A number of Ghanaians took to various social media platforms to criticize the group for the post which they felt suggested that women who cook for their husbands were slaves.

Others also jumped to the group’s defence, backing the post and stating that the traditional roles of women needed to be redefined.

Few weeks after the brouhaha, the group has now issued a statement arguing that the initial post on social media had been misquoted and taken out of context.

“We wish to reference one particular angle which has been falsely attributed to PDM. This is that cooking for your husband is slavery and those who do so are slaves. We wish to categorically state that PDM has never made this statement, doesn’t share this opinion and does not align with it nor endorses it,” the statement said.

According to them, the post stated that “If you want to praise your slaving or hardworking or loving wife, whatever adjective you find suitable, pls go ahead without suggesting that she defines what womanhood totally entails.”

The group, which is focused on rewriting gender narratives, believes that the originator of the post did not seek to suggest that women who cooked for their spouses were slaves, but rather advised people not to “use the choices their wives make to set standards for all other women.”

The statement added that the group’s main objective is to ensure “balance and fairness” in the society, adding that many members and sympathizers of the group “support their homes and take delight in cooking for their families.”

The group also called on persons and media organisations with dissenting views to desist from spreading propaganda about them and instead work towards the “progress and build both women and men to treat each other with dignity”

Below is the full statement from the group:

Statement by Pepper Dem Ministries on the wrongful attribution of statement “cooking is slavery”.

In the last few weeks, there have been discussions on social media, television and radio pertaining to cooking from different angles.

We wish to reference one particular angle which has been falsely attributed to PDM. This is that cooking for your husband is slavery and those who do so are slaves. We wish to categorically state that PDM has never made this statement, doesn’t share this opinion and does not align with it nor endorses it.

Below is the statement which we believe has been twisted by propagandists on various media platforms:

“If you want to praise your slaving or hardworking or loving wife, whatever adjective you find suitable, pls go ahead without suggesting that she defines what womanhood totally entails.”

To help clarify the meaning of the post in question, we’d like to share some definitions:

A. “SLAVING” defined from the Urban dictionary is

i. Putting in overtime hours to get work done when you are getting paid on salary. And thus working for free.

B. “SLAVERY” defined on Google

i. Is the practice or system of owning slaves. or

ii. a condition of having to work very hard without proper remuneration or appreciation.

Clearly, “slaving”and “slavery”are not synonymous, plus the contextual meaning of slaving used in the sentence doesn’t suggest that cooking is slavery not to mention that cooking for your husband or family is slavery.

If you have followed us keenly, PDM’s goal is to promote choice, agency, balance and fairness. PDM has members, supporters and allies who support their homes and take delight in cooking for their families.

We believe that our member’s post suggesting that people shouldn’t use the choices their wives make to set standards for all other women has been taken out of context and a storm created unnecessarily out of this.

As an organization, we understand that adults can and should take decisions that work for them and also honour the dignity of both parties.

As we approach the International Women’s Month, we ask that we all work for progress and build both women and men to treat each other with dignity, especially to make commitments to train our daughters and sons for the challenging dynamics of the future in order to be useful in all spheres of their lives.

We would like to entreat media houses to act professionally and check stories before they run amok with it and create storms out of tea cups and send the whole country on a wild goose chase with time that could have been used profitably to pursue progressive gender conversations.

Media houses and people who do not agree with us must desist from these propaganda.

We are always available to confirm any statements we make to the press whenever they do their checks on the news of the day

Thank you.

Signed:

Communications and Media Team

Pepper Dem Ministries

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By: citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post We never said cooking by women is slavery – Pepper Dem clarifies stance appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The group lauded the 20-year-old singer for living her dreams and urged Ghanaians to learn from her life.

[contextly_sidebar id=”vRDjXU09l7s1k1DgewtHgI4KBrp3RsOp”]”As an organization, we are deeply saddened but also encouraged by her life and career, no matter how short it may have been. Ebony was a young, vibrant and purposed lady whose daring take on life provides a unique example for many young Ghanaian women,” the group said in a statement.

The group added that “Ebony embodied our goals effortlessly in her own way and held a dear spot in our hearts. She spoke, sang and performed on our behalf and on that of many young Ghanaian women in very unique ways.”

“Through her singing, she probed, questioned, challenged and made all of us uncomfortable with our social conventions in subtle ways. She dared to be different, free and true to herself. She owned her happiness in a world that prescribed happiness, especially for women.”

Ebony, whose real name is Priscilla Opoku-Kwarteng, was returning from Sunyani after visiting her mother who had returned from the UK, when the Jeep she was travelling in crashed into railings on the road edge of the road at Mankranso in the Ashanti Region.

Ebony was travelling with three other people when the accident occurred, killing everyone but the driver.

Find below the full statement

PEPPER DEM MINISTRIES STATEMENT ON THE PASSING ON OF EBONY REIGNS.

We stand in mourning with the good people of Ghana on the shocking demise of the fast and promising Ghanaian female artist, Ebony Reigns.

Ebony lost her life in a gory accident on Thursday, Feb 8 and that day will forever remain a Black Thursday for us at Pepper Dem Ministries and for many Ghanaians.

As an organization, we are deeply saddened but also encouraged by her life and career, no matter how short it may have been.

Ebony was a young, vibrant and purposed lady whose daring take on life provides a unique example for many young Ghanaian women.

She constantly challenged and disrupted the status quo, this encourages us to do even more.

We will like to extend our deepest condolences to her family especially her father who played an undeniable role in her successful career. Our sincere condolences also goes to her management, friends and loved ones and also to the family and friends of Franky and Lance Corporal Atsu who also lost their lives alongside Ebony.

As devastating as this loss is, we would like to encourage all Ghanaians to learn from Ebony’s life.

Ebony took charge of her dreams at a very early stage in unconventional ways, dropping out of school to pursue her passion. And while at it, she never for once gave in to the backlash that seemed to surpass her support.

In all of this, Ebony held on to the quality and goodwill of her fan base and persevered.
But for this unfortunate incident, she stood the chance of enjoying a very promising career in Ghana and beyond.

As an organization whose gender advocacy focuses on toxic gender narratives and stereotypes, Ebony embodied our goals effortlessly in her own way and held a dear spot in our hearts. She spoke, sang and performed on our behalf and on that of many young Ghanaian women in very unique ways.

Through her singing, she probed, questioned, challenged and made all of us uncomfortable with our social conventions in subtle ways. She dared to be different, free and true to herself. She owned her happiness in a world that prescribed happiness, especially for women.

As an organization, we’d like to bask in her contribution to the cause and carry on with the work she’s began.

Ebony will forever remain in our hearts, we soldier on knowing an ancestor came and lived amongst us.

Ebony, Damirifa due.
Due. Due Ne Amanehunu.

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By: citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Pepper Dem Ministries eulogises Ebony appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.