On several occasions, some Ghanaian celebrities have accused Ghanaians on media platforms for not patronizing their products or services.
They put their case in one of these forms: “they (the fans) will say Hiphop is not a Ghanaian genre of music but they are the same people who patronize Hiphop songs by Jay-Z, 50 Cent, Chingy and others,” “they criticize Ghanaian movies for being fraught with guns and bloody scenes but they are the same people who watch and appreciate Hollywood movies with the same scenes,” “they play foreign musicians songs without taking any money from them but they take monies from us before playing our songs,” amongst others.
In principle, I agree 100% with our celebrities. However, the argument should be a two-way effect, because, you can’t eat your cake and have it. These celebrities who accuse Ghanaians for not patronising what they do are also the same people who patronize foreign products at the expense of made in Ghana products! As an entertainment writer, I get disappointed any time I visit entertainment related events.
For example, our celebrities who should showcase made in Ghana fabrics or African wear, are mostly in foreign (western) apparels. For instance, during last year’s Ghana Music Awards, about 70% of the celebrities who graced the red carpet and were asked ‘who are you wearing?’ shamefully wore foreign fabrics and even went further to give free mentions (publicity) to those designers.
So what is the difference between you – a Ghanaian celebrity, giving free publicity to an American or Italian designer in Ghana at a revered platform like GMA, to a Ghanaian radio presenter or DJ also playing Celine Dion or R. Kelly’s songs without any charge? A high number of Nigerian celebrities rock their Nigerian prints with pride. They call it “Ankara.” The “Ankara” industry is booming in Nigeria.
The reason why I charge our celebrities to patronize made in Ghana fabrics more than they are doing currently is simple; fashion-wise, majority of the public look up to or emulate what celebrities wear. This is an undeniable fact.
Celebrities and their star-power, coupled with what they wear, create new fashion trends for the masses to follow. For example, as a young boy growing up in the 90s, I joyfully and proudly left (I’m sure most young soccer fans did too) a small piece of hair at the back of my head; simply because the then famous footballer, Abedi Pele, did so as his unique hair style/identity.
I copied simply because he was a star. World acclaimed Fashion Designer and CEO of Sleek Fashion Ltd, Nora Bannerman, said corroboratively on GTV’s Break Fast show on 21st Sep, 2013 and I quote: “celebrities are people who create fashion trends for the masses to copy most times.”
Star-power is a very strong tool which I believe if our celebrities are to employ into patronising made in Ghana fabrics or African wear, majority of the populace shall be influenced to follow suit. If our celebrities should patronize Ghanaian fabrics or prints and eventually the public follow, it will go a long way to resuscitate our dying textile companies or industry.
I pay my humble obeisance to former President of Ghana, John Agyekum Kuffour, for his admonishment to the nation to wear African print on every Friday. I also heave a deep sigh of relief and give encomium to celebrities like; Okyeame Kwame, Kojo Antwi, Blakk Rasta, Obour, and others who wear African wear, most times.
As for those celebrities who are not helping in the promotion of made in Ghana goods/services, my advice to them is that ‘to every effect, there is a cause.’ If they long to see Ghanaians patronize what they do, they should also do well to patronize made in Ghana products too; because, you can’t eat your cake and have it. Until then……MOTWUM!!