By Nelson Semanu BOANDOH-KORKOR & Elizabeth BOANDOH-KORKOR
“Christian businesspeople have survived and even prospered without the prophet till now. However, since the Holy Spirit has made known that now is the time for the army of the Lord to arise and possess the wealth of the world, the forces of the enemy have been greatly intensified against Christians who have dedicated their businesses to God for the up-building of God’s kingdom. Now, we will need greater supernatural assistance to make Christian businesses prosper. New legions of hell have been unleashed to stop the financial and material prosperity of the true church” – Dr. Bill Hamon, Author, Prophets & Personal Prophecy
Evelyn Akoto is a name synonymous with success and unyielding determination in the world of entrepreneurship. She’s not only my mother, but a living embodiment of the art of salesmanship. A contagious enthusiasm for sales flows in her veins, and her remarkable ability to sell practically anything she touches has left an indelible mark on my journey as an entrepreneur. Many of the triumphs I enjoy in my business ventures today owe their existence to her exceptional influence.
Mama Evelyn stands tall as one of the most captivating entrepreneurs I’ve ever had the privilege to encounter. During my formative years in primary education and junior high school, my mother was a force to be reckoned with at the bustling Kasoa Old Market in the heart of Ghana’s Central Region.
Our family was intricately woven into the fabric of her business endeavours. A point came when my father decided to step away from his job to throw his full weight behind our family enterprise. I vividly recall manoeuvring the ‘four tyre’ (quadricycle), as we affectionately called it, navigating from Kasoa Zongo to the market centre nearly every day of the week. On some occasions, this journey preceded our school hours. Since 1993, in Odukpongkpehe (Kasoa), my mother has taken the helm in the trade of smoked fish from the vast expanse of the Volta Lake. Her legacy persists as the founder and guiding light of this enterprise under the banner of the Odupongkpehe Market Retailers Association (OMRA).
The rigours of business led my parents to a sporadic presence in the church community, particularly my mother. Sundays, the traditional day of worship, coincided with the peak of sales activity. Her dedication to the business was unwavering, resulting in a slew of accomplishments that made her the envy of her peers in the market. Her table was an exquisite spread of assorted smoked fish, catering for the palates of the most influential figures in town. Her clientele and financial success stood as a testament to her prowess.
The once grand table laden with earnings became a hub where we’d gather to assist in counting her hard-earned gains. However, amid the triumphant crescendo of her business symphony, there emerged a silence—a void in her relationship with her faith. The clamour of success overshadowed her connection with her spiritual path, and this oversight allowed a breach for the forces of darkness to infiltrate. The consequences were profound, and the ensuing battle was no small feat. Divine intervention stepped in, rescuing my mother from the brink of peril. The miraculous preservation of my mother’s life stands as a testament to the power of faith and the strength to overcome adversity.
Mama Evelyn’s journey is an awe-inspiring tapestry of triumphs, challenges and redemption. Her indomitable spirit and unwavering dedication have sculpted a legacy that transcends commerce. Through her, I’ve learnt that success is a harmonious blend of business acumen and spiritual alignment. Her life’s narrative stands as a testament to the delicate balance between enterprise and faith, a lesson that I hold dear as I forge my own path in the world of entrepreneurship.
Lessons from business setbacks
Within the confines of time, where success and failure dance a delicate tango, there lies a chapter in the annals of my family’s life that echoes a powerful lesson—one that resonates beyond commerce, touching the very fabric of spirituality and resilience. It is a tale of business failures, adversity and unwavering faith personified by none other than my own mother, Evelyn Akoto.
The years spanning 1993 to 1999 bore witness to a remarkable ascent in my mother’s business journey. The smoked fish trade became a fruitful venture, yielding financial abundance. Yet, as the curtains fell on my junior high school years in April 1999, a sinister shadow cast itself upon our lives.
Intrigue and envy took root as a woman sowed discord, planting a malevolent substance at my mother’s market stall. Unbeknownst to her, this malicious act was born out of jealousy, an attempt to thwart her apparent prosperity. Our lack of spiritual safeguards rendered my mother vulnerable to this malefic assault, leading her into a web of affliction.
The assault began subtly—itching toes that blossomed into festering sores, afflicting her entire body. The agony robbed her of basic human functions, reducing her to helplessness. The flourishing trade began to wither, as customers dwindled and the family faced unprecedented turmoil. Despite my elder sisters’ valiant efforts to salvage the business, the harm was done and the consequences reverberated.
In the wake of her affliction, my mother’s ailment painted a grim picture—financial crisis, dashed dreams and the looming spectre of adversity. Yet, in the midst of this tempest, I embarked on my education at Bishop Herman College, a beacon of hope amid the tempestuous sea of challenges. The path was arduous, but a new-found faith and resilience buoyed me onward.
I navigated the ardent waters of academia, threading between attending to customers at the market and fervent study sessions. The burden was formidable, but faith served as an unwavering anchor, and the light of a new birth experience illuminated my path.
Scripture attests that all things work together for good for those who love God, and this was vividly illustrated in my mother’s journey. Despite the ravages of adversity, a silver lining emerged—a renewed sense of purpose, an unwavering determination to transcend circumstances.
In the face of adversity, my family was thrust into a spiritual and medical odyssey, desperately seeking answers and healing. Medical centres faltered, but spiritual healers unearthed a grim of truth—an orchestrated spiritual attack aimed at my mother’s thriving business. What followed was a decade-long battle, a test of endurance marked by deprivation, suffering and perseverance.
Hunger, hardship and despair became uninvited guests, casting a shadow over our existence. Yet, amid the bleakness, a flame of resilience burned bright. My unwavering commitment to education, fuelled by divine grace, forged a path forward.
This journey bears a vital lesson: business is not merely transactions and profit margins; it’s a spiritual battlefield where success can give way to adversity. My mother’s trials emphasise the importance of intertwining spirituality with enterprise. A stark reminder that success can render us complacent, blinding us to the necessity of spiritual fortification.
Business, akin to warfare, demands spiritual armour. Ignorance of the enemy’s tactics only grants him advantage. The tale of my mother’s triumph over adversity underscores the importance of integrating faith into business, of recognising that prosperity without spiritual protection is a fragile illusion.
As we journey through the intricacies of commerce, let us glean from this saga a poignant reminder that in business and life, the fortitude of spirit is as vital as the acumen of trade.
“Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.” (2 Corinthians 2:11 KJV)
Nelson Semanu Boandoh-Korkor is a distinguished figure, acclaimed as an Author, Publishing Consultant, Christian Business Coach, and a fervent Financial Evangelist. Nelson is a forex trader, cryptocurrency investor and metaverse enthusiast.
Elizabeth Boandoh-Korkor (CA) is an accomplished Chartered Accountant with extensive experience as a Financial Management Consultant, spanning close to two decades in both the not-for-profit and banking sectors. You can reach out to them on +233549762233 or [email protected]
