Relationship
Awakening of Umofia: Justice waits for no one
Greetings ! Greetings! Greetings my fellow Umofians! Eii! Eii! Eii! The silence has been long but not without purpose. Tell me, have you ever seen the leopard stalk its prey?
It does not pounce in haste. It watches. It listens. It lets the wind carry secrets before the final strike . And now? Ah ! I return not as a prodigal, but as the hawk that circled the land, patient, sharp-eyed, ready to tell what the land has shown me.
Eii! Eii! Eii! What a time to be alive in Umofia! The winds of change have not just whispered; they have howled, uprooting the complacent and shaking the mighty from their slumber. Ah, but what tales they carry! Tales of laughter, yes but also of lessons long overdue.
Tell me, my fellow Umofians, have you heard? Beneath the sacred baobab, where gossip dances like fireflies, there is now a chorus of sighs. The Akonta hunter who stalked the land as though he was invisible caught in his own snare! The great tree that stretched its branches wide, casting shadows over all. Ehe! Its roots now tremble, laid bare by the very earth it once claimed.
Ah! And what of the whispers that drift through the trees? The ones that speak of hands stretched across the seas, beckoning foreign plunderers to feast upon our forests and drink from our rivers as if it was theirs to take? Ehe! The people remember, and the land does not forgive.
Indeed, our elders say ‘when the tortoise parades in broad daylight, it forgets the hawk circles above’. And so, the one who dug his hands deep into the soil, pocketing gold as if it were pebbles, has been summoned to answer. EOCO’s halls do not echo with mercy only the weight of questions heavier than a sack of stolen wealth.
Ah, but the drama! They say ‘when the drummers grow too bold, even the chief forgets his dance.’ And what a spectacle it has been! The mighty, who once strutted through courtrooms as though they were palaces, now lie flat on their backs staring at hospital ceilings, wondering if the sickness in his chest came before or after the law’s tightening grip.
Let this be a warning, Umofia! The days of silent suffering are over. The sun rises for all, and no shadow no matter how deep can hide forever. Those who have woven webs of deceit will soon dangle from their own threads. The river remembers every disturbance in its current, and the people? Oh, the people remember even more.
Until next time, Eyram, the tale bearer.
Parenting teens can be challenging. But it can also be a joy. The key is to know how to care for yourself, first and foremost. Before you have children, you might think that parenting will come naturally. And, to some degree, it does. But there are days (and sometimes months and years) when all parents could use some extra support.
Last week we looked at some four simple yet powerful approaches for parenting teens that build strong relationships for the long-run. Here are the remaining two:
4: Keep communication going
Because we are often busy and distracted, we do not always take the time to really focus on our kids when they’re trying to tell us something. Take advantage of the time you have together. Having dinner together as a family, using car time to talk, or chatting before bed are good ways to stay in daily touch with your teen. Prioritise quality time as well as quantity: Consider having breakfast out on the weekend as a special catch-up time to chat about the week. Or schedule monthly “family meetings” to discuss how things have been going and any conflicts that have arisen.
5. Be an empathetic listener
Listening with empathy and caring is one of the most important tips on parenting a teenager. Researchers have shown that people’s brain patterns synchronise when they listen closely to one another and watch each other’s expressions. As a result, the connection between them becomes stronger. Not feeling truly heard can lead to isolation and lack of self-esteem which are the root causes of anxiety, depression, and substance abuse. Therefore, take listening seriously. It’s not just a way of coping with teenagers; it has an enormous impact on their well-being.
The price of ‘I do’: Why money honesty is the real marriage insurance –Part 2
She did not find out he was cheating. She found out he was drowning.
It was two weeks after their beautiful wedding. The jollof was still in the fridge. A loan officer called her number-not his-and politely asked, “Madam, please tell your husband to pay his overdue loan. We have been calling him.”
That was how she discovered her new husband had entered their marriage with a hidden debt of over GH¢ 40,000. No cheating. No other woman. Just a financial secret.
And that is how many Ghanaian marriages begin to die. Not with a shout, but with a secret alert on a phone.
We prepare for the wedding. We do not prepare for the wallet.
What is money honesty?
Let me define it simply. Money honesty is not that you both earn the same. It is that you both know the same. It is the ability to sit down and say without fear:
“This is how much I earn.”
“This is how much I owe.”
“This is how I was raised to see money.”
“This is what scares me about money.”
Financial transparency is not about control. It is about clarity. You cannot build trust on top of secrets.
Many couples tell me, “Counsellor, we love each other, love will handle money.” I always answer, “Love is the car, but money honesty is the fuel. Love without honesty cannot move.”
How To Buy Your Marriage Insurance Today – My 5-Step Protocol
If you are engaged, newly married, or even 20 years in marriage, you can still fix this. At Counsellor Prince & Associates Consult—CPAC, this is what I give couples:
Step 1: The 90-Minute Money Naked Session.
No phones, no blame. Each partner writes down on paper: Monthly income, monthly debts, monthly family obligations, savings, and your biggest money fear. Then you exchange papers. Read it. Don’t react for 24 hours. Just absorb.
Step 2: Create OUR Money, YOUR Money, My Money.
You need three pots. OUR money for rent, food, school fees, utilities, properties, and the like— joint contribution. YOUR money and MY money—a small agreed allowance no one questions. This stops the feeling of being controlled.
Step 3: The No-Secret Debt Rule.
Agree from today: No new loan, no new hire purchase, no new family financial commitment above GHS 500 without telling each other first. Not permission, but information.
Step 4: Talk About Your Money Personality.
Are you a Spender or a Saver? Are you Risky or Safe? Most Ghanaian marriages are a Spender married to a Saver. Neither is wrong. But if you don’t understand your partner’s personality, you will call his saving “stinginess” and her spending “wastefulness.”
Step 5: Do a Monthly 30-Minute Money Date
Not an argument date. Light, with tea. “How did we do this month? What worried you? What should we plan for next month?” Couples who do this divorce far less.
My Final Word
Before you say “I Do” at the altar, have pre-marital counselling and also have the money talk on the sofa.
Ask your partner:
“If I lost my job today, how long can we survive?”
“What debt are you bringing into this marriage?”
“How much do you send to your family monthly and will that continue?”
If he or she gets angry that you asked, don’t get married yet. A person who is angry about accountability will be abusive about money.
Marriage insurance is not bought at Star Assurance or Enterprise. It is bought in honest conversations when no one is watching.
The wedding costs one day. The marriage costs a lifetime. Don’t enter a lifetime contract and covenant with hidden costs.
You can still insure your marriage today.
Source:
Counselor Prince Offei, CPAC’s founder, is a leading Mental Health Professional, Marriage Counsellor, Author, ADR Expert/Arbitrator, and Spectator Newspaper Columnist. He writes on relationships, marriage, parenting, special needs support, and their connection to mental health. For therapy, counselling, or enquiries, contact Counselor Prince & Associates Consult (CPAC) in Accra on 0559850604 / 0551428486.
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