Cultural Pride Surges in Ghana After President Faces Online Ridicule

Ghanaians are embracing their traditional fugu smocks with renewed pride after social media users mocked President John Dramani Mahama for wearing the colorful garment during a diplomatic visit. The country's Tourism Minister has declared Wednesdays as "Fugu Day" to celebrate the cultural heritage, leading to increased sales and production of the handwoven traditional clothing.

ACCRA, Ghana (AP) — Along a bustling street in downtown Accra, Clement Azaabire displays carefully crafted fugu smocks on clotheslines, their vibrant striped patterns dancing in the wind. Azaabire has spent a decade and a half proudly marketing these garments that represent his northern Ghanaian heritage. Today, they’ve become the center of national conversation.

A growing number of Ghanaians are embracing these vibrant traditional garments with renewed enthusiasm following a wave of internet criticism.

When Ghana’s President John Dramani Mahama traveled to Zambia in early February dressed in traditional fugu attire, social media critics responded with mockery. Ghanaians rallied to protect what they viewed as their valuable cultural legacy, leading Tourism Minister Abla Dzifa Gomashie to establish Wednesdays as official “Fugu Day.”

Following the February 10th “Fugu Day” announcement, increasing numbers of people have adopted the smock for Wednesday workwear and beyond. Merchants like Azaabire report completely depleted inventory.

“It makes me feel connected to where I come from,” explained businessman Wango Abdul Karim, who dons fugu attire every Wednesday at his workplace.

Ghana enjoys international recognition for its sophisticated fashion culture and centuries-old textile traditions, with traditional smock production historically centered in northern regions where weaving techniques pass between generations.

The fugu smock achieved historical significance in March 1957 when Ghana’s founding President Kwame Nkrumah selected it for the nation’s independence celebration. Currently, it appears at cultural festivals, government events, and modern fashion collections.

Known regionally as batakari, this comfortable fugu garment consists of hand-woven cotton strips assembled into a flowing robe, typically worn over pants with a coordinating hat. Artisans traditionally create the fabric using narrow looms throughout Ghana’s northern grasslands, incorporating distinctive patterns and stitch counts that identify specific regions.

Academic research traces its origins to commercial and population movements throughout West Africa, incorporating elements from Mossi and Hausa cultures. The term batakari originates from Hausa language meaning “outer gown,” while fugu translates to cloth in Mossi dialect. The garment historically symbolizes status among chiefs, fighters, and community officials, with particular designs designated for ceremonial occasions.

Inside Accra’s Arts and Crafts Centre, Moses Adibasa carefully feeds woven strips through his sewing machine, stopping to manually position the narrow sections before joining them.

After nearly twenty years creating traditional smocks professionally, he anticipates positive outcomes from the “Fugu Day” initiative.

“It will benefit those selling thread, those weaving and those of us sewing,” Adibasa explained.

At her Accra workspace, fashion designer Perfectual Linnan, who established Roots by Linnan, transforms fugu material into contemporary jackets, pants, and shirts suitable for daily use. She represents an emerging generation of designers integrating traditional fabrics into current styles.

“We want to show that you can wear the northern fabric in different ways,” she explained. “If you’re not into the traditional smock, you can still carry a piece of culture with you.”

While traditional looms continue producing the clothing, many artisans now depend on foreign yarn because of insufficient domestic cotton cultivation.

The “Fugu Day” initiative has created increased demand and additional challenges for smock producers, many struggling to expand output, according to Abigail Naki Gabor, secretary of Ghana’s smock weavers and sellers association.

Government investment could provide solutions, Gabor suggested. “Using our hands slows the process and limits our ability to be productive. We need industrial machines,” she stated.

Beyond “Fugu Day,” Ghana is developing an expanded “Wear Ghana” initiative promoting domestic fashion and cultural identity through planned trade shows, according to Ghana Tourism Authority representative Kofi Atta Kakra Kusi.

Returning to her Accra studio, Linnan emphasizes respectful treatment of the smock despite its labor-intensive production requirements.

“It is a careful, intentional process,” she states. “If we treat it only as a commodity and not as heritage, we lose something important.”