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Ladies reject our proposal, disrespect us… Coconut sellers at K’dua lament
Michael peeling coconut to sell
Coconut sellers in Koforidua are frustrated over the disdain and disrespectful manner customers, particularly young women, deal with them.
Despite playing a vital role in Ghana’s informal sector by providing fresh, nutritious, and affordable drinks, these vendors feel marginalised and belittled by virtue of their occupation.
The worst and painful of all was the blatant manner their proposals to female partners were rejected.
As a result, most of them are single although they are ready to settle down as family men.
In separate interviews with The Spectator, the coconut ‘business moguls’ called for a change in attitude and urged the public to treat them with the decorum and respect accorded to those in the formal jobs.
Michael Adansi, a coconut vendor, highlighted the importance of their service and noted that coconuts, known for their health benefits, offered a refreshing and energy-boosting option for many Ghanaians.
However, he lamented that customers often fail to appreciate the value of their work.
“Young ladies especially look down on us. We can’t even approach them for friendship or relationships because they disrespect us due to the nature of our work and our appearance,” he lamented.
Michael added that even when coconut sellers are fortunate enough to have relationships, they face judgment from their partner’s family once their profession was revealed.
“We endure long hours in difficult conditions, often travelling far to source the coconuts,” Michael revealed, but said despite these efforts, they get insults, dismissive behaviour, and aggressive haggling from customers, even though the coconuts are sold at reasonable prices.
Michael emphasised that they were just trying to earn an honest living and deserve to be respected as legitimate professionals.
Yaw Poku, another vendor, expressed similar frustrations, noting that many customers assume coconut sellers are uneducated or incapable of getting better jobs.
He explained that the stigmatisation was unfair, as many coconut sellers have degrees, diplomas, or are Senior High School graduates.
“They engage in this trade to provide for their families and should be respected for their efforts,” he said and added that, “what people don’t know is that coconut selling requires skills like entrepreneurship, marketing, and customer service,” Yaw added.
In addition to customer disrespect, coconut sellers also face harassment from authorities and market officials, he noted but stated they remained hopeful that by sharing their experiences, the public would come to appreciate their hard work and understand that the dignity of work should not be determined by the type of job, but by the effort and value one brings to the community.
When The Spectator interviewed customers on the issue, responses were varied.
Efua Ansah, a student from Koforidua Technical Institute, pointed out that some coconut sellers do not dress well or package their products properly, a situation she said may contribute to the lack of respect.
She emphasised the importance of hygiene and cleanliness in building customer trust.
However, another customer, Ernest Larbi, defended the sellers, noting that they work under harsh conditions.
“They’re selling in the hot sun in their working gear. It’s not easy, so why disrespect them?” he questioned.
The Eastern Regional Environmental and Health Officer, Mr Prince Kissi, acknowledged the issue and stated that his office was working on strategies to improve the situation.
They have recently designated areas for coconut sellers and are planning a stakeholders’ meeting to train them on better hygiene practices and product presentation, he revealed.
“We have advised them to put on aprons and ensure they dispose of coconut shells properly to enhance their public image,” he explained.
With these initiatives, he hoped that coconut sellers would gain the respect they were demanding and be recognised for their contributions to the community.
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Philip Nai and Friends to hold 5th edition of Christmas party with kids
On the back of a successful get-together for children at the oncology unit of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, on December 23, 2023, Joy FM lead producer, Philip Nai and his friends are back with another event this year.
The 5th edition of Philip Nai and Friends will be held at the Agblezaa community on December 24, 2024.
There will be activities such as musical performances, health screening, bottle flipping, Praise and Worship, Sip and Paint, Dancing Competition, Musical Chairs among others.
Donations of food items, bags of water, toiletries, clothes, learning materials will also be made. Individuals are encouraged to help this worthy cause by calling 0244735451.
Last year, musicians Nii Soul and Perez Musiq were present to lend their support to the programme.
There were also entertainment activities involving both the children and their mothers.
At the event, the Programmes Manager of Joy FM, Edem Knight-Tay shared a word of encouragement with the patients and their parents. She admonished them not to lose hope in God’s power to heal the kids of their sicknesses.
Also present were Dr. Grace Buckman, the Chief Executive Officer of Sonotech Medical and Diagnostic Centre; Ghana’s rep for Miss Universe 2023, Engracia Afua K. Mofuman; and Kwame Dadzie, the host of Showbiz A-Z on Joy FM.
Philip Nai and Friends is a charity project founded by Philip Nai, a philanthropist and one of Ghana’s astute and well-known producers at Joy FM, a subsidiary of The Multimedia Group.
Philip Nai and Friends is an annual project done mainly in collaboration with his friends from the media fraternity including celebrities and support from business and corporate Ghana to show love to the underprivileged by feeding, clothing, providing medical care and entertainment among others.
Philip Nai has for the past four years, led this project in various communities in Accra, every Christmas Eve and wishes to replicate same across the country in the coming years with all your support.
News
The Glow Up Season: Woman King, Crowned Queen of Miss Malaika Ghana 2024
The Miss Malaika Ghana 2024 pageant came to a spectacular end on Saturday, November 16 at the Palms Convention Centre in Accra.
After weeks of competition, 25-year-old Lucille Naakwaley King was crowned the winner in a dazzling finale that showcased beauty, talent, and female empowerment.
The glittering finale kicked off with co-host Bliss King introducing the top 10 contestants who came out in a spectacular display of cars by The Dream Collection, who ushered the ladies to the event in luxury cars, received on the red carpet amidst funfair and ultimately a grand entry unto the stage.
The ladies had a chance to showcase their poise and personality in a one-on-one conversation with the host, Regina Van-Helvert.
Based on votes accumulated leading up to the event, the field was then narrowed to the top 5 finalists: Marie. Delphine, Lucille, Cherise and Whitney.
In one of the most impactful segments of the night, the top 5 finalists delivered individual speeches on who their role model is, by highlighting their key achievements and how their journey inspires them on their path to becoming the women they aspire to be.
This portion gave insight into the contestants’ values, passions, and visions for creating positive change.
Lucille King chose Dr. Arikana Chihombori-Quao as her role model – an activist, diplomat, entrepreneur and founder of medical clinics.
In her impassioned speech, Lucille praised Dr. Chihombori-Quao’s many accomplishments, saying: “I want to say a big thank you, Dr Chihombori-Quoa. Thank you for proving that a woman can be many things at once. And for not only empowering me by what you say, but by what you do and who you are as a strong, female Pan-African advocate.”
This choice of role model highlighted Lucille’s own ambitions to be a multi-faceted leader and champion for women’s empowerment across Africa.
The Judging Panel
Selecting a winner from such an accomplished group of finalists was no easy task. The Miss Malaika Ghana 2024 judging panel consisted of respected figures from entertainment, business, and pageantry: Ama O. Sarpong – Miss Malaika 2010 winner, now an oil and gas professional, Trudy Arnold – Miss Malaika 2009 runner-up, now CEO of Studio 7, Chris Attoh – Actor, television presenter, producer and film director and Kojo Soboh – CEO and founder of EMY Africa and Carbon AV.
This diverse panel brought expertise from various fields to evaluate the contestants on beauty, intelligence, talent, and potential for impact.
Crowning the Queen
The final segment of the night was what many termed ‘the make or break’ point for the top 5 delegates. Where they were put on the spot and asked questions by the judges pertaining to their individual speeches.
A few minutes after the final delegate said ‘thank you for the question’ and proceeded with her response, the judges made the final and ultimate decision which answered the lingering question of ‘Who wins what’?
20-year-old Cherise Nana Ama was announced second runner up and 24-year-old Fiakegbe Marie Juniore was called as the first runner up.
Then came the big moment – Lucille Naakwaley King was crowned Miss Malaika Ghana 2024! As the audience erupted in cheers, Lucille gracefully accepted the crown and began her reign as the newest ambassador for the Miss Malaika Ghana brand.
The evening also featured a talent competition among three finalists selected during pre-judging: Lucille, Nakiya, and Marie.
This segment allowed the ladies to showcase skills beyond beauty and public speaking. Lucille wowed the crowd with an energetic salsa dance routine.
Her precise footwork, fluid hand movements, and magnetic stage presence earned her the title of Miss Talent, as determined by the judges. This additional award highlighted Lucille’s well-rounded abilities and star power.
Between competition segments, the audience was treated to spectacular musical performances from some of Ghana’s top artists: Camidoh, Olivetheboy, LalixLola and an incredible dance performance by Dancegodloyd and his crew.
These entertaining acts kept the energy high throughout the night and showcased Ghana’s vibrant music scene alongside its beautiful and talented women.
In a post-win interview, Lucille reflected on what being crowned Miss Malaika Ghana 2024 means to her.
‘’Winning the crown means more to me than many may think. It means that I can more rigorously fulfil my purpose in life- helping people. I have always wanted to make changes, and improve people’s lives, but until now, it has felt like an improbability task. I am so grateful for the platform to help others, and I am looking forward to doing so via my first project which is aimed at children with Autism and Down syndrome,” she said.
according to her, “These children are isolated, misunderstood, neglected, and sometimes even ridiculed. I want to help change this. I want people to realize how worthy of love, or at the very least, respect and dignity children with these conditions are. I want to share their stories, to humanize them and show the country that they are different, yes, but still worthy and valuable.
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Miss Malaika Ghana is one of the country’s most prestigious beauty pageants, organized annually by Charterhouse Productions. More than just a beauty contest, Miss Malaika Ghana aims to discover, nurture and promote talented young Ghanaian women.
The competition emphasizes: Intelligence and eloquence, leadership potential, commitment to community service, celebration of African beauty and culture amongst others.
Participants of Miss Malaika Ghana often go on to successful careers in business, media, and public service.
The pageant provides a launching pad for young women to make their mark on Ghana and beyond.
The 2024 edition of Miss Malaika Ghana was proudly brought to you by Club Shandy, JAC by Tryton Motors, Brussels Airlines, Big Blue Resort, The Pinnacle Apartments, Your Cruise People, airing on Joy Prime TV, GHOne TV, DGN TV, MX24 TV, LifeStyle TV, and powered by Charterhouse
