Features
The threat to our future as a nation
The threat facing our future as a nation is not a nuclear reactor disaster or a Tsunami or some natural disaster. What is an imminent threat to our dear nation is the indiscipline of our young people who are the future leaders of our country.
The whole nation has been shocked by videos on social media by students in final year of senior high school who are writing their WASSCE and the unacceptable behaviour they demonstrated.
Teenagers having the guts to insult not just an elderly person, but a whole President of the nation, and having the guts to record and post it on social media, is just mind boggling. It gives the impression that there is a deep-seated underlying issue that has to be addressed in order to resolve this lack of respect for adults in our society.
Since the issue broke out, there has been a lot of talk about what is happening to our youth that has led to the deviant behaviour of these youth. The rationale behind it is that these are the people who in the near future would become adults and not just adults but people who would hold leadership and sensitive positions in this country.
If such people have questionable ethics and moral integrity, only God knows what will happen to our country.
The issue of human rights and the way some people in this country adopt certain ideas has to be critically examined. There is a perception that this phenomenon of human rights in all sectors of our secular and social lives is a contributing factor to the indiscipline being displayed by the current generation.
Those of us who attended school in the 70s and the 80s can testify that the happenings among young people in the primary and secondary schools now, was not happening in those days. It is unthinkable how a student in those days could muster the courage to openly insult an elderly person, let alone the President of the nation.
The agenda of certain non-governmental organisations (NGOs) is a contributory factor to this problem of lack of proper or acceptable behaviour among our youth. They have been harassing and lobbying government officials as well as Ghana Education Service (GES) officials and teacher organisations to grant certain rights to the school children.
This has resulted in prohibition of caning as a means of correction in schools, contrary to something that even the Bible advocates as a means of correcting the errant child. There is no scientific proof that caning a child as a means of correction or as a punishment for wrong behaviour, will affect him psychologically.
Somehow, they have managed to create this perception and people have bought into it, so all of us have accepted their assertions and have decided not to correct children the way they should. We should, therefore, not be surprised at the way things are going with our youth.
The proliferation of foreign movies is also one of the major causes of the indiscipline attitude of the youth. The culture of the young people in the movies is so alien to ours and it gives our youth the wrong impression that they are being restricted in the way they wish to express themselves.
This begins to cause them to gradually develop a kind of rebellious attitude which ultimately results in the display of wrong behaviour towards the elderly. What they fail to realise is that, the parents of the youth they watch in those movies are frustrated in how to effectively deal with their wards.
The parents in the foreign countries have become frustrated because they are restricted by law on how to effectively guide their children by exercising the right parental control. They cherish some of the methods we in Africa employ in our parenting approach, but unfortunately some people here have copied wrongly and believe that we should give children unfettered freedom.
Peer pressure is another cause of the indiscipline in our schools and this is where we need the cooperation of the teachers and school authorities in general to be up and doing. Peer pressure is a very powerful influence which, if not properly addressed, would cause some students to go wayward.
It is not so serious at the lower levels that is, at the primary and junior high schools. It is more prominent at the senior high school level where the students are in their teens and are psychologically most vulnerable to such influences.
Technological advances have brought in its wake another problem in the form of social media platforms. The internet has provided an avenue for children or young people to be exposed to all manner of negative influences.
The conversation on those media has the potential to influence young people who see them as the new way to speak your mind to the elderly people who they view as always trying to restrict them from speaking their mind.
People use insulting language on these social media platforms almost all the time, especially against political leaders. No wonder the recent incident involving some SHS final year students who put up despicable behaviour of insulting the president.
There must be a review of the disciplinary regime in place in our schools where caning should be reinstated as a means of correction.
The regulations must include a legal action against parents who invade schools to attack teachers who cane their children as part of the normal disciplinary measures when students break school regulations.
These attacks on teachers have negatively impacted on the implementation of discipline in many schools in the country. The teachers as a result of these attacks develop an attitude of nonchalance and, therefore, gloss over the negative attitudes of the students in the various schools.
The wrong antisocial behaviours of the students go on unchecked and these habits degenerate into bad characters and the resultant effect is the display of insulting behaviour.
This get-quick-results mentality that has become imprinted in our mentality as a nation also has something to do with this dishonourable behaviour among our youth. Some of the messages being preached from the pulpit also have something to do with the decadent conduct of our youth.
You hear of preachings that promote the sale of pens which ostensibly have miraculous powers to let students pass their exams. Handkerchiefs and other paraphernalia which when applied can assist one to pass his or her exams are being sold by so called prophets.
Instead of teaching people the value of hard work and that to pass an exam, serious studying is what is required, these one-man-church prophets propagate these false teachings.
The youth have, therefore, been sold a lie and have been conscientised into thinking that there are short cuts to success. When they find out the hard way that there are no short cuts to success, then they become frustrated and vent their spleen on the leaders in society.
The quicker laws are enacted to deal with such so called men of God, the better it would be for all of us, especially the youth.
Laud Kissi-Mensah
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
