Nana Aba Anamoah, a Ghanaian broadcast journalist and television personality, has weighed in on the ongoing ‘Oobakɛ’ brouhaha.
According to Nana Aba, it is a trivial matter, as there are more important issues of national concern.
She asserted that National Service personnel who have just ended their service do not know when their next income will come, and also pointed to the fact that Ghana’s roads have become death traps.
Nana Aba Anamoah highlighted that the conversations about Oobakɛ, Woezor, and Akwaaba allow tribal bigots to be very tribalistic.
Speaking in an interview on Okay FM on September 4, 2025, Nana Aba stated, “I woke up in the morning and people were arguing, fighting, and I was like Why are we going on and on about Oobakɛ, Woezor, and Akwaaba, when we have real problems in this country?
There are people who are done with National Service. They don’t know when they are getting jobs, they don’t know where their next income would come from, and they don’t know where their next meal would come from.
These are real problems. Our roads are killing us; we are experiencing typhoid outbreaks, which is a serious problem. We are particularly concerned about Oobakɛ, Akwaaba, and Woezor. I thought it was very unnecessary,” she said.
Nana Aba further explained, “I used the word tribalism because every time such a thing comes up, it gives tribal bigots the opportunity to enter the conversation and be very tribalistic. They just look for that opportunity, and I saw so many of them”.
Also, Ghanaian media personality Serwaa Amihere has waded into the brouhaha surrounding the proposal to swap the Twi word “Akwaaba” with the Ga expression “Oobakɛ”.
According to Serwaa Amihere, Ghana must find innovative and modern ways to solve problems and challenges.
Serwaa Amihere suggested that the Ghana Airport get an electronic board at the airports which welcomes guests in the major local languages in alternating fashion.
In a post on X in reaction to the growing debate, she wrote, “As Ghanaians, let us find and use innovative and modern ways to solve problems and challenges. Get an electronic board at our airports which welcomes guests in the major local languages in alternating fashion”.
Her post further added, “We are one people with wonderful diversity, so let’s live to love each other … Ghana”.
However, Linda Ocloo, the Greater Accra Regional Minister, has said the Ga people have every right to raise legitimate concerns over the preservation and promotion of their language and cultural identity.
In a statement issued on Friday, August 29, 2025 the Greater Accra Regional Minister stated, “The Ga people, as custodians of the land on which our capital city stands, have every right to raise legitimate concerns about the preservation and promotion of their language and cultural identity”.
She, however, noted that Ghana’s identity rests on unity in diversity and that all ethnic groups, citing her marriage to an Ewe.
She added, “At the same time, it must be emphasised that Ghana is a nation built on unity in diversity. Our strength lies in the coexistence of various ethnic groups whose values and traditions enrich our national identity. Just as the concerns of the Ga people are important, so too would the voices of the Ashanti, the Ewe, and all other ethnic groups be treated with equal seriousness, should they raise legitimate matters in the interest of national harmony.
I was married to an Ewe, and my children proudly bear Ewe names. My own family reflects the diversity that makes Ghana unique, and I stand firmly against any interpretation that seeks to pit one ethnic group against another”.
Her statement added, “As someone with close family ties to other ethnic communities, I am firmly against any form of tribalism or division. This government is here to work and serve all the people of Ghana without bias. Decisions concerning matters of culture and heritage must therefore be made with sensitivity, broad consultation, and national interest at heart.
In this regard, I assure all stakeholders that the government will engage widely, listen attentively, and pursue a balanced approach that honours the Ga-Dangme heritage while safeguarding the unity and inclusiveness that define us as Ghanaians”.
Linda Ocloo further reaffirmed, “Let it be clear: the preservation of Ga culture is not in opposition to national cohesion. Rather, it is an integral part of our collective identity. Together, we shall continue to uphold our cultural heritage while promoting unity, peace, and development across our beloved nation”.
Additionally, King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II, the Ga Mantse, has warned against the growing disregard for the Ga people.
According to the Ga Mantse, they will not banish anyone from the Greater Accra, but the Ga people need to be respected as custodians of the capital.
The Ga Mantse highlighted that there is a need to respect Ga customs and traditions, even within the Greater Accra cosmopolitan setting.
He reiterated the traditional authorities’ commitment to safeguarding peace and harmony in the region.
Watch the video below:
Ghanaian broadcast journalist and television personality, Nana Aba Anamoah weighed in on the ongoing ‘oobake’ brouhaha, dismissing it as a trivial matter as there are more important issues of national concern. pic.twitter.com/Wzy6nKVput
— SIKAOFFICIAL🦍 (@SIKAOFFICIAL1) September 4, 2025