By Nana Kofi Hammah
The culture of a people is the legacy of intangible attributes, of a society that is inherited from past generations. The month of March has been dubbed Heritage Month for Ghanaians to appreciate their history and go back to their roots. It is without a doubt a nostalgic feeling the kinds of memories such reflections bring to the citizenry. Ghanaians like to proudly cloth themselves in beautiful African prints that exhibit their identity.
Back in the day, men liked to ”swag-up”, with bushy hair, what we like to call ”Afro”. The women turn to what’s popularly called Kaba and Slits representing different styles.
The production team for GBC Breakfast Show set its platform to represent the Heritage Month in glamour and style, when the Hosts wore African prints and old school attires; a showcase of the Independence day programming.
Award-Winning Presenter, Kafui Dey in an interview shared memories back in the day at the University of Ghana, Commonwealth Hall, where he wore old school attire to classes one particular year and became the talk of town the whole day, he said.
”Back in the day, when baggy khaki braces were in vogue”, he said. Mr. Dey however added his voice to the clarion call that wearing African clothes only on Fridays does not make us African as a people.
He thinks African clothing should be worn daily.
“But are the materials even African? Indigenous textile companies are struggling with cheap imports from China so ironically, we promote Chinese interests when we wear African prints”, Kafui Dey revealed.
Breakfast Show Host, Thelma Tackie believes that wearing print is a good show of one’s Africaness.
Maltiti Sayida Sadick is the new face of presentation on Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, GBC.
She recounted that she looked like her late mother, clothed in traditional wear.
“Growing up, I had seen such styles in her pictures from the good old days”, she said.
“I do encourage that we add a greater part of our traditional attire or fabrics, there are a lot of creative designers now who do a lot with African Ghanaian fabrics, must be looked at if not, people will continue to look for “Obroni Waawu” or second-hand clothes which they believe is cheaper”, she added.
The crave for Ghanaians to embrace their heritage and promote everything Ghana is rising steadily. I believe in this pursuit that moving forward the crave will catch on with the masses, and will also indulge our leaders to continue to make deliberate efforts to boost production for locally made textiles. Making it cheaper so as to compete or reduce the appetite of bringing in foreign materials as African.
