Social media critic and blogger Albert Nat Hyde, commonly known as “Bongo Ideas,” has shared his opinion on the appearance attire of the Black Stars at the World Cup in Qatar.
The Black Stars, on their arrival in Qatar, put on a traditional smock popularly called fugu. They also wore hats.
Fugu is mostly worn by people in the northern part of Ghana, and thus all the players were ceremoniously clad in it when they landed in Doha.
However, many believe the Fugu does not fully represent Ghana as far as the world stage is concerned.
Bongo Ideas believes that, unlike the kente, the fugu is not a multi-cultural attire, which, according to him, does not represent Ghana and is not widely accepted.
In a social media post that has garnered a lot of talk and controversy, Bongo Ideas wrote:
If you really want to project Ghana’s culture, you put on Kente which is proper and widely accepted.
Fugu or batakari is not a multi-cultural attire. It does not represent Ghana in any shape or form. This is a misplaced decision. Gutted!
Many Ghanaians, especially people from the north, have reacted with rage to the post made by Bongo Ideas. They have argued that fugu also represents Ghana since it is a cultural symbol of some major ethnic groups in Ghana.
They have also asserted that Kente is not the only multicultural attire that must be widely accepted and showcased on the world stage.
Below are some of the comments:
Shahaban wrote: Fugu was used to declared Ghana as independent country not Kente.
Prince Addallah wrote:
You see what we always say..?
No wonder some idiots down there still thinks people from the north sleeps on trees.
Anything good coming from the north is been underestimated and belittled.
Of all the excitement and the rich cultural display portrayed by our gallant Black stars and the global recognition that comes with it some nonentity still thinks it shouldn’t have been the Smock but kente
Let you and your ancestors go change that to suit your interest. The smock is now everyday wear by Ghanaians from our Presidents down to an ordinary Ghanaian and even accepted and wore globally.
You can choose to hate northeners but trust me there is absolute nothing you can do about them, only spewing your spleen and bitterness to die for nothing.
We are Naa Gbewaa Zulya and the smock is identify by us and has gone globally you can chose to wear your kente if you think it’s the one that is recognized who cares? But yourself know the smock is the commonest and globally accepted Ghanaian cultural or traditional attire.
Megamind wrote: Whatever you do, Ghana man go talk. Kente is already known by the world to be a thing with Ghana. Other things about Ghana should be projected too. In that way, visitors would know a visit to Ghana is a complete package. Tomorrow may be the Volta. They are all part of Ghana.
Meanwhile, those who agreed with Bongo Ideas’ call for Kente to remain as the official attire for Ghana on the world stage also supported him by writing:
Zlatan wrote: I will support Support Bongo in this tbh, it looks more like Notherners than Ghana as a whole
Smallboy wrote: Yah, Fugu is worn in Mali,Burkina and other Fulani populated countries. Kente would have been the perfect choice.
Crypto boy wrote: Bongo is always right You guys don’t get him Once you wear Kente everyone knows that you’re from Ghana But Fugu is worn by almost every African muslim
