Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema has joined a cultural conversation that captured attention online this week, expressing his admiration for Ghana’s traditional fugu garment.
Earlier this week, social media lit up after President John Mahama arrived in Zambia for a state visit wearing the fugu, a hand-woven Northern Ghanaian smock. In contrast, Zambian officials greeted him in a suit and tie.
President Mahama arrives Zambia for talks on trade and regional cooperation
Some Zambian social media users, unfamiliar with West African textiles, began questioning the flared silhouette of the President’s attire. Some commenters jokingly referred to the garment as a “blouse,” sparking a lively online debate that quickly crossed borders and drew reactions from Ghanaians.
On Friday, February 6, 2026, the cultural defense of the fugu moved from social media to the floor of Ghana’s Parliament. Dozens of Members of Parliament (MPs) arrived in the chamber dressed in vibrant traditional smocks to show solidarity with President Mahama.
At a Zambia-Ghana Business Dialogue in Lusaka on Friday, Ghana’s Foreign Minister wore a fugu and explained its cultural and historical significance.
Foreign Minister of Ghana, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa
Taking his turn, President Hichilema praised the garment and announced that he intends to get more for himself.
“I am very happy that Foreign Minister you dressed like that. I asked my team to post on various platforms associated with that that the President of Zambia will be ordering more of that stuff for himself.
And you saved my words because you spoke very well about the importance of our culture and traditions.”
On the broader significance of cultural influence, President Hichilema noted that the world’s most successful countries build their achievements around their culture, citing Japan and other nations as examples, where traditions and values are deeply embedded in how the country operates and thrives.
