Politicians urged to use words to edify
An evangelist of the Methodist Church Ghana, Mr Peter Ekow Sika Yena Essien, has urged politicians and other public officials to use words that build and edify, especially in the run-up to the 2024 general election.
Advertisement
He said politicians must avoid statements or comments that debase their exalted positions and words that seek to curse, destroy people and inflame passions, especially ahead of the upcoming general election.
Evangelist Essien made the call at the launch of his maiden book, which is entitled The Battle of Words, at the Ghana-India Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence in ICT in Accra. In a speech read on his behalf by his wife, Anita Essien, he noted that public officials often made certain negative statements without knowing the impact of those statements on the country.
“Politicians who also curse the country daily unknowingly must read this book and realise the weight of their words on the country and do the needful,” he said. “Parents, teachers and people in leadership positions have been reminded to be careful about their utterance, especially those fond of abusive insults,” he added.
Inspiration
Evangelist Essien further revealed that he was inspired by a member of the church, Anane Agyei, to write and publish the book. He said Mr Agyei, together with his wife, whom he met at the Ascension Methodist Society at Haatso, urged him to write the book after he had preached on the topic "The Battle of Words" in the church.
“They were quite supportive throughout the week long programme. After the event. I rang the man to thank him and his family for their support of God's business."
“Before I hung up the telephone, he told me that the message I preached was very impactful and he had recorded it and wished the message could reach many more people through a book because it could transform many lives.”
That, Evangelist Essien said, was the genesis of the publication of the book which was meant to guide readers in their daily utterances.
The Battle of Words
The 112-page book’s primary objective is to encourage people to use words that glorify God and promote healthy human relations.
The book systemizes folk knowledge and scriptural perspective on the essence and power of words into a literal resource for use by everyone.
It has a diverse genre of being narrative, folklore, historical fiction and guide, religious, social science and adventure among others.
In the introduction, Evangelist Essien grounded the book contextually within the Akan conceptual scheme and the Bible.
It was published by Abibirem Communications Limited and it has an elegant-looking case and organized into five main chapters.
Cultural boundaries
Speaking at the launch, a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Psychology, University of Ghana, Dr Johny Andoh-Arthur, who reviewed the document, tagged it as “a must-buy, must-have and must-read book for everyone.”
He said the author sculpted another view that words serve as cultural boundaries defining who was cultured and who was not cultured. “We are, therefore, reminded that what makes us culturally and socially responsible is not only how much we give or do to better others but also how sensitive we use words,” he said.
The event was chaired by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Riosap Ltd., Richard Osei Appiah; a medical practitioner, Dr Isaac Charles Noble Morrison, and Head of Operations, Absa Bank, Forster Gordon.