Ghanaian gospel musician and scriptwriter, Joseph Mensah, has recalled how an elder of a church embarrassed him, claiming he smelled bad.
Speaking on Adom TV’s The Journey with host Abena Ghana, he said it was one of the most embarrassing moments of his career that helped shape him into the refined man he is today.
“I remember one time after I had ministered at church, an elder called me, and when I approached, he told me, ‘gentleman, when you are coming to church, get some deodorant and apply it to your armpit and also add perfume to it’. He told me the odor emanating from me was so bad,” he recounted.
Despite the elder’s unsolicited advice, Joseph Mensah stated that he continued attending church and ministering.
“I could not have been bothered because it is human nature.” If he knew the situation I was facing, he would have known that is the least of my problems.
“I had body odor yet when song ministry is going wrong, those same elders will come and call me to mount the podium to save the situation, so why should his statement break me?” he added.
Mensah admitted to struggling with personal hygiene and barely having a roof over his head, with the one he managed being a disaster during rainfall periods.
He added that he often slept on an empty stomach to save money to record a demo.
However, his efforts were not in vain, as he met a music engineer who offered to help him record most of his songs, including his first album, which propelled him into the spotlight.
Joseph Mensah emphasized the importance of perseverance and determination, urging upcoming musicians to be focused on their goals and not let discouragement deter them.