-mile Accra-Tema Motorway was constructed as a fast traffic route between Tema and the capital.
A national airline, known as Ghana Airways, was also established to participate in the global aviation industry. Flying the national flag, Ghana Airways was very popular with travelers in the West African subregion and beyond. Indeed, Nkrumah’s dream for this country knew no bounds.
He strengthened the Civil Service bequeathed to his government by the colonialists and made it more efficient and professional. To engender national cohesion devoid of class and tribalism, the government policy was for more boarding secondary schools to accommodate students from all over the country studying together. I recollect when I entered Zion College (Zico) in 1967, I met students from Nigeria, Togo, Cameroon, Liberia and from almost all regions of Ghana.
It was for Ghana’s technological advancement that the University of Science and Technology (now KNUST) was established in Kumasi and the University College of Cape Coast (now University of Cape Coast) to train professional graduate teachers for the secondary schools. Teacher training colleges were opened in almost all the regions.
With a vision for future scientific advancement, Nkrumah decided to build an atomic plant which could serve the nation’s energy needs and also spearhead research activities.
Ghana produced tyres from the Bonsa Tyre Factory, matches at Kade, transistor radios, called Akasanoma, in Tema, jute bags in Kumasi, and glass at Aboso. Juapong produced gray baft for the textile mills in Tema, especially the Ghana Textile Printing Company (GTP). Oil palm plantations sprang up in Benso, Kwamoso and other places. A brand of vehicles called Boafo was assembled in this country.
This country became so attractive globally that many Africans in the Diaspora claimed to be Ghanaians. And many African countries started clamouring for independence. The torch of independence, lit by Nkrumah, was burning across sub Saharan Africa. “Ablode gbarzaa” was the refrain in Keta, where I was a five-year-old, precosious and notoriously inquisitive boy in kindergarten at the time.
Ghana was on a roll until attempts were made to take Nkrumah out by both internal and external forces. Assassination attempts were made on him, bombs were thrown at him. The imperialist forces branded him a Communist, a vermin to Western interests that must be eliminated at all costs. Western interests began strangling Ghana’s economy, thus creating disaffection to the government.
Nkrumah was in a bind, trying to figure out how to get the country out of economic strangulation. Prices of commodities began rising and life was becoming difficult for the citizens. And the political opposition was making capital out of it all.
Then, on Thursday, February 24, 1966, the military and police announced the overthrow of the government. Nkrumah himself was out of the country on a peace mission to Hanoi. The reason given for the coup d’etat was that the Osagyefo had lost control of the economy and things were difficult for Ghanaians. A National Liberation Council comprising high-ranking soldiers and police was formed to run the country.
Like almost all politicians, Nkrumah ignored advice not to travel. An astrologer, psychic and herbalist, Mr. E.S. Fia Demanya, told Nkrumah that if he traveled, he would not set foot on Ghanaian soil again. Nkrumah did not believe this. The rest is history, as the saying goes. I do not yet know why politicians believe only in themselves and brush aside sound advice.
Meanwhile, Ghanaians, not used to hardship, poured into the streets to jubilate at the overthrow of Nkrumah. He was called names as if he was the devil incarnate. The junta that took power paraded some Nkrumah appointees through the streets locked up in a cage like zoo animals.
It has been said that the American CIA was behind Nkrumah’s overthrow. If this were indeed true, what did the men in uniform benefit from it? Cash inducement to sell one’s country to the West? I think they were the very people trained to protect and defend the territorial integrity of the land. As soldiers, they could be pardoned for not being politicians, but as senior officers who took courses to earn their promotions, they should have some intellectual capacity to discern what the Americans were asking them to do. The big picture was lost on them.
Today, almost six decades later, the only thing Ghanaians say with any semblance of pride is that we were the first country south of the Sahara to gain independence. Nothing else. Nkrumah said we preferred self-government in danger to servitude in tranquility. As I write, I am told our central bank is under the supervision of someone from Kenya on the orders of the IMF/World Bank. Even in servitude, there is no tranquility.
Almost six decades on , is Ghana better than it was before the Osagyefo was overthrown? Where are the industries, the state farms, and the boarding schools? Where is Ghana Airways? Do we still have the Black Star Line? The machines to kickstart Ghana’s atomic project were taken away by the Americans. The Accra-Tena Motorway is an apology. Tema has lost its shine.
Nkrumah himself was declared persona non grata and it was illegal to display any portrait of him. His political party, the Convention People’s Party, was proscribed and declared an illegal organization.
I am told there is an American military detachment based in this country today. Word has it that our own Commander-in-Chief is barred from visiting the site. Is that how much we have debased our sovereignty as a nation? I need answers.
Writer’s email address:
akofa45@yahoo.com
By Dr. Akofa K. Segbefia
Today, I focus on the Apostolic Church International in Finland, as I continue with my description of institutions and personalities and their accomplishments as members of the Ghanaian Diaspora in Finland.
The Apostolic Church International, Finland (or, Apostolic International Association Ry) was established in October 9, 2023. The Church in Finland has seen significant strides and accomplishments within the short time that it has been established in Finland, which must be highlighted.
History of the Church in Ghana
The Apostolic Church Ghana originated from the 1904–1905 Welsh revival, officially established in Ghana (then called Gold Coast) in 1935 following connections between a local prayer group in Asamankese (a town in southern Ghana), led by Peter Newman Anim, and the Apostolic Church, UK. There were historical splits in 1939 and 1953, but the Apostolic Church attained autonomy in 1985.
Today, the Church is headquartered in Accra. Last year (2025), it dedicated its new 10-storey headquarters, “The Apostolic Church Tower,” in Frafraha, Adenta West in Accra.
Activities of the Apostolic Church in Finland
The Apostolic Church in Finland conducts church service on Sundays. The service starts at 11a.m. in the morning and closes by 1 p.m. in the afternoon. There are no other activities during other days for now.
The Minister in charge of the church in Finland is also the Area Head of Italy Area. He is Pastor Daniel Kofi Addison who is the new Italy Area Head, and has just been transferred from UK South Area to Italy Area during the just-ended Council Meeting in March this year. Italy Area comprises Italy, which has 13 Assemblies, Germany, one Assembly, and Finland, one Assembly.
Elder Ebenezer Amoaning-Coffie is the Presiding Elder in charge of the Assembly in Finland. A Presiding Elder is responsible for day to day activities of the church (Assembly) and reports to the District Pastor, or in the absence of the District Pastor, reports to the Area Head.
Achievements
The Apostolic Church International, Finland was officially registered under the Finnish Law, guaranteeing freedom of worship and providing legal foundation for future growth. The church service is conducted in both English and Twi.
The church opens its doors to all people of every nation, especially Ghanaians who are in Finland and other African nationals. Now, the membership comprises Ghanaians, Nigerians and Sierra Leoneans.
The Church and the Ghanaian migrant community in Finland
The Apostolic Church in Finland plays a prominent role as a religious group that serves Ghanaian migrants and others in the Finnish society.
Thus, the Apostolic Church is a religious body for Ghanaian migrants in Finland and other nationalities who want to worship with them for diversity and better intercultural and multicultural understanding.
Elder Amoaning-Coffie said that the main and primary aim of the church is to bring people closer to God. “We aim to win souls for Christ. We aim to preach the gospel to the world. By propagating the gospel to the people, we are hopeful that they will turn away from any ungodly ways and be good individuals in the community and in society in general”, he stated.
He said that everything is going well so far. A key challenge, however, is how to get more members especially the youth. As a new Assembly, we are in need of instrumentalists, for example. We pray to God Almighty to help us do His work, the Elder disclosed.
Integration
By its activities, the Apostolic Church is helping to ensure integration of its members well into the Finish society. This is important since social interaction and citizens’ well-being are an important part of the integration process in Finland.
As I mentioned some time ago, the role of migrant associations and groups such as the Apostolic Church acting as bridge-builders for the integration and inclusion of migrants through participation in the decision making process and by acting as a representative voice is highly appreciated in Finland. Thank you!
With Dr Perpetual Crentsil
The landscape of the Ghanaian palate is shifting, and not necessarily for the better. In our bustling urban centres, from the streets of Accra to the suburbs of Kumasi, a quiet culinary revolution is taking place; one where the mortar and pestle are being replaced by the pizza oven and the deep fryer. This transition from traditional staple foods like fufu, banku, akple, kenkey, tuo zaafi, and ampesi toward “continental” dishes is more than just a change in appetite; it is a reflection of a deeper social struggle with identity and prestige.
The illusion of modernity
For many, “stepping out” for a meal has become synonymous with consuming foreign cuisine. There is an unspoken social hierarchy where a bowl of Abunuabunu is relegated to the village category, while burgers, pizzas are branded as prestigious choices. We have reached a stage where we equate foreign with modern and local with primitive.
This perception is a dangerous illusion. Our traditional dishes are marvels of culinary engineering complex, nutrient-dense, and deeply rooted in our history. When we choose a processed foreign import over a meal made from local tubers or fermented maize, we are not just changing our lunch; we are eroding the indigenous knowledge attached to our local ingredients and foods.
We need to turn the consumption of indigenous grains and tubers like millet, sorghum, and plantain into a statement of self-worth and national pride.
The cultural and health erosion
Every time a local dish disappears from a restaurant menu to make room for foreign fast food, we lose a piece of our cultural fabric. Traditional Ghanaian cooking is an art that requires patience and skill. By choosing the convenience of foreign fast food, we are raising a generation that may know the taste of a pepperoni pizza but cannot identify the rich, earthy profile of Prekese or the subtle tang of well-fermented dough dishes like corn porridge, banku, etew, abolo, agidi or kamfa, and kenkey.
Furthermore, we are at the crossroads of a nutrition transition. Replacing high-fiber, indigenous crops with calorie-dense but nutrient-poor foreign fast foods is driving a rise in lifestyle diseases such as obesity, hypertension, diabetes, stroke, cancer, and liver disease. We are trading our longevity for 15-minutes convenience or unhealthy diet.
A call for culinary patriotism
It is time for us to appreciate, preserve, and promote our indigenous foods and culinary traditions. We need to be proud of our local dishes, ingredients and cooking methods, rather than relying heavily on foreign or imported foods. We must stop viewing our local delicacies as low-class and start treating our culinary heritage as the high-end gastronomy it truly is.
True sophistication does not come from imitating Western fast food; it comes from innovation and adding values to our own resources. We see glimpses of this potential in the rise of branded Sobolo and the creative use of gluten-free plantain flour in modern baking of flour-based dishes such as bread, cakes, biscuits and others. This is the path forward. We must elevate our local dishes, making them as accessible, affordable, presentable and trendy as any foreign alternative.
To the hospitality industry: Innovate or stagnate
Our hotels and high-end restaurants must lead the charge. They must stop relegating local dishes to the “traditional corner” of the buffet, and apply the same culinary finesse given to imported dishes to our Fante Fante, apapransa, aborbi tadi, fetritoto, akple, abolo, yakayeke, fufu, ampesi, kokonte, wasawasa, tubani, apapransa, mpotompoto, kelewele, aliha, brukutu, pito, and other local dishes. The industry must enhance customer experiences making eating local dishes the ultimate luxury experience for both tourists and residents alike. We must elevate the presentation of our foods by using modern plating techniques to show that a bowl of light soup can be as visually stunning as a French consommé. We need to reclaim our Ghanaian plate before it is too late.
To the policy makers: Let us encourage buying of local ingredients to promote the local food industry and economy. There should be educational programmes and talks about the nutritional and cultural benefits of local foods so that people understand their value.
We need to encourage serving traditional dishes at school programmes, parties, and celebrations instead of only fast foods,
To the Youth: Let us value and appreciate our traditional dishes instead of always choosing foreign foods. There must be balance in our choice of local and foreign dishes. Confidence in our culture encourages others to respect it too. Our local dishes can also be promoted by sharing pictures, recipes, and videos on platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, and WhatsApp to make them attractive and trendy.
Young citizens must learn from their parents and elders how to prepare local meals to keep the knowledge and cultural relevance alive. Local dishes can be modernised to appeal to younger generations and tourists.
Conclusion
We cannot afford to trade our heritage for foreign cuisines which are gaining grounds across the country at an alarming rate. We must disabuse our minds of the perception that anything foreign or imported is better than those locally made. Our health, economy, and identity are tied to the soil. It is time to stop apologising for our local flavours and start celebrating them. It is possible to embrace modernity without losing ourselves and our cultural identity. Let us make the Ghanaian kitchen the heart of our modern identity once again.
By: Marilyn Gadogbe
