Features
Kakistocracy
Lord Kissi-Mensah
The letter ‘s’ begins most words in the English language. Naturally, if a word was to engage the attention of a lot of people, one would have expected it to be a word beginning with letter ‘s’ and not letter ‘k’. If there is one word that is going viral on social media at the moment, one can safely bet it is Kakistocracy. The reason for the popularity of the word Kakistocracy, has to do with the perception of leadership failure that seems to have crippled our developmental effort as a nation.
According to the Oxford English Dictionary, Kakistocracy is a noun defined as government by the least suitable or competent citizens of the state. Comments in the media space, especially on social media circles or platform suggest that our leaders are incompetent and that we have elected people who are least qualified. I, however, disagree vehemently with this assertion. I do accept that the first Republic had some challenges with people in leadership positions who can be classified as least qualified.
There is this funny story of one of such people who was very close to our first President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah, who when asked about the meaning of socialism said “it means ‘Di bi ma me ni bi’” The same cannot be said of the leaders we have had in the second Republic up to the current Fourth Republic. Leaders since the second Republic had been well educated, intelligent and very qualified. Hence our slow pace of development as a nation, in my humble opinion, cannot be attributed to a lack of qualified leaders and therefore kakistocracy.
If the problem is not due to kakistocracy then why are we where we are, 66 years after independence? Currently, we are at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) seeking bail out for the 17th time, our inflation is above 40 per cent, interest rate is hovering around 29 per cent, debt to GDP is about 93 per cent, bondholders are in a tug of war with government and there is general sense of hopelessness across the country.
The reason for the state of affairs in our country, in my candid opinion can be summed up in three words; lack of morality. We have asked God to stay away from our lives and that we can handle our own affairs I believe. He has stayed in his corner and allowed us to lead our own lives as a people. Now see where that has got us. There is an urgent need to infuse morality in every facet of our lives as a nation otherwise we can forget it as my Canadian friend would say.
Morality according to the Oxford Dictionary is defined as principles concerning the distinction between right and wrong or good and bad behaviour. There is an urgent need for all of us as Ghanaians to develop a moral consciousness in order to deal with kakistocracy since the leaders are voted into power from amongst us.
Faith-based organisations constitutes over 90 percent of our population so why should corruption be a challenge for this country if we claim we are Christians or Muslims? If we want to achieve the Vision of Ghana Beyond Aid then we need to have a change of mindset.
We are corrupting the youth right from the Junior High School (JHS) level and if we are not careful, we shall soon create a bunch or should I say an army of intelligent but criminally-minded youth. It is common knowledge that proprietors of some private schools, acquire examination papers beforehand and give to their teachers to use to teach the students so they can easily pass the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) . A taxi driver who was driving me to the West Hills Mall some time ago was lamenting to me how he was being asked to pay GH¢2,000.00 by the school his child attends, apparently for such purpose and was worried about his financial situation at the time but more importantly about the danger that practice poses to the mindset of the children going forward.
Since we are on morality, let us talk about hypocrisy. We easily point accusing fingers at politicians that they are thieves and every unsavoury comment you can think of, yet we fail to notice the beam in our eyes as Jesus preached. The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has established that market women adulterate palm oil to make it look more reddish and increase the volume for more profit.
We hear of civil servants asking for ‘weights’ to be placed on documents before they are processed. Pastors pay bribes to get admissions for their wards into Class A schools, police still collect bribes on our roads, Chiefs collect money and turn a blind eye on Galamsey activities resulting in serious environmental degradation, I can go on and on.
Recently, a former President who is infamously known in Ghana as Government Official 1, for the role he played in a bribery scheme during the purchase of Air Crafts for Ghana’s military, had the guts to speak against the current government when a minister kept a huge amount of money in her house instead of keeping it in the bank.
This is the height of hypocrisy and until we admit that we are all part of the problem and there is a need for an attitudinal change, we can never become a country beyond aid.
The Average Citizen
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
