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Make peace with your past — Father Michael Lapsley
It is hard to deal with the trauma of devastating events such as accidents, loss of a loved one, epidemics or even war and ethnic conflict.
Though some people are able to quickly put themselves back on track, the “emotional scar” for others could linger on for life.
However, Father Michael Lapsley, Director of the Institute of Healing of Memories, says individuals, groups and nations must endeavour to make peace with their past and embark on a “journey of recovery,” irrespective of the level of “pain.”
Speaking to The Spectator ahead of the institute’s workshop, in partnership with Action by Christians Against Torture (ACAT) Ghana, he observed that “many people seem to be living normal lives but they still have unfinished business from the past,” hence the need to find possible ways of healing old wounds.
He said it was important for individuals to open up about negative experiences instead of trying on their own to deal with unfortunate real life situations.
“There is always the issue of how to deal with the past; and temptation has been to simply burry and forget the past but the problem is when we try to do that, it never works. The past keeps coming back to bite us. It keeps haunting us in various ways,” he said.
The Healing of Memories workshop scheduled for August 11 to 21, 2021, at Sokode in the Volta Region, seeks to train local facilitators and help participants find solutions to their worst experiences.
Explaining the ‘Healing of Memories’ concept, he emphasised that when people shared their stories in a safe space, they “begin to feel less alone and begin to see that it is possible to live another day and also find meaning in their life.”
Father Michael Lapsley is an Anglican Priest born in New Zealand and trained as a priest in Australia before moving to South Africa. During the days of apartheid racial discrimination, he became a chaplain to Nelson Mandela’s African National Congress and a target of the white supremacy.
In 1990, while in Zimbabwe, he opened a letter that turned out to be a bomb. He lost both hands and one eye. Upon surviving the attack on his life, he established the Institute for the Healing of Memories.
Now, 72, he uses his experience to connect with other persons who have experienced trauma and help them to find healing and to deal with their personal challenges.
His memoir titled “Redeeming the Past: My Journey from Freedom Fighting to Healer” has so far been translated into 12 different languages.
The organisation with footprints in a number of African countries works with prisoners, persons affected by HIV and AIDS, and tackles issues of gender-based violence.
Father Lapsley said the institute was working to “break the cycle that turns victims into victimisers by giving people the chance to deal with what they have inside them.”
He believes there is a link between healing and justice because “the more people heal, the more they are able to participate in struggling for transformative justice.”
The clergyman urged religious groups to create safe environment where people can tell their stories and “earn comfort and encourage from one another.”
By Ernest Nutsugah
Ahyiresu and Abofrem, two quiet communities in the Atwima Mponua District, have been shaken to the core by a chilling midnight drama that reads like a nightmare.
A pastor and a young mother stand accused of attempting to bury a five‑month‑old baby girl alive, a crime that has ignited outrage and disbelief across the township.
According to police, Apostle Richmond Akwasi Frimpong, 36, Head Pastor of the Anointed Grace Prayer Ministry at Kuffour Camp, conspired with his uncle Emmanuel Appiah, 53, and the child’s mother, 23‑year‑old Beatrice Agyapomaa, to dispose of the infant, Anaya Achiaa, under the cover of darkness.
A fourth suspect, Emmanuel Donkor, remains on the run.
The suspects were caught near a refuse dump around 10 pm on April 9, 2026, after a vigilant resident, Akwasi Twezor, noticed their suspicious movements.
When confronted, they claimed the child was already dead and had palace approval for burial. But Twezor’s instincts proved right—the baby was still alive, gasping faintly for breath.
Chief Linguist, Nana Yaw Badu, later confirmed that Frimpong had misled him earlier in the evening, securing permission for burial by falsely declaring the child dead.
The infant was rushed to the Abofrem Clinic, where she is now responding well to treatment. Police described her as “very beautiful.”
Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Evelyn Yitamkey, Commander of DOVVSU in Bibiani, confirmed that the suspects have been provisionally charged.
Frimpong faces attempted murder and conspiracy charges, while Agyapomaa and Appiah are charged with conspiracy and abetment.
They were remanded by the Bibiani Circuit Court, presided over by Judge Frank Asiedu Nimako, to assist investigations.
The docket has been forwarded to the Attorney General’s Department for advice, ASP Yitamkey indicated.
The attempted crime has provoked fury among residents, many suspecting ritual motives aimed at bolstering the pastor’s influence.
Crowds attempted to attack the suspects outside court, but police intervention prevented mob justice.
The Assembly Member for Ahyiresu, Yusuf Suleiman, has assured residents that justice will be pursued swiftly.
From Kingsley E. Hope, Kumasi
The forecourt of the African University of Communications and Business (AUCB) in Accra came alive on Friday with colour, creativity and innovation, as Level 300 students transformed the space into a lively exhibition of ideas.
Under the theme “Building meaningful brands beyond the logo,” the students invited patrons into a world where ordinary products were reimagined through storytelling, design and purpose.
From scented candles to innovative food concepts, each stand told a unique story, one that went beyond aesthetics to capture identity, value and human connection.
For many of the students, the event was more than just an academic exercise; it was a moment to dream out loud.
Guided by their lecturer, Peter Wonders, they explored what it truly means to build a brand in today’s competitive world where trust, consistency and experience matter just as much as logos and slogans.
Chairman of the occasion, Nana Kum Gyata VI, in his remarks said a brand is what people say about you when you are not present.
At the end of the presentations, awards were presented to deserving groups with Vida Nyaneba emerging as the overall best branding student.
By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu
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