Ghanaians across the country have turned out en masse to wear the country’s colourful traditional outfit, the fugu, after the government designated Wednesdays “Fugu Day”. The move comes after President John Dramani Mahama’s state visit to Zambia last week when he wore the garment. Some mockingly called it a “blouse”, prompting a fierce response from Ghanaians online.
Ghana’s Tourism Minister Abla Dzifa Gomashie said on Tuesday that wearing the outfit every week would help project the country’s identity “with pride on the global stage”. She encouraged wearing the outfit “in all its diverse forms, designs, and expressions, complemented by its distinctive and beautiful accessories”. The fugu, also known as batakari, is a traditional northern Ghanaian top made from hand‑woven, narrow strips of thick cotton fabric stitched together to form a structured, poncho‑style garment.
It is worn by traditional leaders in northern Ghana, as well as ordinary citizens, and is a symbol of royalty and authority. The traditional fugu top is more often associated with men, who sometimes wear trousers and a hat in matching material, but women also wear a version of it, which can be styled longer or as a dress. When Ghana became the first sub-Saharan nation to break free from colonial rule in 1957, its founding father – the pan-Africanist Kwame Nkrumah – and five others wore fugus at the celebrations that marked the country’s independence from the UK.
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Beyond its cultural importance, Gomashie said the outfit’s weekly display would “generate far-reaching social and economic benefits” especially for local weavers, designers, artisans and traders. “The government hopes that this collective embrace of fugu will strengthen national unity, stimulate the creative economy, and serve as a powerful symbol of Ghana’s cultural confidence and self-expression,” the minister added.
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