Zuu
Ghanaian digital content creator, storyteller and entrepreneur Zuu, real name Zulfiquer Gbedemah, has raised concerns over what he describes as a gradual erosion of Ghanaian culture, urging the youth to hold on to the things that make the country unique.
In a video that has sparked conversation online, Zuu said Ghana is losing parts of its language, fashion, and music to foreign influence, particularly through social media and globalisation.
“It feels like we are losing our Ghanaianness. I know that’s not a word, but try and understand what I’m saying. It feels like we are losing parts of our culture, parts of our language, parts of our fashion. So many things have changed, and I guess it’s because of social media, because of globalisation.”
The content creator said he has nothing against Nigeria and South Africa, but noted that their cultural exports are becoming dominant in Ghana.
Zuu also lamented the decline of distinctly Ghanaian sounds and styles.
“With music, music is another issue. We used to have things that were so Ghanaian, like Azonto. Highlife has been watered down. There’s so many things that don’t feel Ghanaian anymore, and I think it’s sad,” he stressed.
On fashion, he said global trends are overtaking local identity, but expressed hope that Ghanaian food culture will remain strong.
“The food, Ghanaians don’t play with food, so I feel like that food thing is still gonna be Ghanaian for a while,” he added.
Zuu expressed particular worry about the younger generation’s inability to speak local Ghanaian languages, including himself, saying, “A lot of us in the younger generation cannot speak. Myself included, are not fluent in any local Ghanaian languages. I think it’s very sad. I think it’s something that we need to really pay attention to and work on, or else we’re really going to lose ourselves.”
He concluded with a call to action: “Let’s save ourselves. Let’s save our culture. Let’s save Ghana. Otherwise we’re going to be washed away. It will just be some regular people in the world that nobody really pays attention to.”
By Prince Fiifi Yorke