Detty December, a term widely used to describe the end-of-year party season in Ghana and Nigeria, carries “negative connotations,” Ghana’s official for diaspora affairs, Kofi Okyere-Darko has said.
Okyere-Darko said he was open to rebranding the season in a way that still appeals to younger audiences, suggesting that December in Ghana could be shortened to “D.I.G.. Let’s dig it!”
He said he does not want the label associated with Ghana, explaining his concerns during an interview in Accra.
“On a personal level I don’t want the word ‘detty’ to be associated with anything Ghana… that’s something I’m not very comfortable with,” he said.
“Detty”, a West African Pidgin word meaning “dirty”, is commonly used to describe unrestricted celebration as the year comes to an end. Despite the concerns, Detty December in Ghana has become a major attraction for visitors and a driver of tourism.
In December last year, more than 125,000 international visitors travelled to Ghana, many of them from the diaspora. This was higher than arrivals recorded in any other month, a trend that has continued over the past three years.
Mr Okyere-Darko said the government avoids using the term Detty December, instead promoting a tourism campaign called December in Ghana. He spoke at the Ghana Diaspora Summit in the capital.
“The young people somehow prefer ‘Detty December’, but officially, that’s not the name,” he said.
“I don’t think December is what attracts people to Ghana. People started coming to Ghana a long time ago. I remember December in Ghana at the turn of the millennium, with initiatives like Akwaaba UK.”
The phrase Detty December became popular about eight years ago after Nigerian musician Mr Eazi launched his Detty Rave festival in Accra.
This December, Accra has been busy with concerts, parties and festivals, drawing diasporans and tourists mainly from the US and Europe. Many visitors, aged between their early 20s and mid-40s, attend social events throughout the week.
While many see the December influx as positive, some residents have raised concerns about high prices, overcrowding and traffic congestion.
This year has also shown that December in Ghana is no longer focused only on partying. Alongside concerts and festivals, there is a growing schedule of investment seminars, networking events and cultural showcases, offering opportunities in areas such as property, minerals, fashion and textiles.
(BBC)
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