GNOMIC APRIL 2019

KRIF AND CRISP

ISSUE

10

INTERVIEW With Prof. Ebenezer Oduro-Owusu; GNOMIC AT 2; Leadership and excellence

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CONTENT

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First Word

08 Leadership

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FIRST WORD

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n the 10th issue of our magazine, we explore excellence in leadership under the theme ‘leading forward: following hard after excellence’.

Leadership continues and would continue to play a very important role in our world.It drives progress and development.

Effective leadership churns obstacles into success, inspiring hope for better days to come. Sadly, in our part of the world, there is plenty to worry concerning the subject.

Leadership, in Africa, has been stained over the years with instances of gross corruption, selfishness and mediocrity so profound that many have wondered if there is indeed hope for the continent in this regard. It is hard.

But the Bible sets some very useful precedents on the issue of leadership that young people everywhere can learn from, more so as aspiring future leaders. One of these, and probably most important of all is excellence.

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Daniel and Joseph both excelled in their political leadership roles holding firmly onto excellence.

Daniel, exiled to Babylon as a teenager, never once compromised on the things he knew to be true. Even in the face of death, he held on firmly to his faith. And yes, we see him serve faithfully under three different regimes and excel amazingly. And so did Joseph. Joseph also succeeded in a foreign land, exuding exemplary character. We see this play out in Potiphar’s house, eventually landing him into trouble. But he will not remain down: we see Joseph rise soon enough from prison to become the second most powerful man in the great nation of Egypt, successfully leading the country unscathed through one of the fiercest famines to ever hit the whole world.

And we see it yet again in Moses’ leadership, in the life of Nehemiah… and Jesus’ as well.

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GNOMIC A Christian Youth Magazine

Leading forward APRIL 2019

In his first letter to the Corinthian church, Paul records,

ISSUE 10

Publisher/ CEO | JOHN A. TURKSON Content Manager | PORTIA N. Y. SINTIM Editor-In-Chief | ARABA DAWSON-AMOAH Co-opted Member | KWASI KYEI-OFFEI Issue Editor | AMA NYARKOA EKEM Editors | PRISCILLA KYEI-BAFFOUR AMA AKOMA ESSUMAN JOSEPH KYI NYAMISON Creative Director | ALBERT IDLAFF OFORI Financial Head|UFUOMA MAMOH MARTINA ABAKA TURKSON SYLVIA ASARE-DANSO Marketing Manager | CHARLES AZADAGLI Distribution Manager | LEROY DOTSE Publicity | KOBINA ESSILFIE-QUAYE DANIELLA SEYRAM AFLAKPUI MAAME ADWOA OWUSU-KONADU REUBEN ODAI NANA KWAME BOTA NANA KWAME BROWN AKOSUA OFEIBEA

And you should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ.

1 Corinthians 11:1, NLT This right here sums up what excellence in leadership is supposed to look like. Our focus as Christian leaders is to fix our eyes on perfection— Christ —to following him closely day by day, allowing ourselves to be transformed by his words and the Spirit of excellence that He alone imparts…

And as we lead ourselves this way, we will begin to see the change we have become in the direction we are headed—forward!

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JOHN APPREY TURKSON

APRIL2019

Gnomic Magazine Korle-Bu, Accra Ghana

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FAITH

....leadership lessons from the life of Nehemiah.

"

Anyone can steer a ship but it takes a leader to chart its course.

John C. Maxwell.

N

ehemiah is one of the most easily overlooked books of the bible. A number of Christians have never read a chapter of the book before but my life has never been the same when in a morning assembly in senior high school, our then Assistant Headmistress led a devotion from the book. An interest was created in me to follow up on the story, A great passion to challenge the status quo was instilled, and a zeal to attempt something great for The Lord was fired. For the past 8 years, if there is any leader who has shaped and challenged my leadership, it is NEHEMIAH. Enjoy a piece of my passion.

The life of Nehemiah is one of the many that teaches us how God looks for people everywhere, who would be filled with his passion, be burdened by the things that break his heart and catalyse the needed change He wants in society.

Follow the drama.

ACT 1 SCENE 1.THE SETTING (Chapter 1) Nehemiah was a cupbearer to the king Artaxerxes Longimanaus( 464-423 BC). It was like any other normal day when he was paid a visit by his brother, Hanani, who was then based in Jerusalem, as part of the initial set of exiles led by Zerubabbel back to Jerusalem. He enquired about the state of the Jews and the city, and the plot continues of how God, through the leadership of one man, achieved the seemingly impossible.

matter how painful they may be. Closing our eyes and ears to the truth could be the first step toward tragedy for ourselves as well as for others. Nehemiah cared.

He cared enough to ask He cared enough to weep.

He cared enough to pray and fast.

He cared enough to volunteer.

True transformational and transgenerational leadership begins when we genuinely care about people and situations and seek to be used as an agent of change.

How much do you care?

ACT 1 SCENE 2.- BEFORE THE KING ARTAXERSES.( Chapter 2:1-10)

Why ? Because...

MOUNTAINS BEGIN TO MOVE.

NEHEMIAH CARED ENOUGH.

When we care enough to ask and pray, God fills us with a vision and faith that moves mountains.

"The worst sin toward our fellow creatures is not to hate them, but to be indifferent towards them: that's the essence of inhumanity." George Bernard Shaw put those words into the mouth of the Rev. Anthony Anderson in the second act of his play 'The Devil's Disciple'.

Does anyone really care?

Some people prefer not to know what's going on, because information might bring obligation. "What you don't know can't hurt you," says the old adage; but is it true ?certainly not! Ignorance could be as expensive as death. The slogan for the 1987 AIDS publicity campaign was "Don't die of ignorance"; and that slogan can be applied to many areas of life besides health.

Nehemiah asked about Jerusalem and the Jews living there because he had a caring heart. When we truly care about people, we want the facts, no APRIL2019

After praying and waiting, Nehemiah went about his normal duties, serving the king.

The king noticed the change in his mood and asked the ultimate question‌ What do you want?

What an opportunity for Nehemiah! All the power and wealth of the kingdom were wrapped up in that question! He sent a quick prayer to God( which he does 12 times in the book), but note that these short prayers are based on a 4month period of praying and waiting.

Not only had he prayed about the situation; he had planned for it. When the king asked what he wanted, he rolled out his execution plan to getting to Jerusalem, requested for equipment he needed and rolled out the

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The chapter mentions rulers and priests (vv. 1, 1219), men and women (v. 12), professional craftsmen (vv. 8, 32), and even people from outside the city (vv. 2, 5, 7).

There was a place for everyone, and a job for everyone to do. Some did not work, some worked harder and more zealously than others but in the end, no talent was wasted.

plan- even his date of return.

NOT ONLY DO LEADERS CARE AND PRAY, THEY PLAN AND TAKE OPPORTUNITIES THAT THE PRAYERS YIELD. ACT 2 SCENE 1- ACTION PLAN ( Neh. 2:11-20) Nehemiah on arrival first toured the wall and drew a plan for the building. He did this before he met the leaders of the town. With zeal and passion he communicated his vision to the leaders and got them ready to work. For once, Nehemiah had caused the leaders to see what they had not seen in over 50 years of their dwelling in Jerusalem.

Good leadership is as good as building a team and putting the right people at the right place. It involves, motivating them to work well and that was exactly what Nehemiah did.

ACT 3 SCENE 2.

DEALING WITH OPPOSITION.( CHAPTER 4.)

"The Bible tells us to love our neighbors, and also to love our enemies; probably because they are generally the same people." G. K. Chesterton.

This was true in Nehemiah's situation. His arrival in Jerusalem was a threat to Sanballat and his associates (2:10), who wanted to keep the Jews weak and dependent.

LEADERS PRAY TO BE BURDENED WITH A VISION, PLAN AND COMMUNICATE THE PASSION TO OTHERS. Communication of vision is equally as important as bearing it.

Good leadership involves communicating the vision effectively to other stake holders, to win their heart first before winning their hands.

It takes both the hands of leadership and the hands of partnership to accomplish the work of the Lord. Leaders can't do the job by themselves, and workers can't accomplish much without leadership. Vincent de Paul said, "If in order to succeed in an enterprise, I were obliged to choose between fifty deer commanded by a lion, and fifty lions commanded by a deer, I should consider myself more certain of success with the first group than with the second."

When things are going well, get ready for trouble, because the enemy doesn't want to see the work of the Lord make progress. As long as the people in Jerusalem were content with their sad lot, the enemy left them alone; but when the Jews began to serve the Lord and bring glory to God's name, the enemy became active.

Chapters 4 to 6 describe at least nine different tactics that the enemy used to try to stop the work on the walls. First, he attacked the Jewish people with ridicule (4:1-6) and plots of war (vv.

7-9). This resulted in difficulties within the Jewish ranks: discouragement (v. 10), fear (vv. 11-23), and selfishness (5).

ACT 3 SCENE 1.

KEEP OFF! MEN AT WORK.( CHAPTER 3.)

Not only are good leaders planners, but excellent tacticians and team workers.

When attacks on the people failed to stop the work, the enemy then started to attack their leader, Nehemiah. They tried compromise (6:1-4), slander (vv. 5-9), threats (vv. 10-14) and intrigue (vv.

17-19); but none of these devices worked either.

Nehemiah was a leader who planned his work and worked his plan, and the way he did it is an example for us to follow. He worked at getting every man to build the portion of the wall in front of his wall.

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Nehemiah was "steadfast and unmovable" and led his people to finish the work in fifty-two days!

Opposition is not only an evidence of God’s blessing, it is also an opportunity for us to grow. The difficulties that came to the work brought out the best in Nehemiah and his people. Satan wanted to use these problems as weapons to destroy the work, but God used them as tools to build His people.

One of the greatest tests of leadership is to know how to handle opposition.

Notice how Nehemiah handled these.

He prayed, respected opposition, reinforced his weak points, reassured the people, refused to quit and then renewed the people’s strength continually.

The things people say may hurt us, but they can never harm us, unless we let them get into our system and poison us. If we spend time pondering over the enemy's words, we will give Satan a foothold from which he can launch another attack closer to home. The best thing to do is to pray and commit the whole thing to the Lord; and then get back to your work! Anything that keeps you from doing what God has called you to do will only help the enemy.

The late Dr. Alan Redpath explained why the Jews succeeded in getting their work done and keeping the enemy at bay: The people had a mind to work (v. 6), a heart to pray (v. 9), an eye to watch (v. 9), and an ear to hear (v. 20); and this gave them the victory (Victorious Christian Service, Revell, 1958; pp. 76-79).

And most importantly, they also had a godly leader with the faith to stand.

ACT 4 SCENE 1 HISTORY MADE-- IN 52 DAYS.CHAPTER 6 In 52 days, Nehemiah achieved the victory and set the record to the glory of GOD. The story began with "So I prayed" (Neh 2:4). Then we read, "So I came to Jerusalem" (v. 11). "So they strengthened their hands for this good work" is the next link in the chain (v. 18), followed by, "So built we the wall" (4:6) and, "So we labored" (v. 21).

And it ended,"So the wall was finished" (6:15) What broken walls of society need to be rebuilt? Nehemiah challenges us to care enough to ASK, to care enough to PRAY, to be moved to volunteer, to plan and taskfully execute the plan while dealing with all the challenges that will come our way, so in the end, for His glory, the impossible can be done.

First, it is impossible, then it is difficult, but if we do not give up, it shall be doneHudson Taylor.

Never give up. RISE UP AND LET’S REBUILD.

Excerpts from The Bible Exposition Commentary: Old Testament © 20012004 by Warren W. Wiersbe and The Maxwell Leadership Bible.

Dedicated to Rev. Mrs Hagan (Former Asst Headmistress,Wesley Girls’ High School)

PRISCILLA KYEI-BAFFOUR

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E V A H T ’ N O D U IF YO 5 THINGS, E S E TH ILL FAIL IN W U O Y P I H S R E D LEA

ership. Be patient enough to have a vision— one that will be your charisma to attract followers. When you fail as a leader, you ruin lives. So, get yourself a vision.

The debate still goes on as to whether leaders are born or made. My take—few are born leaders but many are made leaders.You don’t have to agree with me on this but for the rest of this article, it is imperative that you agree for your success as a leader depends on it. Whether a born-leader or a made-leader, these 5 things apply to all who aspire to walk the highroad of leadership. If there is any leader in history who failed, you can trace their failure to the lack of any of these 5 things. If you have never been a leader before, humble yourself in the mastery of these 5 things. If you are a leader reading this, and if you have been a leader before, I can say for sure that your success or otherwise can be attributed to these things.

Passion A great leader’s courage to fulfil his vision comes from passion, not position.

—John C. Maxwell Passion is the fuel to a leader’s vision. It is the energy equivalent in leadership. Where there is no passion, there is simply no energy to lead. Followers have constantly on their leader. When they see no passion, they will show no passion. Followers simply do what they see their leaders do. Passion is deadly contagious and it is a proxy for the success of the vision. It cannot be feigned, at least not for long. If you desire to succeed as a leader, then you must have passion. Passion is not weaved from thin air. It comes with your vision. Be sure to get the vision right and maintain it by constant reminders. The leader destined to fail is the one who ignores the power of passion.

What are these 5 things that are crucial to your leadership?

Vision If you don’t have a vision, nothing happens.

—Christopher Reeve The leader who has no vision can do nothing, or at least pretend to do something which in the long run proves futile. If having sight is crucial to getting around in our world, how much more vision for the realm of leadership.Vision is simply the ability to acknowledge one’s current state and see a desired destination that is compelling enough to move you to action. If you don’t have a vision, you will certainly fail in leadership. It simply means you have no where better in mind to lead others.You will end up wasting time, resources and disappointing people.

Humility Pride is concerned with who is right and humility is concerned with what is right —Ezra Taft Benson Humble leaders are the most effective. Why? Because the humble leader is concerned about what is right, and listens to and values the opinions and suggestions of others. A prideful leader will fail in leadership. It is only a matter of how soon. Leadership that thrives on humility will never fail because it is quick

The sky is never the limit.Your vision is.

—Vrushabh Rathod Don’t be too quick to shove your way into lead-

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An excellent track-record

to recognize and admit faults and set them right.

It seeks to make others better and more successful, and in so doing, promotes the overall success of the company. If others complain about your attitude as being prideful, please examine yourself before you venture into leadership.You will get yourself more enemies than usual if you don’t. A humble leader has a servant’s heart and he/she looks first to the interest of the people he/she leads.You can always trust a humble leader to do what is right for his people, for a humble leader fears God. This is the kind of leader people want—one who will always do what is right. And this is why you will fail in leadership if you neglect this.

Innovation Innovation is seeing what everybody has seen and thinking what nobody has thought.

—Dr. Albert Szent-Gyorgyi The discoverer of Vitamin C sure was right when he said this. Innovation is simply a new idea. We live in an extraordinary tentative world and for any leader to survive and be relevant, innovation must be their trump card. It is true that there is nothing new under the sun, but it takes an innovative leader to make things new under the sun. Sometimes all it takes is a new idea particularly when everything else has failed. The leader who can see ordinary things as others see and yet develop a new idea from them is one worth keeping. When you fail to be innovative as a leader, you become irrelevant.

A track record is simply a summation of one’s past experiences. By far, this is one of the few things that get people into leadership positions in the first place. When a person has an excellent track-record, it is easier for others to trust him/her. The sad truth is people judge you based on your past. And as long as today will surely translate into tomorrow, our track-record is still being written. If you are not yet a leader, and hope to be someday, don’t downplay the power of your track-record. It can either be your qualification or exemption. It is in this regard that we understand from the Bible that, “he who is faithful in little things, to him shall be entrusted more.” Be excellent in all things things—reliability, kindness, decisiveness, caring, hardworking, optimism…you will be storing for yourself treasures for a day to come.

These 5 things are the stepping stones to great leadership. Don’t get them wrong!

DENNIS BOATENG

Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.

—Steve Jobs Those who see challenges, impossibilities and nothing else automatically segregate themselves on the side of followers. It takes a leader to see and even create the way forward amidst the impossibilities. Be innovative and stay relevant.You are likely to succeed this way.

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As part of the April edition of our magazine, we asked you a single question about leadership.

What makes a good leader?

#leadership

#excellence

That Dawn That dawn My dawn, a dawn of a new age Came to me after dusk with its message An angelic voice, a soft call from afar.

A calling on the wings of the morning wind The calling, a paradigm shift in my mind A quickening of my spirit A charge to lead I have, in the frontline A wave into a new world, my renaissance Man in my mirror, in my mind is to be But a leap of faith at I, On the mustard, at ecdysis, a colourful flap Towards a golden yellow sky, the future As the early bird oh pity the morning worm, A journey of a thousand miles at a foot.

A better version to become, which finds us all A calling I can’t deny, but press on till it’s o’er.

That dawn was my renaissance.

A. Will

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In pursuit of excellence.

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Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”

–Will Durant.

s I’m writing this, I’m suddenly reminded of a book that my mother was reading when I was younger. It’s called “In Pursuit of Excellence” by Terry Orlick. I have not read the book, but I think the title is a lovely way to capture the mood of this article on excellence.

Excellence is “the quality of being outstanding or extremely good.” If that’s the case, then I believe that excellence is a very important thing for us to pursue, in our various fields of endeavour, and especially as Christians for many reasons – two of which I will speak about below.

First of all, we serve a God who is excellent. Psalm 150:2 says, “…praise Him according to His excellent greatness.” That is His very nature, and it reflects in all He has done, does and will do. If we really are fulfilling what Hebrews 12:2 says and looking unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith as our example and role model, then excellence has a huge role to play in our lives.

In light of this, as children of God, we are not allowed to be mediocre in any way whatsoever!

The moment we allow even a tinge of mediocrity into any aspect of our lives, it casts aspersions on the integrity of the God we serve. It gives room for people to doubt and question the God we serve and as people who are required to be living epistles (2 Corinthians 3:2), this will not do. At all.

Imagine a world in which each and every one of us was committed to the quality of being outstanding or extremely good at whatever good task we did, a world where commercial vehicle drivers were committed to giving off their very best on the road, where market women were dedicated to giving their customers the freshest produce, not cheating them or lying to them.

Where health care practitioners were taking their time to give their patients the best of care, not acting like patients were burdens on them?

It all starts with the little things, in our small sphere of influence. It is to unsubscribe from the “I cannot comman kee myself” mentality that so often permeates the thoughts and actions of this generation.

It is to be extra – yes, extra! - in the little things. The crease in your trousers that must be sharper than a two-edged sword. Making the effort to move things around when sweeping a room. Those are just two examples, but I can think of countless other ones. If excellence is a habit, indeed, as Mr. Durant so rightfully said, then it must stem from the daily things, the seemingly unimportant minutiae of our everyday lives.

To conclude, I’d like to quote Colossians 3:23 “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not earthly masters.” If it must be done, it must be done well… and to the glory of God!

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OCT/NOVEDITION18

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CHRISTMASEDITION18

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Of Excellence Richeal Shola Makinde

Yinlogre Atongo

I tell the tale of another, A young sheep-keeper.

Left on field, forgotten.

Insignificant, and forgotten.

But each day was training, Fighting lions and bears, Till Goliath's fit for slaying, To be King and the best.

From beginning of time, Many heroes have come.

Their songs we hum, Sung and danced with drum.

Their names spelt inspiration, Mentioned in exaltation.

Praised in admiration, Their stories told in adoration.

Take a look at eagles, Set themselves apart, They fear not to be single, Conquering air and flight.

See the lions too, Ruling the wild lands, Bold and confident, Roaring it's might.

I speak of an Einstein, A progidy from birth.

With an abstract mind, Ignorance was put to death.

He knew his field, His mastery was sealed.

A fluent physicist, An excellent scientist.

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Integrity

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INTERVIEW

Leadership is all about providing good conditions for people to thrive in terms of their potential and abilities

UPCLOSE AND PERSONAL

With Prof. Ebenezer Oduro-Owusu Please, we want to know more about Prof Ebenezer Oduro-Owusu personal life and family.

This is somebody who was born to a Kwahu father and a fanti mother; Kwahu from Mpraeso and a Fanti from Elmina. I started my education at the Cocoa Research Institute, New Tafo Akyim. I then went to st. Peters Secondary School for my O-levels in Science. From there, I went to GSTS. That was '80 to '82 for my A-levels. I read Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics. I went to KNUST to read Mining engineering as I didn't cut it for medical school. After many ups and downs I moved to Japan in '89 to pursue my masters. In '92, I started my PhD which I completed in '95. I taught in Japan for almost two years. Then I left and joined the International Crop Research Institute for the Semi-arid Topics in Niger.

I moved to Niger to work for two years because I wanted to understand poverty.

I learnt that life is not all about money. I joined the University of Ghana in 1998 and haven't looked back since. It's all been to the glory of God.Yours is just to do the will of God and work hard. The Lord knows where He will be taking you to.

The interview team. From Right to Left- Sylvia Asare-Danso, Prof. Ebenezer Oduro-Owusu, Portia Nana Yaa Sintim, John Apprey Turkson

private sector as Contry representative for two Japanese Companies. Yes. Throughout my life, let me indicate that from Class 1 till I left school, I was Class leader. I attend Trinity United Church where I've served as a Church steward.

Thank you so much. Prof please what does leadership mean to you? And what are some of the leadership portfolios that you have held so far?

In this University, I have been the Chair of the Volta Basin Research Project, I have been Head of Department. I have beenVice Dean. I have been Dean.

I have been Provost. And currently, Vice Chancellor.

So what it is means is that I have been through all the ranks. Apart from that I've had stints with the APRIL2019

For me leadership is about providing good conditions for people to thrive in terms of their potential and abilities. As a leader you are supposed to make sure that you mould people.

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You have to be selfless.You have to have vision for the people that you lead.You should be dependent on God for direction as a leader. I never leave my home without committing my institutions and all those that are in the institution into the hands of God. Whatever it is that you have, the ability to move, the life you have in you, the blood that runs through you are all provisions of God. And you need all those things to lead.

What has been your greatest influence as a leader?

My mother used to tell me that 'you must be very patient to be a good leader. A person who inspired me later in my life is Nelson Mandela.

One of his latest books, Leading like Madiba, is so inspiring that it gives you the practical orientation of life. And the sum total of it is that, if you are a leader, you must be selfless, foster

Prof. Ebenezer Oduro-Owusu and family

unity, teamwork, and must be courageous just like the Lord told Joshua: You will lead; you must be very courageous. Be bold. My greatest experience as a leader, my greatest test was in the church. In a church you expect everyone to be Christian, but then you notice that there's corruption going on in the church.

How do you handle it? I have been inspired by my mother throughout. I have been inspired

by Nelson Mandela and the way he handled South Africa at the time, fostering unity and making sure that he prepared South Africa to be a better place.

Having experienced both secular and church leadership, do you think there's anything both sides could learn or should embrace from each other?

For me, the biggest test of human character is financial discipline. And probably to some

extent, time management. Proverbs 22:1 basicallysays good name is better than riches. And that is how I live. So don't be pushed by money into doing certain things.

We look at money and say that's blessings.

So when we say someone has been blessed we are only talking about money. But no.

When we talk about the Lord's favours, doors opening for you, your ability to open closed doors... these are things that come.

But because we are unable to quantify them, we think, oh, they come just as they are supposed to come. Money should not be a driving force. And so that is my life. I'm not rich. I'm poor. I'm a happy man, that's all.

Do you think we are facing a leadership crisis in Ghana?. And if there is, from your rich experience, how do you think we can solve this issue?

I wouldn't say there's a leadership crisis in Ghana. We have potential. But the problem is our attitude. We don't train people to come out as clear leaders. The entire atmosphere is a corrupted one.

The negativities are just too many. And the evil hearts dominate. A good person with good intentions is quickly put down. It is extremely difficult to lead in this country with truth and honesty. You constantly have to pray for the Lord to show certain signs to His people. And if you are not careful, you may even lose your life. And this is what gets people scared. There are so many people with good hearts, good intentions but they are unable to stand the pressures of the evils in society. That is our

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major problem as a nation.

How many people can stand? I've been able to stand up against all these evils, knowing very well that we need to build a very strong institution to be able to build a stronger nation... Knowing very well that this is the place where we train our children. I have

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Prof. Oduro-Owusu's Children

constantly depended on God for direction.

And my faith keeps growing day by day. You get the moral advantage to lead through as a leader if you start doing things right. As student leaders make sure that you leave no cobwebs in your wardrobes. You must operate a very transparent system.You must account for your stewardship. Once you walk on that path, mindful of the fact that the devil is always watching and hoping to destroy, you build your faith every step of the way. And once you get there, just like Joshua, the Lord will grant you the boldness and the courage to break through. Even where it's impossible, the Lord will show you what to do just like He did to Moses so that he found a path in the sea. This should be your faith as you walk into leadership.

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How well is the church impacting on changing behaviours in this country? If we are unable to do that, what then is the need for us as Christians?

I will encourage you young guys coming up to see Christianity from a different angle.

Put on completely different lens and make sure that you live the Christ-like life.

It is clear that your leadership has been one marked by excellence. What do you think are some of the challenges young people face in their pursuit of excellence in leadership?

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to other things. And you need to learn them So adding to your knowledge or seeking knowledge is part of negotiating the growth curve in terms of leadership.

A lot of us are not patient. We want it, and we want it now. We must wait on the Lord.

We must pray. And we should be able to discern.

Psalm 23 says; I walk through the valley of the shadow of death. But then the remainder of the chapter says, I shall fear no evil, for the Lord is always with me. He prepares a table before you in the presence of your enemies.

That is a sign of victory for you. Do not concentrate on the negativities around you.

If you know you are doing the right thing and you have the conviction, keep at it.

Is there hope for leadership in Ghana?

Hope depends on the youth.We (the older generation) are almost done. I've always encouraged the youth to get out of their shells and try to project a decent Ghana for y themselves. If you're unable to take those bold steps to change your attitudes, you will truly suffer because all other countries are doing well because of this discipline-- the rule of law. If we sit with absolute disregard for the rule of law, this country is going to collapse. When the country collapses, I believe we can build a better country if we do away with the fear of doing the right thing-- that's our biggest enemy.

What's the place of leadership conferences and such in building good leaders?

Oh well, they add on. They open your mind

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The Value of Effective Leadership.

(Be the best of yourself with love and excellence)

dealt with my work?

Leadership is a core call and a mandate for excellence in any human endeavour.“Where there is no vision, the people perish – Proverbs 29:18.” Leadership could be seen as the capacity to influence others through inspiration, generated by a passion, motivated by a vision, birthed from a conviction and produced by a purpose – Myles Munroe. Basically, it is influencing the thinking, behavior or development of another person. It is a service to the highest purpose for the highest good – to glorify God. The failure or success of our world is dependent on leadership. There is an urgent need for effective leadership. “Good leadership is indispensable” – Myles Munroe.

Are today’s leaders failing us? There seem to be a shift from selflessness to self-interest which is breaking down families, societies and nations, leaving our world in chaos. This calls for order and reorganization, and it takes leadership to do so. It is time put aside our ego and pick up humility and confidence that comes from the Creator’s unconditional love. The call to leadership is a call to serve.

There is thus the need to model Jesus, the greatest leader whose impact is largely seen. Speaking to His disciples, He had this to say, “If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet, John 13:14 KJV.” A leader should know whose he/she is (Originality and dignity) and who he/she is (Identity). A true leader’s work is not the job or career but the very life he or she lives (LeadLikeJesus.com). A leader is called to be a model and he or she should have a role model, ultimately Jesus. Why Jesus? His humility and service is profound. He has changed the world. His ideologies, the best. There is the need to know Him and follow His style of leadership.

It is expedient for leaders to ask, “How would Jesus have

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Leaders arise for a cause. The leader is called to be different.

In times of despair, he or she is called to inspire hope, in seasons of lack – provision; moments of fear –courage, and in times of chaos – order. Joshua, Gideon, Deborah etc. are some leaders the Great Book speaks of. They were unassuming but they became solutions to the problems of their season. It is about responding to the call. Leaders should have a good heart, pure mind, clear and good intentions and execute the right action. They should be strong, bold, selfless, responsible, focused and committed to vision, have an action plan and make good decisions.They should work while others waste time, study while others sleep and pray whilst others play – Oswald Sanders. A leader should always put more into life than what he takes from life.

Relationship, discipline, integrity and decision making are major defining characteristics of leaders and they are first called to become and then execute leadership.

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There is a great call and cry for leadership.

Our families, institutions and governments are failing. Are we willing to respond to the leader within us? Let us come to the realization of our leadership potential and commit to refining and developing our leadership characteristics. Let us see opportunity in every challenging situation. There is great value and necessity attached to leadership. When leadership fails, there is always a decline. People are in hardship, children are in despair, many women are suffering and many more desire hope and fulfilment. LET US BE THE HOPE OF THE GENERATION. The quality of today’s leader is a result of yesterday’s training. Let us lead ourselves first and be selfless in our desires and actions. A leader should be a reader, a person who constantly cultivates his or her knowledge knowing the essence of leadership and dynamics of humanity. Let us not be mediocre but become the best of ourselves. Desire to live a life of legacy.

Discover God’s purpose and vision for our life. Step out in faith and fulfil it.

necessary. Leadership consists of a trio – the leader, the follower and the situation or environment.

The leader should have a check in these dimensions when things are not going well, measure, plan and execute the needed change.

True change is difficult. Let us change one day at a time, change perspective, change thinking and align to good values.

We are called in this generation to make impact. Where are we?

Where are we expecting to be?

We are the difference we are waiting for. Let us practice what we want to see. We are called to execute excellence. We have a valuable call to effective leadership; let us respond!

ABRAHAM DEBRAH NARH

We need to change the narrative of our leadership culture in Africa by becoming effective leaders of great value. Change is

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TECHNOW

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LAUREN THARP Head Editor, 133T.

ON COMMITMENT AND THE SOUL OF EXCELLENCE

"A happy marriage can be a vexation, that it’s a contract best renewed and renewed again, even quietly and privately – even alone.”

–Michelle Obama in Becoming A young boy involved in a road traffic accident was once rushed unconscious to the hospital after bleeding into the deeper recesses of his brain, developing a bad infection from the numerous wounds, and then a bad fracture of his right thighbone. A single mother who survived on squeezing water out of stones was the one paying for this boy’s hospital bills.The surgical team managing the young boy treated and supported him till he gained consciousness. The mother, who was constantly updated on the thematic areas of her son’s condition knew that almost all problems had been solved, save the thighbone fracture. She had spent all her savings, and so she decided to give up and request for a discharge against medical advice. She then communicated her decision to the doctor.

The doctor was surprised, because the strong woman he knew seemed to have reached her wits’ end.The doctor explained what the consequences of her decision would be. The mother agreed and then subsequently submitted the letter. On the day she was presenting the letter, she paused and said to the doctor, ‘You have been at the forefront with respect to the surgical team treating my son. You have always spoken to me as any empathic doctor would speak to patient and patient’s relatives.

Please, this moment speak to me as you would to a friend or relative.’ The doctor sighed and then said, ‘Woman, you saw your son when you brought him to us. We explained to you all that we wanted to do for him. You have seen your once unconscious and a later delirious son now fully conscious and aware of himself and his environs. You have seen your once dying son, now more alive APRIL2019

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than before. You have done well and fought a good fight. You cannot give up now. Keep your son here and go and look for money to pay for the last item on the list – the repair of the thighbone fracture.’ The woman put the letter back in her handbag and then left with a heterogeneous demeanour of faith, hope, fear, sorrow and gratitude. Later in the day, she met the doctor and said ‘God bless you doctor for your kind words this morning. I am grateful.

A relative I contacted has offered to pay for all other medications including the cost of the surgery’.

The child had the surgery done the following day. Days later this once unconscious and broken son, went home walking.

One day a young couple also rushed their dying newborn to the neonatal intensive care unit.

The baby was near dead. The doctor and the nurses on call promptly stabilized the baby, though the baby was not off the hook yet. While the doctor was seated quietly after the child has been admitted and stabilized, the mother came to the doctor and asked, ‘Doctor, will my baby survive?’ He then quietly said to himself, ‘Woman, why do you want to tempt me? Who made me the authority over human life?” The

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doctor then said to the woman, ‘Your baby can survive.’ This child who came dying was later discharged home later in full health and life.

The women in these true-life encounters are a quintessential testimony to the bedrock to achieving excellence. Both women were at the edge of the cliff. They could have jumped off or remained committed to the reason for running to the hospital. Commitment is the artery that connects us to the soul of excellence.We all have varying strengths and weaknesses, yet in order to sip from the chalice of excellence, we must remain committed to the reason, the vision and the goals we set for ourselves. These brave women could have given up, because they had already done what Napoleon could not do; yet they remained committed and never settled for half the reward. They wanted the full dose of the excellence potion. Without commitment, we cannot even tap from the divine.

Grace may be abundant, but our lack of commitment can make us miss the opportune moment of the Lord’s visit. Without commitment to life, suicide becomes an option; without commitment to righteousness, sin will not be associated with any remorse; and

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without commitment to our vision, the potion of excellence cannot be our portion.

Michelle Obama aptly describes the need for constantly renewing one’s commitment to marriage in her book, Becoming. She writes – “A happy marriage can be a vexation, that it’s a contract best renewed and renewed again, even quietly and privately – even alone.”

But in the place of ‘A happy marriage’ I will humbly put ‘The quest for excellence’ and say “[The quest for excellence] can be a vexation, that it’s a contract best renewed and renewed again, even quietly and privately – even alone.” The currency of our renewal is commitment.

DR. ANTHONY GYENING-YEBOAH March 2019

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FOOD

PANCAKE INGREDIENTS 100g plain flour 2 large eggs 300ml milk

1 tbsp sunflower or vegetable oil, plus a little extra for frying lemon wedges, to serve (optional) caster sugar, to serve (optional)

METHOD

1.

Put 100g plain flour, 2 large eggs, 300ml milk, 1 tbsp sunflower or vegetable oil and a pinch of salt into a bowl or large jug, then whisk to a smooth batter.

2.

Set aside for 30 mins to rest if you have time, or start cooking straight away.

3.

Set a medium frying pan or crĂŞpe pan over a medium heat and carefully wipe it with some oiled kitchen paper.

4. When hot, cook your pancakes for 1 min on each side until golden, keeping them warm in a low oven as you go.

5.

Serve with lemon wedges and caster sugar, or your favourite filling. Once cold, you can layer the pancakes between baking parchment, then wrap in cling film and freeze for up to 2 months.

Recipe from Good Food magazine, February 2013

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PLACES

5 PLACES TO VISIT IN GHANA OUTSIDE ACCRA

August 2019 will officially mark 400 years of the start of the Transatlantic slave trade, an act which crippled African nations and dispelled black people into the Caribbean, West Indies and America.

In commemoration of the event which has been described as humanities greatest injustice against black people, Ghana’s President, Nana Akufo-Addo has declared 2019 as the “Year of Return” for people of African descent in the Diaspora.

The aim of this initiative is to bridge the relationship gap between Africans and their brothers and sisters living in the Diaspora as well as helping them retrace their roots.

One of the highlights of the “Year of Return” will be a boost in tourism as already heralded by a CNN 2019 Travel article which placed Ghana as number 4 on the top destinations to

visit this year.

Ghana is a beautiful nation and the country which is sometimes called the gateway to West Africa has some of the world’s most beautiful beaches, green national parks, historic castles/forts, rocky mountains that need exploring.

1. CAPE COAST CASTLE A designated World Heritage site by UNESCO, the Cape CoastCastle, located in Cape Coast, Ghana’s former capital, was built by European traders in 1653 for commercial and housing purposes but was later used in transferring slaves from all over West Africa to Europe and America’s The Castle after the end of slavery was handed to the colonial government who in turn handed to the government of Ghana under the care of the Ghana Museums andMonument Board.

Cape Coast Castle is a stark reminder of the gruesome acts committed by European powers and a great way to learn about Black history

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2. KAKUM NATIONAL PARK Considered as one of Ghana’s finest wildlife and rainforest reserves, the Kakum National Park lies on the coast of Ghana on the Twifo-Praso road.The park is home to several endangered animal species including the Diana monkey, grey parrot, hornbills and many species of butterflies. Its most popular attraction is the Canopy walkway which is suspended at 30 meters above sea level.

3. NZULEZU VILLAGE The village of Nzulezu sits on stills on Lake Tadane. The structures are made up of wood and raffia with a central walkway and houses located on either side.

You can only get to Nzulezu via a canoe which will take about an hour or 5km. Nzulezu hangs 5ft above the lake level with a school and a church all located in the community.

It was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative list on January 17, 2000, under the cultural section for its contribution to anthropology.

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4. MOLE NATIONAL PARK The Mole National park which is Ghana’s largest wildlife Safari. Close to the Larabanagavillage, the park is home to two rivers; Lovi and Mole, over 93 mammals as well as a large area of savanna grassland. It is home to rare flora species including Burkea Africana, Isoberlinia doka and Terminalia macroptera. The Zaina lodge is also located close to the park offering you a 5-star hotel experience in the wild.You can always come back from your Mole trip with a bottle of honey made from flowers in the park by local people.

5. PAGA CROCODILE POND The Paga Crocodile pond is found in Paga, in the Upper East Region Ghana.

It is home to several species of West African crocodiles, some as old as 90 years.

It is popular for the friendly and tamed nature of the reptiles; tourists have the rare opportunity of touching, sitting and taking photographs with the animals on land.

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SPORTS

LeBron James: Being a Good Leader Means Improving More Than Yourself.

Many great athletes have also proven to be great team leaders, but there may be none greater than the best basketball player who ever lived, LeBron James.

Too often, people approach their responsibility as a leader as a burden or something they only do every once in a while. In a rare hourlong interview on Tim Ferriss's podcast, King James offered a completely different perspective.

Leadership isn't a one-day, two-days, or two-month thing, leadership is consistent ... Once you get into team sports and you see how you are succeeding, you understand it isn't about you. In order for you to continue to be successful, everyone has to be important and have something to do with the success.

The proof of James's leadership approach is in his results both on and off the basketball floor.

While all of his individual achievements are great, it's the team achievements that are so impressive. Not only have his teams been in the NBA Finals nine times in his 14-year career, but he has won three NBA Championships.

successful leader who elevates others. If you lack consistency, you create a sense of uncertainty and doubt in others that is almost impossible to overcome.

Off the floor, he is just as consistent building the "I Promise School" -- a public elementary school created in partnership with the LeBron James Family Foundation to help struggling students stay in school in his hometown of Akron, Ohio.

All of a sudden, being consistent looks like a pretty tall order.

Instead of allowing it to overwhelm you, keep one word in the forefront of your mind -- steadfast. The more steadfast you are with your leadership approach each day, the better the overall outcomes will be.

The truth is, leaders like James are rare. So the natural question becomes, how do you go about being more consistent as a leader every day and raising up others to achieve more together?

Leaders have all kinds of responsibilities but none more important than elevating others and bringing people along on the journey. On a recent episode of the Follow My Lead podcast, Fr. Mike Schmitz summarized it well: "The primary mission of a leader is to raise people up around them both professionally and personally."

CONSISTENCY IS KING

Consistency is the steadfast adherence to principles, truths, or standards of behavior. It's often confused with intensity, but being consistent is far more important.

Take for example brushing your teeth. What keeps your teeth healthy is not the intensity with which you brush them, but rather the act of doing it twice a day.The same is true in leadership.

Just think about all the things you need to be consistent with, day in and day out: showing up to work on time, work ethic, being an example for your people to model, setting goals and achieving them, building strong relationships, setting and maintaining standards of behavior, coaching others, being relentless, staying diligent, remaining thoughtful -- the list goes on.

IT ISN'T JUST ABOUT YOU

When you understand and are action oriented about raising other people up, including them and helping them become the best version of themselves they can be, you will start to become a real leader.

There is no denying LeBron James's greatness on the basketball court, but his approach to leadership shows there is a lot to learn from him off the court as well.

John Eades Author, podcaster, and CEO of LearnLoft

A steadfast adherence to principles and standards of behavior will make you a more

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GNOMIC SELECTS

Scan to view the trailers of some of the movies that made our list.

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CHRISTMAS APRIL 2019 EDITION18

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CHRISTMAS APRIL 2019 EDITION18

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Interested in acquiring any of these books?

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"

The character of a leader is reflected in the standards they set for themselves.

Ray Kroc

"The reward that outdoes all others is the peace of knowing that you did right."

- Jack Hyles

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