Features
The obituary of Ghana soccer (Final Part)
Check out the African ringmaster, ‘Senior Professor Azumah Nelson, the man who regard his opponents as his son and thrashes them accordingly. Whenever he is going to fight anywhere in the world, he does so to win honour for Ghana first and foremost, and then himself.
Judging from his visage whenever the Ghana national anthem is being played and the way his muscles are tuned, not forgetting the look in his eyes, his patriotism can best be described as jingoistic.
Even the flag of Ghana stirs him on, transforming him to look like a tiger ready to kill for Mother Ghana, ready to die for the motherland. That can never be said of our soccer professionals who went to Tunisia just to go and quarrel and lose a vital match.
They even had to be begged and promised bonuses before agreeing to play. What treason! This is a classic example to treasonable felony against the State and Republic of Ghana.
At this juncture, I may congratulate the GFA Coordinator of the Black Stars for a good job done in saying everything in plain and lucid language. Mr Oheneba-Charles, a veteran sportswriter and one of the all-time best, said the whole truth in great detail and did not gloss over a single point.
We know what really happened and no one can speculate any longer unless the persons want to end up day dreaming.
What is worrying is that Osei Kofi’s Polos and Razaks did not behave like this? And there were better players in all departments of the game. Those glorious days of Ghana soccer when players were prepared to die to bring the Cup home are indeed over. There is no more dedication and love for Ghana, only MONEY, MONEY and MONEY!
After all, what does Ghana mean to our present-day professionals? They regard Ghana as a small poor African country dreaming of becoming a world football champion nation that can never be. So why should they worry their heads over a country with about 20 million whimsical citizen?
And we honour them yearly – SPORTSMAN OF THE YEAR-with all the fanfare and pageantry. But do they care for Ghana? They care about their monies abroad. Damn Ghana!
No one can now gainsay the fact that Abedi Pele, Tony Yeboah and Prince Õpoku have in various ways contributed to the death of Ghana soccer by either having over-weaning thoughts of themselves, not being dedicated and creating division and forming cliques and alliances within the team.
Even if we are to use professionals again in international assignments, it would be very stupid on our part to include these old guards. They have done what Napoleon could do and have not helped us to win a single tournament. So enough is enough.
Young professionals like lightning striker Charles Akunnor, Kofi Mbeah and the budding, promising, guys who want to make a name and are showing dedication should be brought in alongside the locals.
What about the head coach and the technical men? The only problem with them is that they were scared of losing their jobs. At least what they were being paid took care of daily chopmoney, school fees and beer. So why would they want to incur the displeasure of their bosses and jeopardise the regular flow of their incomes? Perhaps one should not blame them excessively. ABRABO YE HARD!
However, on this occasion I think they deserve the sack, and I’d explain why? They stooped too low for their status. They allowed Abedi Pele and other self- appointed elements in the Stars team to virtually make the selection for the matches.
How can a coach make his selection and ask Abedi to approve of it and allow him to make alteration where he deemed fit. Any coach who does that is not worth his pay.
If Jim Amoah and Aggrey-Fynn were coaches worth a name, they wouldn’t have allowed the boys to blackmail them the way they did.
If Abedi wanted someone to play and he wasn’t allowed and he threatened not to play, it could only have been a threat anyway, and not an action.
And threats should not have cowed the coaches.
And of course when the Black Stars were playing in all their matches, our head coach did not behave like a coach at all. In contrast to the Malian coach, Jim Amoah looked like any ordinary spectator.
The Malian coach really pepped his boys on. At least he could be seen barking like a dog on many occasions and this kept the players in line and they got to the semi-final stage.
Westerhoff, the Nigerian coach, was worse and did more overtime than even the players, which paid off eventually. He was constantly wailing, crying, dancing and doing everything short of flying like a vulture, to keep the team progressing. They won the cup.
And from his demeanour, I don’t think even all the power of the Nigerian Armed Forces could have forced him to change his selection for the matches they played. Of course, he’ll tell you in any language, fair or foul, to “clear off” or “go burn the sea.” Perhaps, we really need a coach of his kind.
Yes, we need a coach who can tell Tony Yeboah to remove his cap during training or pack and leave if he defaults, or to tell Abedi to forget about ‘Vegebom’ and rally round the boys or tell Prince Opoku to start from the bench and to “sharrup” if he talks “rubbish”. In Tunisia the Stars team lacked discipline and this brought about the obituary of Sikaman soccer.
And now the Ghana Football Association (GFA). I don’t really know what to say of them. Normally they claim they do not “interfere” with the work of the coaches but rather “intervene”. It is doubtful which of the two words is more destructive to Ghana soccer.
The GFA boss, Nana Butler assumed the air and stance of a generallisimo and psychedelically dissolved the national team and fired the coaches and technical men right in Tunisia. That was too revolutionary for a democratic era.
He should first have come home to mourn and drink akpeteshie with fellow Ghanaians who are still mourning the death of Ghana soccer. Then after the wake-keeping and burial, he could proceed to dissolve the team and pay off Jim Amoah and Aggrey-Fynn
But it didn’t happen that way, because the man says he has thick-skin. And with this kind of skin, he wanted a so-called newly-formed Stars to play two friendlies in South Africa. It would have been the worst disaster Ghana has ever encountered.
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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