Mahama’s Fugu Sparks Ghana-Zambia Social Media Row
Ghana and Zambia are having a lively social media debate over President John Mahama’s Fugu outfit he wore during his three-day state visit to Zambia, where he is engaging in high-level diplomatic meetings and strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries.
Zambians initially mocked the traditional Ghanaian attire, comparing it to a blouse and questioning whether President Mahama borrowed it from his wife, Lordina Mahama.
However, Ghanaians quickly jumped to President Mahama’s defence, educating Zambians about the cultural significance of the Fugu, a traditional smock from northern Ghana.
Some Zambians joked that the Fugu looked like a “top dress” or a “blouse,” with one user, @David Chitundu, saying “it seems like the entire 6 meters of chitenge fabric was for Mahama alone.”
Popular Ghanaian content creator and YouTuber, Wode Maya, expressed strong displeasure over comments made by some Zambians concerning the attire worn by President Mahama.
In a post on his X page, he stated, “Dear Zambians, the outfit worn by our President is not a BLOUSE. It is a Ghanaian traditional attire known as FUGU, also called Batakari. Our President is intentionally promoting the local garment industry both within and beyond our borders, unlike your President, whose suit is not African. It is unfortunate that many of you, despite having access to smartphones and the internet, still choose to remain ignorant.”
Deputy CEO, Ghana Tourism Authority, Abeiku Santana, also seized the opportunity to educate the Zambian community on the cultural importance of Fugu. Parts of the post he made on X read, “Kwame Nkrumah wore African cloth while declaring that we are capable of managing our own affairs. We must trade among ourselves, produce what we consume, add value to our resources, respect our culture, and project pride in who we are. Development starts with mindset. Culture is power. Identity is strength. Self-belief is development.”
Currently, on various social media platforms, many Ghanaians including Deputy Finance Minister, Thomas Ampem Nyarko, Wode Maya, Abeiku Santana, content creator Kwadwo Sheldon, Deputy Minister of Roads and Highways, Alhassan Saibu Suhuyini have flooded social media with photos of themselves in Fugu, in solidarity with President Mahama.
BY Prince Fiifi Yorke