Popular Gospel singer, Celestine Donkor, has issued an apology for remarks she made about Ewe surnames during an interview on TV3.
The comments, which were intended as a light-hearted joke, sparked backlash on social media, for seemingly mocking the Ewe culture.
During the interview, Celestine joked about her Ewe surname and mentioned that she had prayed for a husband with a ‘lighter’ surname to avoid the ‘heavy’ Ewe names common in her culture.
The host, Cookie Tee, whose real name is Shirelly Emma Tibilla, agreed, adding that she also preferred not to marry someone with a difficult-to-pronounce Ewe name.
However, these comments did not sit well with many viewers, who criticised the duo for making a mockery of Ewe names. In response to the criticism, Celestine Donkor posted an apology video on her social media on May 15, 2024, expressing regret for her statements and reaffirming her pride in her Ewe heritage.
“I granted an interview on Today’s Woman on TV3, and when I discovered the host Cookie Tee is an Ewe, I just got excited, and we started joking about the heaviness of our Ewe surnames. It was just a joke that came up in a conversation,” Celestine explained.