Features
Monsieur’s daughter —(Part 3)
Things were falling in place for Simon Ababio, at long last. He graduated with a degree in biology, and started off with high hopes. He got a job with a research organisation near Koforidua, where his family had settled some twenty years earlier.
He was granted study leave with pay to do a post-graduate course in plant research in the US. He managed to complete it, with great difficulty, but he decided to get a job and put some money in his pocket before returning to Ghana. More than three years later, he had virtually no money to show for his time in the US.
His employers had terminated his employment, and his sweetheart Gladys had informed him that she had entered a relationship with someone else, because for three years he had not bothered to communicate with her.
On his father’s advice, he came back home and, after pleading with his employers, was reinstated. He tracked Gladys down to Aboso. Initially she was quite unpleasant, pointing it out that she was happily married and no longer interested in an affair with a loser.
Quite stung, he persisted, bombarding her with nice stories about how things were looking up after the initial difficulties. He was going back to the US to pack up and return to Ghana. Even though she was married, he would never forget her, and he would fight to get her back. For those sweet words, he was rewarded with some unforgettable nights in a hotel.
He surfaced again some months later, assuring her that he had returned to his job with a big promotion, and pleaded with Gladys to join him. She spent another few days with him at the hotel for the thrill, but she was never going to leave David for him. Simon simply talked too much, and you could never be sure where you stood with him.
But only a few days later, Gladys chased him down to Koforidua, and made a package of demands, threats and promises. First, she informed him that her husband had gotten to know about their relationship, and their marriage was over.
Of course, she blamed Simon for the situation. And since he had been making all kinds of promises, this was the time to fulfil them. She was ready to come and settle with him. She didn’t really believe his sweet words. She knew he hadn’t made much of his life, but she was willing to support him to become a real man.
All he needed to do was stand up and make a decent effort to achieve something. She was offering him all those on one condition. He would claim Sarah as his baby, because she had made that very declaration to David.
After only one moment’s hesitation, he accepted the entire package. Gladys was of course, good looking, resourceful and intelligent. She would take care of all his needs. He didn’t have to worry about food, nor deal with those money-grabbing girls anymore.
He bribed a few relatives to perform the traditional rites, and Gladys moved to Koforidua, where she secured a job as caterer in a technical school. Simon, his new wife Gladys and their baby Sarah started life as a family.
David settled well into the Master’s Degree programme at the University of Hamburg. The seaport city offered many opportunities and attractions to a multilingual student like him.
He started lectures early and closed at one each day. After lunch at the university cafeteria, he rode the bus to the huge harbour, where numerous jobs were on offer. He did two jobs each day, one with a shipping company, and another with a company that exported trucks and heavy duty equipment. He closed at six-thirty, grabbed supper on the way home and, by nine, was comfortably tucked in bed.
He was in great demand due to his ability to speak English, German and French. He was earning good money, and life was hectic but comfortable. But he began to get lonely, especially during weekends when he preferred to work only a few hours. One evening, he wrote a short email to Adoma.
‘Dear Adoma, I hope you are doing well. I am sorry it has taken me so long to write to you. Life has been very busy since I got here. I start lectures quite early, and work in the afternoon. I get home by eight and I am asleep before nine. I can’t believe one year has already gone.
So how is everyone at Aboso? I remember the good days, but I try not to dwell on them, in order not to get homesick. I am grateful for the opportunity to have served in the school.
So what have you been up to? I would like to hear from you regularly, if you don’t mind. Remember you said you have forgiven me my sins, and that we are friends. Please don’t forget to tell me about the naughty things you have been doing. I look forward to hearing from you’.
Adoma was very surprised when David’s name popped up on her phone during morning assembly. Delighted, she slid out to the staff common room and read it. She mentally wrote the reply several times, but she waited till after closing before she keyed in these words:
‘David, it is really good to hear from you. I thought you had forgotten all about me. Many thanks for the thought. I am doing well. My life hasn’t changed much since you left town. The school is doing well. I’m sure you won’t be surprised to learn that you are still well remembered. We won’t forget you for a long time.
I’m afraid I haven’t been able to do any naughty things yet. The closest I got was to have gone out to lunch with a guy at church who had politely told me that he was interested. During the lunch I thanked him for the attention, and told him that I was already in a relationship. Sorry to disappoint you!
Yes, David, I have forgiven you. Now that you have raised the topic again, perhaps I can tell you this. I really cared about you. I was very confident that in the near future you would realise that and ‘raise your game’, having already told me that you wanted us to be seeing each other. Unfortunately, I didn’t notice the other lady coming at you with blinding force and speed. So now you have it. I will certainly like us to keep in touch. One thing, though. Perhaps you should be kind enough to alert me about the presence of ‘opposition forces’. David replied that evening.
‘Adoma, thanks for your reply, which I have read many times. First of all, can you please make sure that no intruder invites you to breakfast or lunch ever again? Secondly, I wish I had learnt about how much you cared for me. For me, that is the main ingredient in a successful relationship. I won’t repeat the mistake. Okay, now I want to hear from you very regularly. I would like to raise my game. I hope to see you in the near future’.
From then, things moved at steady speed, and after the performance of the customary rites, Adoma spent three months with David, a pattern which continued for the five years that he stayed in Germany.
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
