Ghanaian Fashion Designer Recounts Losing a Contract Due to His Tribe: “I Am Ewe”

• A Ghanaian designer lost a contract due to tribal bias after revealing he's Ewe
• The affected fashion designer said he started identifying as Nigerian to avoid discrimination
• Reactions highlight ongoing tribalism issues in Ghanaian society and workplaces

A Ghanaian fashion designer narrated an incident where he lost a contract to make clothes for a then Minister in Ghana just because of his tribe.

According to the male fashion designer, someone recommended him to the politician, and he went to meet him so they could do business.

In a video on X, the fashion designer said the Minister's demeanour changed immediately he found out through their conversation that he is an Ewe. The young man said at the time he was being asked to make 30 kaftans for the Minister, but the contract fell through because of his tribe.

"One day I went to the office of a them Minister of Aviation, I will not mention his name. Someone took me to him to get some clothes ready for him. He was ready to order about 30 pieces of kaftan. Through our conversation, when he found out that I was Ewe, his demeanour changed. So I lost that contract because I said I am Ewe."

Read also

"I have 700 acres of land for salt biz": Despite wonders why people question his wealth and cars

Following the incident, he said he now avoids disclosing his tribe and instead tells people he is Nigerian.

"After that experience, if people ask me, I tell them I'm Nigerian. I look and sound Nigerian. So natural that I don't pretend to be, but I am Ewe," he added.

Watch the X video below:

Reactions to tribalistic treatment meted out to a fashion designer

YEN.com.gh collated some comments on the video shared by @eddie_wrt on X. Read them below:

@Vimhype_ said:

"Sadly, I had the same experience with an Ewe man in this current administration. He drove me out of the workplace because he wanted a colleague I’m close to and thought I had something going on with her."

@ft_analytics91 wrote:

"Right now, everyone knows you’re Ewe & no longer Nigeria so what do you do now!?😭🤣🤣🤣."

@samuelpalma8 said:

"You go to school together, bathe in the same bathhouse in secondary school, and eat from the same dinning hall. Go to the same university and work in institutions only for you to be doing tribalism later in life… what is wrong with some of you?"

Read also

Here's what Mahama told Asake when he tried to lobby for Cyborg's release after firing a gun

@uterus_1 wrote:

"This thing he is saying you will think it’s a joke until you find yourself an Ewe working in the Ashanti region."

@IneosGh said:

"We Akans love to keep money within our circles... I don't know about other tribes though but my nephews and nieces have a better shot at a job when I'm hiring or know the one hiring because it's out culture. Unfortunately."

@FuneralJollof wrote:

"I, like many people, prefer Nigerian-made kaftans. So it’s reasonable to think you highlighted your Nigerian identity as a marketing advantage, not because of any tribal bias."

@KakraLillian said:

"Clecal designs, I ordered kaftans from you without even thinking about your tribe or nationality. Let's move away from this kind of tribalism trend, your designs are a top notch ✌️🤞."

@kingelsurajy wrote:

"In business, never give room to establish a conversation about tribe with Ghanaians. They'll find faults in you through your tribe. Make it strictly business."

Read also

Osebo narrates how he started his boutique with 5 shoes and 10 jeans

Source: YEN.com.gh