Okyeame Kwame decries cultural misrepresentation in Ghana's education system

Ghanaian rapper, entrepreneur, and cultural advocate Okyeame Kwame has strongly criticised the Ghanaian educational system for its role in alienating young people from their roots by portraying tradition and spirituality in a negative light.

Speaking exclusively to Graphic Showbiz after the launch of the Ghana Chieftaincy Awards and Royal Investment Summit held at Swiss Spirit Alisa Hotel, North Ridge, Accra, on Thursday, July 17, the Made-in-Ghana ambassador emphasized the urgent need to reframe the narrative around tradition and culture in schools.

“The way our curriculum presents traditional beliefs and customs often makes them seem backward or evil,” he lamented. “We must stop vilifying our traditions and instead show them as vibrant, dynamic parts of our identity.”

Sharing a personal experience to underscore the issue, Okyeame Kwame recounted a moment involving his then seven-year-old son, who was enrolled at an American school in Ghana. During an art class, a Ghanaian teacher allegedly told the pupils that body painting, when done by fetish priests, was a means of summoning evil spirits.

“My son raised his hand and said, ‘First of all, he’s not a fetish priest—he’s a traditional priest. Secondly, this is the same person who advises the chief, organises communal clean-ups, serves as a midwife, and pours libation to honour our ancestors. So, how is he evil?’”

He and his wife later visited the school to address the issue directly with the teacher. “That unconscious bias against our own culture is what we need to fix,” he said firmly.

Okyeame Kwame, who has long championed Ghanaian culture through his music and public advocacy, credited his enduring relevance in the entertainment industry to his intentional embrace of Ghana’s cultural wealth.

“For instance, I’ve used my voice, music, and visuals to communicate the essence of who we are – our ethics, our moral codes, the gold-woven fabrics, our languages. That’s what has sustained me,” he noted.

The Woso hitmaker called for a deliberate national effort to embed chieftaincy, traditional symbolism, and cultural pride into modern life — especially through the creative industries.

“Musicians, filmmakers, designers, and digital creators must boldly incorporate our traditional motifs and stories into their work,” he said. “Bringing chieftaincy into pop culture is crucial. If our music, visuals, and storytelling can project our traditions in relatable and modern ways, we’ll help the next generation understand who they are.”

He warned that without intentional cultural preservation, Ghana risks losing its identity.

“If we continue to allow our institutions and media to dilute or shame our cultural symbols, we risk losing our soul as a people. It’s not enough to celebrate culture on Independence Day alone. It must be an everyday reality.”

Okyeame Kwame concluded with a passionate call to action: “Our culture is not outdated. It is rich, it is meaningful, and it can be ‘cool’ if presented creatively. Let’s make chieftaincy cool again.”

Graphic Showbiz