Celestine Donkor
Popular Gospel singer, Celestine Donkor, has issued an apology for remarks she made about Ewe surnames during an interview on TV3.
The comments, which were intended as a light-hearted joke, sparked backlash on social media, for seemingly mocking the Ewe culture.
During the interview, Celestine joked about her Ewe surname and mentioned that she had prayed for a husband with a ‘lighter’ surname to avoid the ‘heavy’ Ewe names common in her culture.
The host, Cookie Tee, whose real name is Shirelly Emma Tibilla, agreed, adding that she also preferred not to marry someone with a difficult-to-pronounce Ewe name.
However, these comments did not sit well with many viewers, who criticised the duo for making a mockery of Ewe names. In response to the criticism, Celestine Donkor posted an apology video on her social media on May 15, 2024, expressing regret for her statements and reaffirming her pride in her Ewe heritage.
“I granted an interview on Today’s Woman on TV3, and when I discovered the host Cookie Tee is an Ewe, I just got excited, and we started joking about the heaviness of our Ewe surnames. It was just a joke that came up in a conversation,” Celestine explained.
“To my surprise, from all the comments I’ve read so far, it turns out to be a bad joke, an expensive joke. And who am I? I’m just human. Most of the time, when we go on these interviews, as much as we have a pure heart and a clear mind, it’s not everything you say that will be pleasing to somebody, and so I’m sorry,” she added.
Celestine emphasised her deep respect for the Ewe language, referring to it as a spiritual language spoken in heaven. She encouraged her followers to view the incident as a learning experience and thanked them for their constructive feedback.
“And this will in no way tarnish my pride as an Ewe. I have proven over the years in my music journey that I am a very, very proud Ewe. And absolutely nothing is going to change that fact. Anyone who has truly followed me knows that I’m very proud of it.
“With love and respect to all of you, I take all the comments in good faith. I interpret them as an expression of your love. Those who love you are those who correct you when you’re wrong. So thank you so much and I’ll keep doing my best,” she concluded.