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Naomi Osaka is a 23-year-old Japanese tennis player who, despite being a four-time Grand Slam singles champion and the defending champion of the US Open, is famously recognized for refusing to participate in the French Open press conferences in May 2021.

From Hero To Villain Overnight

Osaka is a pioneer in her field. Yet, many individuals, including public figures, turned against Osaka after her media boycott. Piers Morgan called her an “arrogant spoiled brat,” while Oliver Brown, a sportswriter for the Telegraph, accused her of “diva behavior.” Osaka later pulled out of the competition.

Since then, Osaka has come under more scrutiny, following her Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue and her Netflix documentary, which hit screens on July 16. Clay Travis, Fox Sports Radio host, called her a hypocrite, tweeting that Osaka says she’s too introverted to talk to the media, but she can launch a reality show and be on the cover of Sports Illustrated. American journalist Megyn Kelly and Piers Morgan echoed Travis’ remarks.

In many ways, these recent moves by Osaka are textbook examples of “if you can’t beat them, join them.” When the tennis star refused to speak to reporters, people were confused: isn’t she a media personality? The answer was always no, but if people turned against her for her lack of media presence, why not do the opposite in the future? The Piers Morgans of the world wouldn’t have a problem with that — that’s what they wanted.

Alas, they did. However, for the 99%, those of us who watched journalists rip into Osaka, her recent moves, particularly her Netflix documentary, could prove vital in the global support she receives as she charges toward the podium at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Redemption At The Olympics

If you follow tennis, then you know that, despite the negative attention Osaka has received this year, she’s still a favorite to take home the gold at the women’s singles tennis tournament. Osaka will represent Japan —the country has online sports betting odds of 29/10 to win over 55 medals at the event— instead of the United States. She relinquished her American citizenship in 2019.

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For those who don’t follow tennis, watching Osaka on the big screen could be a wake-up call that the media’s character assassination is unjust. Osaka’s documentary offers insight into the life of a young biracial woman, navigating triumphs and tough decisions as she makes history as the first Asian tennis player to be ranked number one.

It’s not unreasonable to think people with no prior interest in tennis and who only know Osaka because of the headlines will watch the series and support her throughout the Olympics. After all, if there’s one thing people love, it’s sports documentaries, as evidenced by The Last Dance series being watched by 23.8 million users outside of the US in its first four weeks.

Naomi Osaka is going into the Olympics as a gold medalist favorite in the tennis community and a villain in the media. However, I’m confident her recent ventures will be an eye-opener for bandwagon bullies, and she could become a fan favorite at this year’s event.

A United States State Department data reveals about 4 million Americans live abroad. About a half-million Social Security checks are annually sent overseas and the number is growing. Each month, more than 20,000 Americans cross the border on their way to establishing homes to the south.

Why Retiring Overseas

Some people are planning to buy a small condo in Arizona and grow vegetables in the winter months. Or they could perhaps move to Panama and live in an affordable house near the rain forest and grow orchids.

Live Large by Paying Less

In Ecuador, Nicaragua, Honduras, Ghana, Thailand, or the Philippines, it is possible to live on somewhere around $20,000 or much less a year very comfortably along with enjoying a life with Rummy, Singapore, Malaysia and Ghana gambling industry. Many people can afford luxuries in developing countries that you couldn’t in the U.S.

Health Care and Other Benefits

Health care is the biggest concern for seniors and retirees. Author Barry Golson writes Europe and Latin America medical care, health insurance, hospital facilities, medical procedures or nursing-home care are comparatively more affordable. In many Latin American countries, retirees have privileges ranging from special residence visas to deep discounts on taxes, lodging, and transportation.

Volunteering – Finding Meaning in Retirement

Many people find meaning through volunteer activities abroad. Volunteering is fun and enjoyable. It is a great way to learn about the adopted country, to become part of the community and to give something back to society — teach English as a second language, look after orphans, join the rainforest conservation program, and so on.

Reasons Not to Retire Abroad

There are a few things to consider before moving abroad. How do you feel if you are separated from your family? Are you willing to learn the new language and adapt to the different culture and food? Do you easily get annoyed with long lines and lots of paperwork? Do you have something to do in your adopted country, such as a hobby, passion or job? Sitting on the beach and sipping a drink can make you old fast.

Retired People Struggle as the Average Cost of Living Rises

The over-60’s used to regard retirement as a time to relax and unwind, but money problems mean that this is no longer the case for many retired people. The average cost of living has been steadily rising at the very time that retirement incomes are falling. This has meant that increasing numbers of retired people are struggling with money problems and personal debt. To make matters worse, many over-60’s aren’t claiming state benefits, such as guaranteed pension credits, housing benefit and carers allowance because they don’t realise that they are available.

Average Cost of Living Increases Affect Retired People Disproportionately

The Office of National Statistics (ONS) found that households run by over-75’s spent 40 per cent of their weekly expenditure of £218 on gas and electricity, food, housing and council tax in 2007. However, those falling into the 65 to 74 age group spent only 30 per cent. A report in January 2009 by the Institute of Fiscal Studies showed that the average cost of living is rising at 5.4 per cent for over 60’s. The average cost of living is only increasing at 0.5 per cent for other age groups, thus explaining why money problems affect over 60’s more than others.

Whilst retired people have often paid-off their mortgage or enjoy lower rental payments, the cost of other household bills tends to be a lot higher for over-60’s. Increasing gas and electricity bills, higher food costs and increased social expenditure mean that many retired people struggle with money problems. An increasing reliance on credit cards and personal overdrafts has increased levels of personal debt for over-60’s.

Household Bills vs. Retirement Income for Over-60’s

According to a 2009 Prudential survey, UK workers are due to receive a retirement income of £17,779 per annum. This represents a fall of £884 compared to 2008; the reduction in retirement income can be largely attributed to falling interest rates on personal savings. The national average salary is £24,908 meaning that retired people receive £7,129 less. Whilst retired people have more time on their hands and incur higher gas and electric bills, household incomes are 29 per cent lower.

Fuel Poverty for the Over-60’s

A recent study by Age concern found that 22 per cent of over-70’s are living in fuel poverty compared to only 6 per cent of the population as a whole. Money problems have been exacerbated by rising gas and electricity costs and the fact that the elderly are at home for longer and feel the cold more. The £200 winter fuel payment used to cover 35 per cent of the average gas and electric bill, but it now only covers 20 per cent. This has placed an added strain on household bills for over-60’s.

Retired People Fail to Claim State Benefits

According to Age Concern, over-60’s fail to claim an estimated £4.6 billion in state benefits, such as pension credit, housing benefit and carers allowance, each year. Retired people fail to claim state benefits because they don’t realize they are available; other seniors are worried by the lengthy and complicated forms. Pension credit guarantees a weekly income for retired people of £189.35 per week. Other seniors are entitled to carers allowance or exemption from council tax. Access to these benefits can help over-60’s avoid crippling money problems.

Retired people can tackle personal debt and boost retirement income. Charities, such as age concern, will help over-60’s perform an assessment of state benefit entitlements. This can lead to pension credit, housing benefit, council tax exemption or even carers allowance for those with disabilities. This can help over-60’s cope with increases in the average cost of living and prevent money problems.

Individuals that have signed-up to credit agreements prior to April 2007 should check to see whether an illegal credit card or unenforceable loan agreement is in place. This could lead to the debt being written-off and any adverse credit entries being removed.

The birth of the influencer is a relatively new phenomenon in today’s social media savvy world. Ghana has plenty of representation in this area, as Ghanaian influencers continue to inspire people globally. Some of them might champion a variety of movements and positive messages, while others might simply report on showbiz news and the odd bit of gossip. Essentially, the types of influencers people can follow online is vast in terms of what they cover and the content they share.  

Not every influencer is conducting themselves properly online, though, as Linus Williams recently shared in a video. As with most industries, you do get the occasional unscrupulous person who abuses their power, but on the whole, the influencers from this side of the pond offer positivity and an all-around beneficial experience to their thousands or millions of followers. 

The rise of the influencer has certainly coincided with the improvements made in our smartphone devices. Social media platforms can now be housed on most modern-day devices, which, in turn, enables people to dip in and out of their Instagram or Twitter profiles whenever they get a moment. Gone are the days when people were only sending text messages or answering calls, instead conducting banking queries, playing the very best online casino games, and hanging on the words of their favourite influencers. The power some of these online personalities have is huge and, on the whole, is used in a positive manner. 

With Ghanaian influencers reaching more and more people on a daily basis, here is a look at a selection of some of the biggest personalities. 

Emelia Brobbey

With over 3.3 million followers on Instagram at the time of writing, Emelia Brobbey is clearly doing something right. Describing herself as an entertainer, humanitarian and television host, Brobbey champions positivity and strives to educate the community on a variety of important issues. Brobbey is one of the thousands of influencers in the country who are making a genuine difference. 

Ameyaw Debrah 

Influencers in Ghana don’t get much bigger than Ameyaw Debrah. An entertainment and lifestyle blogger, influencer, and social media marketer, Debrah has founded his own website, which offers people insights into a variety of news. A graduate from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology with a bachelor’s degree in publishing, Debrah has a reported reach of over two million people on all of his social media profiles. 

Mona Montrage

Mona Montrage’s rise has been quite phenomenal. Amassing over 3.1 million followers so far, her audience spans across the world. Generally posting about fashion, modelling, styling, celebrities, design, hair and beauty, Montrage is an instantly recognisable face in Ghana as she continues to offer her audience of millions useful tips and advice while empowering women along the way too. 

Maxwell Odonkor

In terms of promoting change, influencers arguably don’t get much bigger than Maxwell Odonkor. An entrepreneur, philanthropist, and youth activist, Odonkor tackles the issues most people ignore and is on an admirable mission to find solutions to some of Africa’s biggest problems. He’s the founder of World Inspiring Network, alongside a whole host of other work. 

Okyeame Kwame

A climate change ambassador and activist, Okyeame Kwame has a large following of over 2.1 million on Instagram as he continues to promote change and spread a variety of worthwhile messages with his massive community of followers. Alongside educating the masses, he also posts about music, celebrities, film, music, and books. 

Other Ghanaian influencers who are continuing to inspire Africans all over the world are Angela Akua, Maxwell Pomeyie, Andy Opoku Dwomoh, Serwaa Amihere, Bismark thejoke, and Kafui Danku. 

Retail therapy has been a significant stress reliever during the pandemic. People have been locked up in their houses most of 2020 and 2021. But E-commerce has flourished, and people have indulged in online shopping, be it for essentials, comfort, or even for pleasure. Here are some items showing us how shopping helped people tide over the pandemic. 

Jewelry and Watches

There has been a considerable surge in the purchase of jewelry and watches, according to jewelry retailer The Pearl Source. Increases in sales for watches ranging from $50K-$100K have seen a sales rise of 48% from 2019 to 2020. At the same time, the jewelry industry has experienced a surge of 106% from March 2020 to March 2021. With the economy taking a downward plunge, these items have become affordable, but luxury brands have soared in business. Whether as an investment or as a fashion accessory, jewelry has been the top choice for gifting.   Fitness has also been a priority for many people, and therefore smart watches with fitness monitors have sold like hotcakes. 

Shoes

Home fitness has become an in-thing with people becoming more health-conscious about the sedentary lifestyle of work-from-home. Walks and runs have also been more popular since these regimes do not need one to be in crowded spaces. Shoes, therefore, especially sports shoes, have been amongst the most bought items during the pandemic. With excess cash reserves and fewer places to spend, people have invested heavily in shoes. Athleisure sales have seen an 84% rise in sales since the beginning of the pandemic. 

Gadgets

With work-from-home, online classes, and lockdown blues, laptops, tablets, and smart wearables have been on every household’s shopping list. These items are man’s best friend during the pandemic, whether as a necessity or for status or leisure. Entertainment was also restricted to screens. Smart wearables like ear-pods, smart watches, Google-eye, etc., helped individuals tide over the complexities and boredom of life within four walls. 

Home furnishing

Though deliveries and installations were not readily available, many families made most of the time they got home to refurbish. Furniture, mattresses, curtains, paintings, glassware, etc., were purchased to beautify the home. Since people started spending more time at home, they looked to maximize beauty as well as comfort. 

Alcohol

A lot of drinkers stocked up on alcohol. It could have been due to the fear of unavailability or simply lack of entertainment. Sadly, depression has also been a significant part of the pandemic, and alcohol consumption has risen considerably. Beers, wine, spirits, and other alcohol were bought in bulk online with the help of delivery services. The e-commerce D2C wine sales have seen a surge of 153.4% from 2019 to 2020. 

Conclusion

The pandemic has been a huge spirit dampener for most of the world. But people have done whatever possible to keep their spirits high and fight the virus. It’s been tough being indoors and living in complex situations, but shopping seems to have been good therapy for many. Here is how shopping helped people tide over the pandemic.  

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