Features
A focus on Michael Quarshie, a top sportsman
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Michael
Today, as I continue with my narration of personalities and their successes as members of the Ghanaian Diaspora in Finland, I focus on Michael Quarshie, a top sportsman of Ghanaian descent and his accomplishments.
Michael Quarshie has been a top American football player in Finland, and he started playing at the age of 15. Michael played the sport for 12 years and stopped playing back in 2016 after an injury when he was playing with the then Oakland Raiders, now the Las Vegas Raiders.
Reports described him, with obvious admiration, as an impressive defensive player with a good size and speed.
Early life
Michael was born in Erlangen, Germany to a father originally from Ghana (the retired dentist, Dr Emmanuel Quarshie, who was featured here recently) and a Finnish mother (Dr Tuula H. Quarshie), who were both medical students in Germany.
His parents later moved to Finland after they completed their medical studies. It was in Finland that the young Michael saw a game of American football being played on TV, and he became interested in the sport.
As Michael told me, before then he used to sing in a church choir in Finland, named Cantores Minores.
Early sports life
After he developed interest in the sport, Michael says he signed up with a club in Finland and “totally fell in love with it”, as he put it.
Reports online indicate that although there was no high school football in Finland, Michael played with various teams. In Finland, he played for the Helsinki Roosters from 1994-1999 (https://jenkkifutis.fi/ info/historia/hall-of-fame/ jasenet/), and he led the team to four top-three finishes in the Finnish National League (www. footballfoundation.org).
Michael also played with the Frankfurt Galaxy of the National Football League Europe right out of college and signed with the Oakland Raiders in the US in 2006. He also played with the Porvoo Butchers in Finland.
He left for the United States in 2000, and Michael found a football home there and accomplished so much.
Accomplishments and honours
It is important to recount his accomplishments as part of the success stories of people of Ghanaian descent in Finland in order to highlight their exploits both within the Ghanaian migrant community and in the wider Finnish society.
In 2014, Michael was elected into the Finnish Hall of Fame, a unique achievement. Furthermore, he won gold with the Finnish national youth team in 1997, as well as a silver with the men’s national team in 2001 (https://jenkkifutis.fi/ info/historia/hall-of-fame/ jasenet/).
Michael, who played for the Columbia Lions as he schooled in the USA (Columbia University), also achieved a number of honours there. According to a report in May 2004 on the Columbia Lions website, Michael Quarshie and two others were named to the 2004-05 Arthur Ashe Sports-Scholars Teams in the USA.
According to the report, Michael, who graduated that year with a degree in political science, was a first team All-Ivy defensive tackle for the Columbia Lions. He was named to the National Football Foundation/College Hall of Fame Scholar-Athlete team, Academic All-Ivy team and the Division I-AA Academic All-Star team.
Michael was also a team captain and the recipient of the David W. Smyth Memorial Cup, awarded to the Columbia football most outstanding player (see https://gocolumbialions.com/ sports/2018/5/25/1360672).
Another report in November 2004 said the senior defensive tackle, Michael Quarshie, was named to The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame (NFF) Scholar-Athlete Class.
The report said Quarshie, the Lions team’s co-captain was ranked second in Division I-AA in tackles for a loss that season and was one of 15 players in the nation to earn the distinction. He was “the third-ever Columbia player to be so honoured” at the time, the report disclosed (see, https://gocolumbialions.com/ sports2018/5/28/1360213. aspx).
Life outside sports
A report on the website of the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame also indicates that Michael has been the founder and CEO of the Wellness Foundry, which delivers cutting-edge web and mobile tools to help people eat better and live healthier (see, www.footballfoundation. org). Michael currently lives in Finland with his wife and their children. Thank you!
GHANA MATTERS column appears fortnightly. Written in simple, layman’s terms, it concentrates on matters about Ghana and beyond. It focuses on everyday life issues relating to the social, cultural, economic, religious, political, health, sports, youth, gender, etc. It strives to remind us all that Ghana comes first. The column also takes a candid look at the meanings and repercussions of our actions, especially those things we take for granted or even ignore. There are key Ghanaian values we should uphold rather than disregard with impunity. We should not overlook the obvious. We need to search for the hidden or deeply embedded values and try to project them.
Email: perpetualcrentsil@yahoo.com
By Perpetual Crentsil
On Sunday, August 13, 2026, the Church of Pentecost (COP) International, Finland, held an impressive church service in Helsinki in honour of and to welcome Prophet Benjamin Arthur as the new National Head.
The well-attended service formally ushered in Prophet Arthur who takes over from Apostle Francis Owusu Kwaah, who has been the National Head since November 2020 and whose tenure as the National Head ended last month.
Prophet Arthur arrived in Finland from the UK where he has held many positions in the church to replace Apostle Owusu Kwaah who moves back to the UK.
A touching welcome and powerful ministration
The church service was officiated by Apostle Seth Samuel Asante, the National Head of the Church of Pentecost, USA.
It was a touching welcome church service and ministration at a well-attended event. In attendance were many religious leaders from other churches or missions, as well as dignitaries.
Apostle Asante had the honour to introduce Prophet Arthur to the whole congregation as the new National Head in Finland. He was joined by other church leaders and officers from UK, USA, and Finland to pray for Prophet Arthur and handed him over to COP Finland as their new National Head to a huge applause.
Earlier, Apostle Asante delivered a powerful and touching sermon that highlighted a message of salvation and the importance of knowing, loving and serving God with one’s whole heart. He entreated the audience to love God and do His work to glorify his name.
Stirring up understandings from the hymns: “My faith has found a resting place…” and “Guide me O Thou great Jehovah…,” as well as a number of quotations from the Bible, the Apostle gave a powerful preaching on the need to build one’s faith in God.
Response from the new National Head
In response, Prophet Benjamin Arthur preached the power of prophecies and God’s plan for redemption. He entreated all to believe in God’s power especially through prophecies to save mankind. The glory of the Lord shall be revealed, he noted and add: “The blood of Jesus is not shed in vain”.
Surrounded by his beloved wife, Mrs Eugenia Arthur, and their three children, Prophet Arthur expressed gratitude to the members of the church for the resounding welcome they have accorded him as he starts to embark on his role and duty as the National Head.
He recognised the exploits and excellent leadership roles of his predecessors, Apostle Edmund Appiah (who was the first National Head) and Apostle Francis Owusu Kwaah.
COP’s future and growth in Finland
The Church of Pentecost in Finland was established over 25 years ago. It started in September 2000 as a prayer group with a small number of devoted persons in Helsinki (see www.copfinland.fi).
The group grew fast and there was the need to secure a new place of worship in the Helsinki area. The Church has grown and spread to other towns and cities in Finland.
Today, in Helsinki alone there are two branches of the Church. There is the Akan Assembly where worship is done mostly in the Twi language. The other branch is the English Assembly (or the PIWC) which is attended by other nationalities and African immigrants aside Ghanaian immigrants.
The COP Finland has become very formidable in the religious space in the Ghanaian community in Finland.
It has thus played a prominent role in the religious or spiritual existence of its members, as well as in people’s social lives as a key aspect of integration into the Finnish society.
The church continues to grow and, for example, it has been one of the major channels through which the Ghana Union Finland (GUF), an association for Ghanaian immigrants in Finland, has made more contacts with members of the Ghanaian immigrant community.
With Dr Perpetual Crentsil
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Features
Responding to religious insults with faith, wisdom and restraint …The Prophetic Model for Muslim–Christian Peace and Coexistence(Part 1)
All praise belongs to Allah, Lord of the worlds. We praise Him, seek His help and forgiveness, and seek refuge in Him from the evil within ourselves and from our evil deeds.
May His Peace and Blessings be Upon the Noble Prophet Mohammed, his household, companions and all righteous people till the Last Day. Ameen
GHANA, WE MUST NOT ALLOW A MOMENT OF ANGER TO DESTROY DECADES OF PEACE
My dear brothers and sisters in Ghana.
Today I speak about something that should concern every Muslim, every Christian and every responsible Ghanaian.
Recent events involving controversial statements about Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), the arrest of an Islamic cleric accused of making statements advocating violence, and the arrest of a Christian preacher over alleged derogatory comments concerning the Prophet (pbuh) have generated considerable national concern. The Ghana Police Service has said the matters are under investigation and that due process will apply.
And now, reports of an alleged assault on a detained pastor have added another troubling dimension to the matter.
Let us be very clear:
Ghana is not at war.
Muslims are not at war with Christians.
2 | P a g e
Christians are not at war with Muslims.
For generations, we have lived together, traded together, worked together, attended the same schools, built communities together and, in many Ghanaian families, even married across religious lines.
Therefore, we must not allow the reckless words or actions of a few individuals to destroy the peace built by generations.
WHEN SOMEONE INSULTS THE PROPHET (PBUH), WHAT DOES ISLAM EXPECT
FROM ME?
This is the question we must answer.
Not: “How angry am I?”
But: “What does Allah require from me?”
Not: “What can I do to my enemy?”
But: “What did Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) do when his enemies hurt him?”
This distinction is crucial.
Islam does not teach us to abandon our faith when we are provoked.
Islam teaches us how to behave because we have faith.
Allah says:
“Do not let the hatred of a people cause you to depart from justice. Be just; that is nearer to righteousness.” (Qur’an 5:8).
Notice the greatness of Islam.
Allah does not say, “Be just when people respect you.”
He says, be just even when you hate what they have done.
Therefore: An insult does not give me permission to become unjust.
The author is the Chief Imam of Katamanso Municipal and Certified Counsellor and Governance Expert
By Imam Alhaji Saeed Abdulai
