Award-winning rapper Okyeame Kwame has weighed in on Ghana's ongoing conversation about domestic abuse, arguing that the problem starts much earlier than marriage, in the way many children are disciplined at home and in school.
According to a report by GhanaWeb, the musician made his comments on social media in response to a video by gospel musician Celestine Donkor, who had been discussing a high-profile marital dispute that has dominated entertainment headlines this week.
Okyeame Kwame argued that children who are taught to see physical punishment as a sign of love may grow up to accept similar treatment from partners. "The actual problem starts with our parents abusing us," he wrote, according to GhanaWeb.
He illustrated the point with an example: a girl whose father beats her "out of love" may, he said, "grow up into a woman and allow abuse from a man" she believes loves her.
The rapper also suggested that more than half of Ghanaian children experience abuse from parents and teachers, but GhanaWeb reports that he acknowledged this figure was not based on scientific research. He said he still believes the problem is widespread and needs urgent attention.
Okyeame Kwame called for a closer look at the cultural, religious, educational and economic factors that allow violence against children to be seen as normal. "Let's tackle all that permit abuse of children to be normalised," he wrote.
According to GhanaWeb, he also urged public discussion of religion, education, financial inequality, gender imbalance in public institutions, and laws that protect children from physical punishment.
Okyeame Kwame, born Kwame Nsiah-Apau, is one of the pioneers of hiplife and has been a major figure in Ghanaian music for more than two decades. Beyond music, he has built a reputation as a motivational speaker and family-focused public figure, often speaking publicly about parenting and family life.
That profile means his comments are likely to reach parents as well as young fans. His argument links two issues that are often discussed separately in Ghana: how adults treat children, and how adults treat each other in relationships.
Physical punishment of children remains common in many Ghanaian homes and has long been part of discipline in schools, although education authorities have moved to restrict caning in schools in recent years. Child rights advocates have argued that physical punishment harms children's development and can teach them to see violence as an acceptable way to solve problems.
Supporters of physical discipline, including some parents and religious figures, argue that it is a traditional and effective way of correcting behaviour. Okyeame Kwame's comments place him firmly on the side of those calling for change.
His intervention is part of a broader wave of comment from Ghanaian entertainers on domestic abuse this week. GhanaWeb also reported comments from other personalities, including Kofi Donkor, who said a real man "leads with dignity and respect".
The discussion has been fuelled by allegations involving a well-known fashion personality, which remain unproven and are the subject of an official process. Talk Talk is not reporting the details of those allegations while that process continues.
In Ghana, the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Ghana Police Service handles cases of domestic abuse, including abuse involving children. The Department of Social Welfare also supports children at risk.
Okyeame Kwame's comments are likely to keep the debate going. Whether they lead to wider changes in how parents and schools discipline children will depend on whether others in public life, from teachers to religious leaders, take up the same conversation.
