Features
Educating kids and others about Ghanaian culture
• GUF hosts events to promote
Ghanaian culture abroad
In my children write-up, I promised to bring to readers at points in time some of the positive things that the Ghanaian immigrants are accomplishing or trying to accomplish in Finland.
There are a lot of engagements among the Ghanaian immigrants in Finland, within the Ghana Union Finland as the representative association as well as by individuals.
As I keep pointing out, Finland encourages migrants’ participation in the planning of issues concerning the migrants themselves as one of the efficient ways to improve their inclusion.
There are many positive things that are happening within the Ghanaian immigrant community in Finland. Great efforts are being made by certain groups or associations as well as individuals, which need to be highlighted.
organise events from time to time
Promoting Ghanaian traditions
The Ghanaian diaspora in Finland has been growing fast and many associations such as the Asanteman Kuo, Brong Ahafo Association, GaDangme, Mfantseman Kuw, as well as those of Eastern Region and Nzema groups have been formed.
The Ghana Union Finland (GUF) is an umbrella organisation representing the whole Ghanaian immigrant community. The Union and other organisations have been engaging in social activities and promoting the Ghanaian values and cultural heritage.
These are demonstrated during funeral where people mostly wear Ghanaian-style funeral clothes made with fabrics from Ghana.
The cooking and serving of “Ghanaian food” is encouraged at events organised by Ghanaian groups and individuals.
Also, at such events Ghanaian and other African drumming, songs and dancing are on display and even Finns get in the mood. The drums and other Ghanaian instruments attract many people to the scene.
On Ghanaian languages
Finnish agencies and other institutions encourage integration for migrants residing in the society. Such institutions are ready to support immigrant groups to teach their children especially those born in Finland about the language and other traditions of the countries of origin.
I remember that some years back, there were efforts by some individuals within the Ghanaian community to start classes for children to learn at least one Ghanaian language such as Akan/Twi. Unfortunately, I think it could not be sustained because the number of immigrant children was not high enough.
All the same, educating the children in the local languages of Ghana is still on the minds of many people in the Ghanaian community. Fact is, many people seem to worry that some Diaspora women who even had little basic education try to speak in English to their children.
The children born in Finland speak the Finnish language fluently. But many people worry that many such children are unable to respond well to Twi, Ga, etc., although they may understand it. Thus, the fear of some parents and the older generation is that their children may lose their roots completely.
Encouragement
There are many personalities and institutions that have contributed to or ensured the smooth running of things for Ghanaian immigrants in Finland.
Many of them have used their knowledge and abilities to encourage and help improve the lives of members of the Ghanaian immigrant community in Finland.
Many have acquired huge expertise and resources (academically, economically, technically, technologically, etc.) and try to give something back to society through imparting that to others or supporting them in other means.
This also helps to integrate immigrants into the host society. In my next write-up, I will hopefully bring to readers the efforts of a group or an individual within the Ghanaian community. Thank you!
By Perpetual Crentsil
Email: perpetualcrentsil@gmail.com
Conflict at work is more common than you might think. According to 2022 research by The Myers-Briggs Company, more than a third of the workforce reports dealing with conflict often, very often, or all the time in the workplace.
Addressing a dispute might feel tense or awkward, but resolving the conflict is typically well worth it in the long run. Whether you are trying to mediate conflict between colleagues or are directly involved. Last week we looked at three and this week is the remaining four steps you can take to manage workplace conflict.
4. Find common ground
The best way to handle workplace conflict is to start with what you can agree on. Find common ground between the people engaging in conflict. If you are directly involved in the conflict, slow down and focus on results instead of who’s right.
If you are the mediator for conflict resolution between coworkers, observe the discussion and help point out the common ground others may not see.
5. Collectively brainstorm solutions
When deciding how to handle workplace conflict, it can be tempting to problem-solve on your own. Sometimes, it feels easier to work independently rather than collaboratively. However, if you want to achieve a lasting resolution, you will need to motivate your team to get involved.
Brainstorm possible solutions together, and solicit input from everyone involved on the pros and cons of each option until you settle on a solution that feels comfortable to everyone. This will help all team members feel a sense of ownership that can help prevent future conflicts.
6. Create an action plan
Once you have created an open dialogue around workplace conflicts, it is time to resolve them. Just like any other work goal, this requires creating a concrete plan and following through.
Create an action plan and then act on it. It does not matter what the plan is, as long as you commit to it and resolve the conflict as a result.
7. Reflect on what you learned
All conflicts offer an opportunity to grow and become a better communicator. Identify what went well and what did not.
Work with your whole team to gather learnings from the conflict so you can avoid similar situations in the future.
Today, I continue with my narration of personalities and their accomplishments as members of the Ghanaian Diaspora in Finland, with a focus on Mr Joseph Osei Amoah.
Mr Amoah is one of the senior members of the Ghanaian community in Finland and a top member of the Ghana Union Finland, an association of the Ghanaian migrant community in Finland.
He is an active and a well-respected person in the Ghanaian community in Finland. Mr Osei Amoah moved to Finland in the mid-1990s, and he has lived in Helsinki all this time.
Accomplishments and honours
It is important to recount accomplishments as part of the success stories of the personalities of Ghanaian descent in Finland in order to highlight their exploits both within the Ghanaian migrant community and in the wider Finnish society.
Mr Amoah holds a Master’s degree in Demography from the University of Helsinki. At the time he came to Finland in 1994, he had majored in Economics at the Bachelor’s level at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST).
Sometimes affectionately called “Chairman” in the Ghanaian migrant community, Mr Osei is a former Chairman of the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) branch in Finland, assuming office around 2015, a few months after the branch was formed, until 2019 when he did not run again for the elections. He helped to bring vibrancy into the NPP Finland branch.
Religious life
Mr Amoah is a prominent member of the Global Methodist Church in Finland. In spite of his busy working life and other responsibilities, he remains a committed member of the Global Methodist Church in Finland.
He plays a key leadership role in the church, which is attended by many Ghanaian migrants and other African migrants, Finns, and those of other nationalities.
His position in Asanteman Finland
Mr Osei Amoah is an outstanding member of the Asanteman Finland, where he is the Gyasehene, a prominent position as a sub-chief in the Asante (and Akan) royal hierarchy, in the functioning of the traditional authority systemgenerally in Ghana.
The Asanteman Finland is an association formed purposely with the aim of supporting each other as well as to ensure unity among its members and others outside of the group.
One of its top priorities of Asanteman Finland is to display the Asante culture in Finland. Mr Osei Amoah finds this as very important since by upholding the traditional culture and heritage, the association enables its members and especially the young ones to get the chance to learn and appreciate Asante and Ghanaian cultural values. They do this through rites such as marriage, the naming ceremony, and death and funeral rites, which makes the people to learn more of their provenance and not forget their origins.
“My point is that, by displaying the traditional heritage it helps people to learn more about their provenance. For, I think it will be embarrassing to go home and see that even the young ones have much knowledge about how to perform certain rites whilst those of us in the diaspora may be deficient in understanding those practices”, he argued. It is also very important for the young ones who are born in Finland to learn what the culture of their original society is, he continued.
The Finnish educational system
Mr Osei has a lot to say about the Finnish educational system, which he sees as very good. “When we came to Finland, education was free. There were library books and manuscripts readily available in the library, and one could print or make as many photocopies as possible for your studies. There was more flexibility. One could read books and write exams on them for the necessary grades in order to complete your studies”. In his opinion, Ghana could learn much from the Finnish system, which is one of the best in the world.
He said the only initial challenge he found in Finland was how to master the Finnish language, without which it was difficult to get a job befitting one’s status after the studies. But things have changed today and there are many English courses so it is easy to study and get a job that matches your studies, especially in the area of ICT, he said.
His role in the Ghanaian community
Mr Osei Amoah has been very active in the Ghanaian community, as I have indicated earlier. He is still very active in the Ghana Union Finland, and has played a leadership in many functions organised by the Union, as a non-governmental organisation for the Ghanaian migrant community in Finland.
Mr Amoah has been a counsellor and mentor who has guided many young Ghanaian migrants on their career paths and has also been part in settling various kinds of conflicts between opposing parties or persons. In conclusion, I would say Mr Osei Amoah has succeeded in embossing his name in the golden pages of visionary Ghanaians in both Sweden and Finland.
With Dr Perpetual Crentsil
