Ghanaian Administrator Obuobia Opoku-Darko, speaking at her 49th birthday thanksgiving, has shared a deeply personal account of the financial difficulties she faced following the 2012 parliamentary election in the Weija-Gbawe Constituency. According to her, the immediate aftermath of the defeat exposed her to a significant shift in circumstances, including a period of substantial financial strain. ‘When we lost the 2012 one, at a point in time we couldn’t even buy pre-paid credit for the house because there was no money,’ she stated, emphasizing the stark reality of their situation. This experience, she explained, marked a fundamental change in her life. She recounted a period where her household struggled to meet basic needs due to the lack of funds. Speaking to a group of people at the service, Ms. Opoku-Darko recalled how her home, traditionally a hub for community gatherings and assistance, suddenly became quiet. ‘Ordinarily by 4:30 a.m. my gate is full. They come with all sorts of stories. They come with all sorts of stories, and I had to help,’ she said. She added, ‘We’d often get requests for assistance, and when I didn’t have it, I had to borrow to help.’ The experience, she emphasized, fundamentally altered her perspective on relationships, particularly when political influence and the attention it often brings are absent. ‘That is life. In your times of despair, in the times that you wake up and you feel that you need that warm hug, you need that one person that can say a word to you, just to calm you down, just to let you know that you are not alone, my dear. I am here with you,’ she affirmed. She also highlighted the significance of faith, stating that moments like this can reveal who is genuinely available to offer support when circumstances become difficult. ‘In those times, in those times, who do you find? Who is that person that will lend that shoulder?’ She continued, ‘I said such moments can reveal who is genuinely available to offer support when circumstances become difficult.’ She explained that such experiences often serve as a reminder of her faith. ‘And in those times, that’s when you remember your God. And that’s why this morning I ask you, where is your God?’ Ms. Opoku-Darko stated her intention was to use this experience to encourage those listening to reflect on where they turn for support when they face difficult moments. ‘And I’m going to take you through exactly what I have here, and by the time I am done, I’m sure you will understand, and you will answer that question before you leave here. You will know where your God is.’ She challenged people to consider how they were replenishing their own emotional and personal resources while dealing with the demands of everyday life. ‘You may see me all smiles every day, jumping around, organising my mentees, planning who is going where, what’s happening to this one, doing all sorts of things. One way or the other, everybody needs help. We need to look for help for them.’ She questioned whether people who constantly turn to others for assistance ever stop to consider the difficulties those people may themselves be facing. ‘But I ask, has anybody thought how I feel? What are my issues? What am I going through?’ She said people can become so accustomed to receiving help from someone that they fail to recognize when that person is also in need of support. ‘You just simply keep pouring out. You are always pouring out, and I’m telling you, you will be empty soon.’ She concluded that people who continually support others must also seek support for themselves. ‘You need a refill. Who is going to help you with that refill? Who is going to help you with that refill? And then you throw your hands up in despair.’ She cited various pressures people face, including financial obligations, business difficulties, and relationship problems. ‘The kids are going to school, you are looking for school fees, your chop money, your business is down, your marriage is some way, your relationship is some way, and all you keep doing is that you keep pouring out.’ She concluded that people who continually support others must also seek support for themselves. ‘You need a refill. Who is going to help you with that refill? Who is going to help you with that refill? And then you throw your hands up in despair.’ She therefore challenged people to consider what they were doing to replenish their own emotional and personal resources while dealing with the demands of everyday life. ‘So, what are you doing to fill that cup that you keep pouring out?’ She cited the various pressures people face, including financial obligations, business difficulties and problems in relationships. “You just simply keep pouring out. You are always pouring out, and I’m telling you, you will be empty soon.” She concluded that people who continually support others must also seek support for themselves. ‘You need a refill. Who is going to help you with that refill? Who is going to help you with that refill? And then you throw your hands up in despair.’
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Source: MyJoyOnline
