Features
Big catch – Part
A big catch
I was very confident that I was about to hit the big time financially. I resigned my job with Lever Brothers, and was well rewarded for my ten years loyal service. In addition to starting my own publishing firm, I had also invested my earnings in a fishing venture, after my friend Pa John had advised that it was very profitable.
Knowing that the publishing business would start providing returns after three years, I was prepared to work hard to succeed, with the assurance that the fishing investment would take care of my needs. Pa John, in addition to being a Project Manager at the Agricultural Bank, had also invested in the business, and assured my that I would receive decent earnings very regularly.
His boat was as big as mine, but he chose the long voyage type of fishing, his crew going out for three weeks at a time, while I chose the short, one-day type.
He assured me that my nets were better than his, because they caught both medium sized fish like tuna and cassava fish, as well as sharks. He introduced me to Kofi Prakor, the Chief Fisherman at Tema New Town, who helped me recruit a crew of eight. With everything secured, I started out with such great hopes that I asked my fiancee, Sabina, who had just finished National Service, to manage the business for some time, and apply for a job if she wanted. I was so sure that with money about to roll in, she would prefer to take care of the business that spend time in an eight-to-five job that would pay very little at the end of the month. Moreover, she did not need to do much. She only went early in the morning to ensure that all their supplies were set, and returned home when they set off. She returned about four in the evening to supervise the sales, give them their due and go home with the money.
But one year on, we had very little to show for the investment. Apart from Sabina’s monthly salary and the fish which she took home, there was virtually nothing by way of profit, and I had started digging into my savings. I discussed this with Pa John, and he suggested that i meet with the crew and talk things over, and let them know that I would have to take some drastic action if things did not change.
If, Pa John said, there was no improvement, then he would assist me to recruit a new crew. It was certain that the current crew were up to some tricks. But before I could even have the meeting, Sabina came home and dropped the bombshell.
‘Yooku, we’ve been together for two years, but things don’t seem to be going well. Your publishing business will not bring any earnings until after two years, at the very least, and the fishing investment appears to be a waste of time. I go there twice a day, and come home with virtually nothhing. I have been trying to help, but frankly I don’t like the environment at the fishing harbour. And my parents are worried that one year after my National Service, I don’t have a job, and my involvement with you doesn’t seem to show any good prospects. So Yooku, even though I am very fond of you, I want us to end the relationship. I am really sorry. If it will help you, I will ask my friend Tamara if she is willing to come in temporarily until you find someone. She is not working, so she will appreciate the little you can give her’. As I sat dumbfounded, she got up and left.
The following morning Tamara called, and I went over and discussed the business. She was interested in the job, which surprised me because she was quite an elegant girl. I said I would try to offer her a better salary as soon as things improved, but she shook her head. ‘Yooku, I know the situation on the ground, but I also like a good challenge. Let’s go to the fishing harbour, meet the crew and talk to other boat owners, and see how we can change things’. ‘I am very grateful, Tamara’.
A week after she started, Tamara called one afternoon, very excited. ‘Yooku, are you in the office? I will be there in an hour. I have something interesting to report’. She came, and over the next thirty minutes I sat with my mouth open as she spoke. ‘Yooku, your boat is very popular among the fisherfolk, because your net is unique, as it catches both medium and large size fish. Your crew have been playing a wicked trick on you. Everyday, they stop some distance from the landing bay, sell the bulk of the fish and bring only a small amount to the docking bay. I believe that if Sabina was just a little watchful she could have detected it. Now, it will soon be time for them to dock. Let’s take a taxi. We should be there in another hour. I want us to catch them in the act’. We hailed a taxi, and headed to the fishing harbour.
By Ekow de Heer
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
