Celestine Donkor apologises for comments about ‘heavy’ Ewe surnames

Award winning Ghanaian Gospel musician, Celestine Donkor has rendered an unqualified apology to Ewes for making “jokes” about their heavy surnames.

Celestine Donkor, who is herself an Ewe has courted the resentment and displeasure of her people when during an interview on TV3’s “Today Woman”, she jokingly said she was thankful she married a man with a lighter surname to replace her maiden Akakpo Dosu.

The host, Cookie Tee, also an Ewe had started the lighthearted conversation and mentioned that she always told her mother she wouldn’t settle with a man with a  heavy surname, mentioning some Ewe names to make her point.

Perhaps, in the atmosphere of fun, both women teased themselves and joked about heavy Ewe surnames.

However, it appears the joke turned out costly for Celestine Donkor, who has been heavily berated for looking down on her tribe since the interview went viral on Tuesday.

In acknowledgement of her “offence”, the Agbebolo hitmaker has apologised, seeking forgiveness in a social media post yesterday.  

She said the comments were made in jest and in no way to mock Ewes or their prominent culture.

She noted that she has regretted making those comments after reflection and accepts “it turned out to be a bad joke, to be an expensive joke.”

“Who am I? I'm just human. Most of the time we go on these interviews, as much as we have a pure heart and a clear mind, it's not everything we say that we're pleasing to somebody, and so we take it,” she added.

 “I have proven it over the years in my journey in music that I am a very, very proud Ewe,” adding that her daughters all carry names from the culture.

Despite the unfavourable outcome of her comments, Celestine Donkor expressed gratitude for the feedback as an expression of love to correct her.

"With love and respect to all of you, I take all the comments in good faith," she stated.

These were her words accompanying the video she posted on Facebook.

“*MEDEKUKU. ACCEPT MY APOLOGY. I AM SORRY.*

Dear Brothers, Sisters, Friends, and Family,

Kindly accept my sincerest apology in this short video.  I was wrong. I am sorry. I will strive to do my best as a proud Ewe woman, a proud Ghanaian, and a committed vessel for God's use. May Almighty GOD, MAWU YEHOWA, bless and keep us all.  AKPE(sic)”.

Watch video below