Features
Chicken country or what?
Policemen and journalists have never been good bedfellows. Fact is that they’ve never trusted each other. Policemen have been accused of withholding information from journalists when they need them for their hot front-page stories. “Please, we are still investigating the case and cannot give you any information until it is completed,” a police detective-inspector would tell a journalist who wants to hit the head- lines.
On the other hand, policemen also accuse journalists of allegedly misquoting them, such that when the policeman, for instance, tells the journalist that the thief stole a black goat with a beard, the journalist would add a little colour and write that the thief stole a goat with a moustache.
According to Detective-Sergeant Mensah, the thief was very athletic and smart. He scaled the wall and stole the black goat which had a thick moustache. It was not immediately known whether the moustache resembled that of Saddam Hussein or not”.
The point of controversy here is whether the policeman really mentioned that the poor goat had moustache or a beard or both.
Anyhow, the journalist can defend himself. “It is impossible for any living thing to have a beard without a moustache. So, certainly the goat really did have a moustache that has never been trimmed, according to reliable sources.”
I wonder what the marriage between a policeman and a journalist would be. If the policeman snores too much, the angry journalist would threaten, “Tomorrow, I am going to do a feature on you for snoring dangerously at midnight without seeking permission from the Inspector General of Police (IGP). I’ll also ask the IGP to reduce the size of your nose, so that when you snore the room does not shake again”
And the policeman would counter, “I am going to lock you in the monkey-house for sneezing like a stubborn goat. It is a breach of public peace and you’ll be prosecuted. See me at the charge office immediately you’ve finished preparing breakfast.”
This kind of marriage does not easily dissolve. On the contrary it lasts forever. They understand themselves, after all. If for anything at all, aren’t they in similar professions? The journalist stays the night to get a piece of news into the following day’s paper. A policeman also patrols the night.
And aren’t both of them poorly paid? Both also have the same likes and dislikes. The journalist is permissive to gifts called ‘Soli’. Some policemen are also addicted to receiving gifts. I don’t know how they call theirs. In any case, blessed are those who receiveth but giveth not.
But who says the police do not give? In recent times, the police have become magnanimous, especially to journalists. It is surprising because they do not quite trust themselves.
For some years now, the police have, once in a year, invited journalists from the various press houses to wine and dine together. It is often like a wedding ceremony for two somewhat incompatible eligibles. Whether the police are the groom and journalists the bride is yet to be ascertained.
Such yearly get-together at the expense of the police is very healthful to the relationship between the press and the police. The police have the opportunity to discuss their problems with journalists and vice versa and each understands the other to make for a good marriage. For better or for worse.
This year’s get-together took place last week Friday. The police were well-prepared but alas, it turned out to be a disaster.
The police hosted some journalists of New Times Corporation at Country Kitchen, a popular Accra restaurant. But tragically enough, Country Kitchen was a big disappointment.
The Police Public Relations Officer set the ball rolling: “Ladies and gentlemen we’ve invited you here today like we did last year to sit over lunch and get to know ourselves better. We will tell you our problems and you’ll tell us yours… We want the relationship between us to be very cordial so that we can co-operate and rely on each other during the course of our duties…”
A waiter was supposed to be serving drinks to about fifteen policemen and journalists.
A whole Country Kitchen had only one waiter at the time. A smallish-looking chap, probably a recent JSS graduate, finely attired in white top and black trousers, looked a bit punkish and obviously over-worked.
He took our orders for drinks and it took almost an hour for some of us to get ours. When my Editor had his, I asked him whether there was only one waiter in such a well-known restaurant.
“I don’t know what is happening here,” he said. He was sipping his beer; he’d had his quite early and my throat was parched. I wanted to ask him whether I could pour a glassful of his beer and reimburse when mine came, but others were looking my way so I shut Police my beak.
Many of us were hanging on and the chatting continued. My editor spoke extensively on the ways the police and the press could work hand in hand.
Meanwhile, the drinks were not coming. Then the 3.00 pm waiter, sweating now gave me my beer, more than forty minutes after he took the orders. He now took orders for the food.
Earlier, the top policeman had announced that everybody could choose any dish from the menu, irrespective of the cost. Quite generous of policemen, isn’t it?
It took more than an hour-and-a-half to get one of us a plate of fufu and light soup. Many ate rice and chicken with chips and salad, and practically everybody was starving before the meal came. The police boss was all the time apologising “Ladies and gentlemen, there is a little hitch, please bear with us.”
Of course, we had to bear with our hosts because they were policemen and not cooks. When after two hours my Editor had still not had his food, he asked whether this was Country Kitchen which advertises that you could just ring from anywhere and you’d be served immediately.
Someone commented rather ironically that they could serve you immediately you rang. However, when you come to their premises you’ll have to wait for more than two hours. That was COUNTRY KITCHEN with that same tired boy serving the food, no one to help him.
I looked at his face and reckoned that he himself was very hungry. Perhaps he’d taken only koko and bofrot in the morning. He was clearly tired, over-worked, over-exploited. Customers were indeed getting impatient.
“We hold your foot sir,” my editor told the police boss. “What is actually happening?” “Please, bear with us.”
Yeah, it was a Friday and the editor wanted to go to the bank, otherwise the week-end would be wahalla for him. We had arrived and got seated at about 12.35 p.m. and he had to get to the bank latest 3:00 p.m. By 2.50 p.m. his order had still not come
He couldn’t tell his hosts to go to hell and that he was leaving. It would have spoiled the marriage and the honeymoon. So by 3.00 p.m., the editor had long completed his beer and was still waiting for the food while the bank doors were being locked.
I wonder how he survived the week-end. I will ask him. At last, everybody was served, me last. It took more than two hours to serve me just rice and mutton. I don’t know whether they now have to grow the rice at the restaurant before cooking it for the guests while they wait.
Yes, the food did come, but Harry Reynolds, a colleague of mine was shocked to see something in his. What! What he saw is unprintable. When you see him ask him. The food had to be replaced.
All through the meal, no water was served, not even ordinary water. After the meal, no water was served either. It was such an embarrassment to the Police. The proprietor, I must say is actually messing the place.
Some of us who couldn’t eat there required takeaways, and that took an extra hour to organise, with the same boy at it, almost out of breath now.
As we filed away from the place to board the bus back to our workplaces, the journalists looked into the eyes of the police and police looked back into our eyes wondering whether this indeed was the legendary Country Kitchen.
Probably it wasn’t but sure it was written there. I looked at the inscription and I thought I read COUNTRY KITCHEN. I began to feel dizzy. I read it again. I saw CHICKEN COUNTRY after all, but the letters kept changing
I asked Harry Reynolds. Is this Country Kitchen or Kitchen Country or Chicken Country? Or What? “Go and ask your friend Kwame Korkorti,” he said.
By Merari Alomele
Three days into her work with us, Kwakyewaa became an indispensable member of our team, and our contractors were very pleased with her. She gave them advice on the placement of electrical fittings.
She also contacted a couple of paint specialists and, after joining them to test their quality, we chose their products, which saved me a very substantial amount. On the evening of the third day I drove her home’.
‘Kwakyewaa, we have been so busy we haven’t had the chance to chat’.
‘Yes indeed. I have been hoping we could talk. But why don’t you have your say first’.
‘Okay. The first thing I would like to say is actually a question, and I hope you don’t mind my asking’.
‘Certainly not. Please go ahead’.
‘Well, I, I am really enjoying working with you. You have done quite a lot for us, and I really appreciate that. But I mean that on the personal level, I like being with you, and I wish, er ………….’
‘I like being with you too, apart from the fact that I respect what you are doing, and I wish I could do this on a regular basis. But what about the fact of your relationship with Abena? Even though your relationship is practically over, would it not look funny that within a short time of ending the relationship you quickly grab her cousin?’
‘She’s your cousin, not your sister. And she’s already started a new relationship. Moreover, she doesn’t have any respect for me. You’ve heard the disparaging things she’s being saying about me’.
‘She’s obviously being influenced by Jennifer, but I would have thought that she would at least reflect a little before believing them’.
‘You went to Tech, so you know that this type of thing is common, even though it’s boys who indulge in it. It’s called ‘Takashi’. If you want a girl and you are not confident of winning her normally, you tell her false stories about the guy she’s going out with. Most of the time it doesn’t work, but in this case it has worked. It’s almost funny’. I stopped in front of her home, and just as I was driving off Esaaba called me.
‘David, Mom would like a word with you’. So I locked the car and went in with them.
‘My son David. I learned yesterday that you and Abena have ended your relationship. I wasn’t pleased to hear it, because you know that I have come to regard you as my son. I heard Esaaba and Abena arguing, and when I asked them they said it was due to her decision to stop seeing you. Abena is adamant that she will not change her decision, and in fact she has started going out with another person. So what can I say? I’m glad that you have not stopped coming here, because I want to see you here regularly’.
‘Don’t worry at all Mom. I will be very regular here, and you can always call me whenever you need me’. ‘Thank you, my son. Now, the second thing. I hear Kwakyewaa has started helping you at your office. I also hear that in addition to your job with the EU, you have a big company. I really admire you. You are so humble and hardworking’. ‘Mom, let me tell you this. Kwakyewaa has been extremely helpful to us. She has already made a lot of difference in our work. I am really sorry that she will have to return to France in ten days’ time’. ‘
Ah, but I thought you said you will not allow me to go back. Have you changed your mind? I am thinking of staying for a while’,
‘Ei, Kwakyewaa!’ Esaaba said. ‘What will your parents say? You want to stay for how long?’
‘Mom’, my parents are in London, and I have been in France on my own for two years. I believe that what I’m doing with Bernard is really useful. I’m not even thinking about money. I will stay for a month or two, maybe even three’.
‘Let me correct you there. You will not work for us for one day without being paid. Now, tomorrow, I will take you to my other site, and show you what we are doing there. Then you can take a good decision. For now, Mom, we have something to discuss. Goodnight’.
‘Okay madam Kwakyewaa’, I said as we walked to my car, ‘will you give me a chance? I have really developed feelings for you, and I believe we can get along together. I can assure you that I have nothing to hide, and ……………’
‘You don’t need to talk much. I accept. Unconditionally. Let’s go and take a look at the site tomorrow’.
She called me fifteen minutes after I left their house.
‘David, I’ve told Esaaba. She’s very surprised, and very excited. So it’s official now. She wants to talk with you.
‘Bernard, do you know how I will call what you’ve just done? It’s a smooth transfer, within the same family. Congrats, I’m happy for you’.
These legal provisions strongly resonate with Islamic teachings on the protection of the vulnerable, particularly children and victims of abuse.
The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) emphatically condemned all forms of exploitation and injustice. He said: “Allah will be against three persons on the Day of Resurrection… one who sells a free person and consumes his price” (Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī). This Hadith directly condemns practices akin to human trafficking, where individuals are commodified for profit.
Additionally, the Prophet (pbuh) stated: “Whoever does not show mercy to our young ones… is not one of us” (Tirmidhī), underscoring the obligation to protect children from harm. These teachings reinforce that exploitation, abuse, and coercion are grave sins in Islam.
Synthesis
While Ghana’s legal frameworks are robust and aligned with both international standards and Islamic ethical principles, the implementation gap remains the primary challenge. Bridging this gap requires not only strengthening legal enforcement but also integrating ethical, religious, and community-based mobilization to reshape societal attitudes and enhance vigilance against trafficking.
The Strategic Role of Religious Leadership
Religious leaders occupy a uniquely influential position within society, functioning not only as spiritual guides but also as custodians of moral order and social cohesion. They command significant social capital, derived from deep-rooted trust, legitimacy, and continuous engagement with community members. In many contexts, they are perceived as intermediaries between the divine and humanity, entrusted with overseeing critical life events such as childbirth, marriage, burial rites, and conflict resolution. This positions them as indispensable actors in shaping both private conduct and public morality.
Theoretical Significance
Within Islamic sociology, religious leaders act as norm entrepreneurs, shaping:
• Moral consciousness by interpreting religious texts in contemporary contexts
• Social norms by defining acceptable and unacceptable behaviour
• Behavioural compliance through moral persuasion and spiritual accountability
Their authority extends beyond ritual functions to influencing socio-political attitudes, making them key agents in combating systemic injustices such as human trafficking.
Why religious leaders are vital in combating human trafficking
Trust and Legitimacy: Communities are more likely to accept guidance from religious leaders than from state institutions alone.
Grassroots Reach: Regular gatherings (e.g., Friday prayers, naming ceremonies, officiating marriages and burial services) provide direct access to large audiences. Religious leaders have access to the entire communities through the roles they play in societies.
Moral Framing: They can redefine trafficking not just as a crime, but as a grave sin (ḥarām), thereby strengthening deterrence.
Cultural Influence: They shape attitudes toward family decisions, migration, and child welfare key entry points for traffickers.
Conflict Mediation Role: Their involvement in family and communal disputes enables early detection of vulnerability and exploitation risks.
Practical Interventions
Normative Reframing
Clearly articulate human trafficking as a severe violation of Islamic principles, emphasizing accountability before Allah.
Sermonic Advocacy (Khutbahs)
Institutionalize anti-trafficking education within sermons, linking scriptural teachings to contemporary realities.
Community Surveillance and Early Warning Systems
Encourage congregants to report suspicious movements or deceptive recruitment practices, fostering collective vigilance.
Imamship Counselling and Family Guidance
Imams provide advisory support to families, particularly in rural areas, to resist false promises of employment or education.
Intersectoral Collaboration
Build partnerships with government agencies, NGOs, and international organizations such as the International Justice Mission to align moral advocacy with legal enforcement.
Victim Reintegration Support
Facilitate stigma reduction and social reintegration of survivors through compassionate community engagement.
In sum, religious leaders are not merely passive moral voices but strategic actors in social transformation. Their integration into anti-trafficking efforts bridges the gap between law and lived reality, ensuring that legal prohibitions are reinforced by moral conviction and community action.
Ethical Foundations (Conceptual Analysis)
Religious interventions against human trafficking must be firmly grounded in the theological and ethical attributes of Allah, which serve as the ultimate source of moral guidance in Islam. These divine attributes are not merely abstract concepts but functional principles that shape human conduct and social responsibility.
• Al-‘Adl (The Just)
Allah is perfectly just, and His justice (‘adl) denotes absolute fairness, balance, and the uncompromising rejection of oppression (ẓulm). In practical terms, this attribute obligates believers especially religious leaders to actively confront injustice in all its forms. Humantrafficking, which thrives on exploitation, coercion, and inequality, stands in direct opposition to divine justice. Grounding interventions in Al-‘Adl therefore requires advocating for accountability, supporting legal enforcement, and ensuring that perpetrators are brought to justice while victims receive their rightful protection.
• Ar-Raḥmān (The Universally Merciful)
Allah’s mercy (raḥmah) encompasses all creation, reflecting compassion, care, and benevolence without limitation. This attribute establishes an ethical imperative to respond to victims of trafficking with empathy, dignity, and restorative support. Religious leaders, drawing from Ar- Raḥmān, are called to prioritize healing, rehabilitation, and reintegration, ensuring that survivors are not stigmatized but rather supported in rebuilding their lives. Mercy here extends beyond charity to structured compassion that restores human dignity.
• Al-Ḥafīẓ (The Preserver and Protector)
Allah as Al-Ḥafīẓ signifies ultimate guardianship, preservation, and protection over all beings. This attribute places a collective responsibility on society to safeguard the vulnerable particularly
Women, children, and marginalized groups who are most at risk of trafficking. For religious leaders, embodying this attribute involves proactive vigilance, community education, and the establishment of protective mechanisms that prevent exploitation before it occurs.
Synthesis
When religious leadership is anchored in these divine attributes, it transcends passive moral instruction and evolves into active ethical stewardship. Justice demands resistance to exploitation, mercy ensures compassionate care for victims, and protection mandates preventive action.
Together, these principles transform religious leaders into powerful agents of social justice, capable of mobilizing communities toward the eradication of human trafficking.
Maqāṣid al-Sharīʿah and Human Trafficking (Conceptual Analysis)
What is Maqāṣid al-Sharīʿah?
Maqāṣid al-Sharīʿah refers to the higher objectives and overarching purposes of Islamic law,which are fundamentally designed to secure human welfare (maṣlaḥah) and prevent harm (mafsadah). Rather than focusing solely on legal rules, this framework emphasizes the ethical spirit and societal outcomes of Sharīʿah.
Classical scholars such as al-Ghazālī and al-Shāṭibīsystematized these objectives into five universal protections: religion (dīn), life (nafs), intellect(‘aql), lineage (nasl), and wealth (māl). These are regarded as essential necessities (ḍarūriyyāt) forthe preservation of a just and functional society (Shinkafi & Ali, 2017; Malik, 2015).
Importantly, Maqāṣid al-Sharīʿah provides a dynamic and policy-relevant framework, enabling Islamic law to address contemporary challenges such as human trafficking by prioritizing justice, dignity, and human flourishing.
