Features
Polished Article: “Palava of the Tall Men”
The ban on the sale of bitters in akpeteshie bars in the Central Region is bound to spark controversy. This follows reports that three women cheerfully drank bitters during a funeral and decided to die, prompting authorities to impose the ban on the popular drink. News from the Palava shrine indicates that aggrieved drinkers are forming a Bitters Drinkers Union to protest what they consider an infringement on their consumer rights, even threatening to go on strike.
These drinkers consider bitters medicinal and an anti-ulcer agent, claiming it stimulates appetite, courage, and even marital performance—particularly when consuming stronger variants like AK 47. Since the ban, they argue, their lives have become miserable, as raw akpeteshie fails to titillate the human throat, putting some at risk of marital dissatisfaction. A previous nationwide ban on bitters failed because law enforcers were loyal patrons themselves, and both sellers and drinkers defied the law. To them, bitters is the “poor man’s whisky,” a necessity rather than a luxury.
Beyond the bitters controversy, many unusual groups and associations are emerging. Examples include the Soft Banku Eaters Union in Lartebiokorshie, Accra, and the Omo Tuo Lovers International in Kokomlemle. There is also anticipation of other eccentric clubs, like the Cat Eaters Association, Nighttime Thieves Union, Wee Smokers Club, Professional Armed Robbers Fraternity, and Pito Boozers Unity Club.
Among these, the recently formed Tall Men’s Club stands out. The club invites all men over six feet tall, aged 18 and above, to a meeting at the YMCA Hall in Accra. While initially it seemed like a basketball initiative, the club’s executive stated that its purpose is to acknowledge tall men officially and to contribute to society, not to mock short people. The author, himself tall, emphasizes respect for both tall and short individuals, noting that nature balances human attributes, often endowing shorter people with intelligence and compensating for height with other qualities.
Historically, height has influenced perceptions and abilities. While tall individuals may excel in tasks like painting or sports due to their reach, research suggests that those over 5 feet 9 inches may struggle with certain dances, like kpanlogo or agbadza, due to a higher center of gravity. Regardless, the Tall Men’s Club aims to foster community among tall men, and in line with Ghana’s constitutional freedom of association, their formation is entirely legal.
Ultimately, while some of these associations may seem bizarre, they reflect society’s diversity and the human tendency to form communities around shared traits, preferences, or quirks—be it bitters, height, or culinary passions. The Tall Men’s Club may be unconventional, but it is a legally sanctioned expression of identity and camaraderie.
By Merari Alomele
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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
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