Features
Our celebrities must behave responsibly
celebrity is a condition of fame and broad public recognition of an individual or a group as a result of attention given to them by the mass media. This group of people are highly recognised and revered depending on their individual skills by the larger society. It can be in the field of arts and culture, music, entertainment, pastoral, sports, boxing, wrestling, football etc, one can become famous and earn the tag a celebrity.
POPULAR CELEBRITIES N THE WORLD
All over the world, there are people who have excelled and continue to be popular in various fields of endeavors with distinguished qualities in their countries and international circles and have become celebrities. Some of the most popular celebrities with large following on social media include Billie Eilsh, Justin Bieber, Jennifer Lopez, Kanye West, Ariana Grande, Dua Lipa, Camila Cabello, Ed Sheeran, Britney Spears, Kim Kardashian, Drake, Olivia Rodrigo, Lady Gaga among others. These celebrities of highest repute, have exemplified and proved themselves in the world of music, entertainment, movies, song writing, book publishing, mobile games, DVDs and are worth millions of dollars.
GHANAIAN CELEBRITIES
Over here in Ghana, when we talk of celebrities, names that come out sharply which continue to trend on social media include, Jackie Appiah, Yvonne Nelson, Juliet Ibrahim, Nadia Buari, John Dumelo, Yvonne Okoro, Emelia Brobbey, Fela Makaful, Joselyn Dumas, Martha Ankoma, all actors and actresses, Shatta Wale, Stonebouoy, Mzvee, Berca, Sarkodie, Akuapem Polo and many other musicians with millions of Instagram followers. These are celebrities who are highly recognized, respected and acknowledged in the Ghanaian setting due to their high professional background. Apart from these celebrated actors, actresses and musicians of high repute, there are also some pastors and evangelists who by nature of their work and the so-called miracles they continue to perform, have attracted a lot of followers both home and abroad thereby earning them the title celebrities. Religious leaders such as Pastor Mensa Otabil, Bishop Agyin Asare,Apostle-General Sam Kuranchie Ankrah, Reverend Heward Mills, Bishop Duncan-Williams, Rev. Isaac Owusu-Bempah, Prophet Obinim, Rev Emmanuek Badu Kobi, Apostle Kwabena Owusu Agyei, Prophet Eric Amponsah aka Computer man, Prophet Nicholas Osei, aka Kumchacha, Oborfuo, Rev. Robert Ampiah-Kwofi, Apostle Abraham Lamptey, among others, may fall into that category.
SUPPORT TO SOCIETY BY SOME CELEBRITIES
The nature of their work has indeed, generated and continue to fetch them enough funds in terms of incomes and some have recognized the need to donate part of their earnings to charitable and philanthropic work within the society. Some of them continue to provide reliefs to the needy while others are involved in community initiated projects and programmes, such school blocks, clinics, payment of school fees for the needy and provision of school uniforms and furniture to the deprived communities. Indeed, such humanitarian gestures and support are highly commendable to promote orderly developments and to establish acquaintances with the citizens. These celebrities deserve a lot of praise for their dedicated service to their motherland and the people in general. However, there are few others who actions and inactions leave much to be desired and tend to soil the image of the profession they have chosen for themselves. Some of them are arrogant, ‘big in their shoes’ and also difficult to manage. They feel that they have all what it takes and the necessary resources at their disposal and, therefore they can misbehave unilaterally. Some of them even smoke weed and Indian hemp and drink hard liquor excessively.
CELEBRITIES WHOSE NAGATIVE ACTIONS ARE UNDERMINING PROGRESS
It is difficult to forget about some of these celebrities who gave us something to talk about with their bad behaviors and negative practices in full public display. Most of these celebrities cracked our ribs and made us so annoyed to the extent that most Ghanaians have demanded that they needed to be arrested and put before the law courts at some point. If our memories serve us right, in 2016, a worst behaved Ghanaian celebrity who tagged himself a prophet, was spotted in a video lying on top of one of his female congregants who had sought assistance for healing. That notorious pastor or prophet, claimed that he was channeling the power of God to heal the woman by lying on top her. That same pastor was also seen on live television administering lashes of the cane on two teenagers for allegedly fornicating. That reprehensible behavior of that pastor generated an uproar among Ghanaians with some asking the government to invite the police to step in and deal with the unacceptable behavior of the pastor.
LET’S BEWARE OF FAKE PASTORS AND PROPHETS
It is a fact that some of our people, especially women remain gullible and allow some of these socalled pastors and prophets to play on their ignorance and use them for all kinds of negative and diabolical agendas and get away with them. These occult pastors and prophets use their devilish inclinations to visit wicked and obnoxious practices on unsuspecting female congregants who are desperately looking for the fruit of the womb. They will lie to them by telling them that the holy spirit has requested that they should have sexual intercourse with them to open their wombs for pregnancy. Some of them go to the extent of predicting the death of fellow human beings as if they represent God the creator of heaven and earth. That is indeed, a fallacy and we need to guard against those palpable lies from these so-called men of God. Another popular boxer, who goes by the name Bukom Banku, in 2016, after he had bleached his skin amid public criticisms, confronted his accusers with a rather disgusting video showing his complete nakedness dancing on the street of Accra with people including peace officers looking on unconcerned.
T
HE CASE OF SHATTA WALE AND ACCOMPLICES
Just recently, one of the popular Dancehall artiste, Charles Nii Armah Mensah, popularly known as Shatta Wale, was arrested after faking a gunshot attack on him, thus causing fear and panic. Shatta and three of his accomplices have since been arraigned before an Accra Circuit Court. His accomplices, Kojo Owusu Koranteng, Idris Yusif and Eric Venator were also charged with abetment of crime. Shatta Wale pleaded not guilty to the charge of publication of false news and causing fear and panic. Another prophet known as Bishop Stephen Kwesi Appiah (Jesus Ahuofe) of the New Life Kingdom Chapel was also arraigned before court following his prophecy that Shatta Wale would be shot on October 18, 2021. He was subsequently charged for causing fear and panic. Since these cases are pending before a competent law court, I do not intend to make any further discussions on the case.
OUR CELEBRITIES MUST LEAD BY EXAMPLE
All that I can say is that some of our cherished celebrities are trying to misbehave thereby causing disaffection to themselves and their large followers and this is not healthy at all. These celebrities have earned names for themselves and they must learn to protect and guard jealously their high reputations. They must learn to lead by example so that their numerous followers will continue to respect and adore them. This country is guided by a set of laws and those laws are binding on all the citizens irrespective of your status in the society. Going contrary to these laws as enshrined in the statute books, means you are disobeying the rules and, therefore the sanctions will be applied.
Contact email/WhatsApp of author: ataani2000@yahoo.com 0277753946/0248933366
By Charles Neequaye
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. The same report found that managers spend an average of four hours per week dealing with conflict, and nearly 25 per cent of people think their managers handle conflict poorly or very poorly.
Addressing a dispute might feel tense or awkward, but resolving the conflict is typically well worth it in the long run. Whether you’re trying to mediate conflict between colleagues or are directly involved, here are seven steps you can take to manage workplace conflict.
1. Don’t put it off
Facing conflict head-on is hard. However, waiting too long to address it can negatively impact your emotional well-being, focus, and the entire office environment. If you’re feeling angry, letting that emotion fester can also escalate it over time. This can make you less responsive to other points of view and make it harder to resolve the issue.
The sooner you can address the conflict, the better it will be for you, the person you disagree with, and your entire team.
2. Learn all you can about the problem
It’s important to determine the type of conflict you’re dealing with. Begin by considering the cause of the conflict. For example, ask yourself whether someone said something that upset you or if you have emotions of anger and resentment that stemmed from something that happened.
Then try to identify if it’s a task, relationship, value, or team conflict. Once you know what type of conflict it is, you can work to resolve it with specific tactics for that situation.
If you skip this step, you may waste time or escalate the situation further by trying to address issues irrelevant to the real conflict.
3. Actively listen
Listen attentively when people share their side of the story. Active listening is one of the most valuable professional skills you can possess. This type of listening involves not only hearing what the other person is saying but also listening to understand their point of view.
No matter your role in conflict, it’s easy to begin sharing your opinion with little regard for the other people involved. However, it’s important to learn about all sides of a disagreement to make well-informed decisions before drawing conclusions.
To reach a resolution, you must step back and prioritize listening over talking. Ultimately, that will encourage the other person to do the same when it’s your turn to speak. –source: betterup.com
Today, I focus on the Temple Of Praise Ministries International (TOP Church) in Helsinki, as I continue my description of personalities or institutions and their accomplishments as members of the Ghanaian Diaspora in Finland.
The TOP Church in Finland has seen significant strides and accomplishments that must be made known to the public. 
Some history
The Church was established in Finland in September 2016. Since its inception, it has steadily grown both spiritually and numerically, by the grace of God, as disclosed to me by Mr Matthew Anini Twumasi, the Presiding Elder of TOP’s branch in Finland. The TOP Church has other branches across Africa, Europe, and America.
The Church in Finland was founded with a vision to create a welcoming and dynamic community where people could experience God’s love and grace (see, www.topchurchfinland.org). According to Presiding Elder Matthew, the TOP Church operates within a unique environment where Christianity coexists with what is seen as a largely secular society.
Despite this, he submits, there are significant opportunities for outreach, unity, and demonstrating the love of Christ through service and community engagement.
Activities
Church services at the TOP Church are typically held on Sundays for the main worship. In addition, there are mid-week prayer sessions, Saturday prayer services, and a half-night service held on the last Friday of every month. “We also organise quarterly programs”, Elder Matthew added.
His impression of the Church so far has been positive. “It is a vibrant and welcoming community where members are committed to worship, fellowship, and supporting one another in faith”, he stated.
In sum, Elder Matthew said the Church continues to grow by God’s grace. “We remain hopeful and committed to spreading the Gospel, strengthening the faith of our members, and making a positive impact in society”, he continued.
Achievements
The TOP Church has a number of achievements and achievements. Some of the strengths include strong community bonds, cultural diversity, and deep commitment to spiritual growth.
I also remember that during the COVID-19 period, I heard that the TOP Church was one such bodies that hugely supported its members and others to cope with the situation.
According to Elder Matthew, the challenges facing the church include “adapting to cultural differences, engaging the younger generation, expanding outreach in a secular society, and securing a permanent place of worship”.
Role in the Ghanaian community in Finland
The TOP Church plays a prominent role as a religious group that serves Ghanaian migrants and others in the Finnish society.
Thus, the TOP 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.
The Church also has mechanisms in place to support its members who are bereaved as a way to commiserate with them in times of death and funerals.
The Ghanaian community has played a vital role in the growth of the Church. Their strong sense of fellowship, dedication to worship, and active participation have helped build a solid foundation and attract others to the ministry, according to Elder Matthew.
Integration
By its activities, the TOP 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.
The role of migrant associations and groups such as TOP 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!
GHANA MATTERS column appears fortnightly. Written in simple, layman’s terms, it concentrates on matters about Ghana and beyond. It focuses on everyday life issues relating to the social, cultural, economic, religious, political, health, sports, youth, gender, etc. It strives to remind us all that Ghana comes first. The column also takes a candid look at the meanings and repercussions of our actions, especially those things we take for granted or even ignore. There are key Ghanaian values we should uphold rather than disregard with impunity. We should not overlook the obvious. We need to search for the hidden or deeply embedded values and try to project them.
With Dr Perpetual Crentsil
