Ghana’s President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is facing criticism after a video went viral on social media, showing his daughter, Edwina Nana Dokua Akufo-Addo, allegedly disrespecting Ghana’s national anthem at a public event.
The incident occurred during the 30th-anniversary commemoration of the death of President Akufo-Addo’s late wife and Edwina’s mother, Mrs. Eleanor Akufo-Addo.
In the video, Edwina is seen seated next to her father, engrossed in a phone conversation while the master of ceremonies announces the observation of the national anthem.
Despite the call for everyone to stand, Edwina continued talking on her phone until midway through the anthem when she finally dropped the phone and stood at attention.
The video has sparked numerous reactions on social media, with some users accusing the president of being indifferent to his daughter’s behavior.
This incident comes shortly after President Akufo-Addo publicly reprimanded a chief for not standing during the national anthem, leading critics to accuse him of hypocrisy and failing to hold his family to the same standards.
On June 9, 2023, at the Green Ghana Day event held at the University of Ghana, President Akufo-Addo was captured in another incident, where he flew into a rage over the chief of Mempeasem’s failure to stand for the national anthem. The chief later apologized, citing ill health and medication as the reasons for his initial non-compliance.
While the president’s critics argue that he should hold his family to the same standards he expects from others, it remains to be seen how the controversy surrounding his daughter’s conduct during the national anthem will be addressed.
