Decoding President Mahama’s white Agbada and Adinkra symbols he wore on Inauguration Day

• Posted on January 8, 2025January 8, 2025
• by Nana Kwesi Coomson
• Comment

The ‘Agbada’ President John Mahama wore during the swearing in on 7^th January, 2024 with adinkra symbols has been explained.

The saying, “Dress how you want to be addressed,” resonated as Mr Mahama’s attire stood out.

He wore a white ‘Agbada,’ an outfit consisting of an inner garment of varying lengths and a pair of traditional trousers.

Popularised by the Yoruba people of Nigeria, the flowing robe is a traditional attire worn across West Africa.

Its cultural richness and authoritative elegance showed the weight of the occasion and nothing could have been more befitting.

Mr. Mahama’s unique twist featured two long kente embroideries flanking the three-piece attire.

The long kente design on the cloth matched the pattern of his hat.

The Kente design is named ‘?mmer? Pa Da W’anim,’ which translates to Better Days Lie Ahead.

The Agbada signifies Ghana’s commitment to regional integration, particularly in its role in promoting a united Africa.

With the multitude of heads of state and leaders who attended the occasion, the significance of the attire in this context cannot be overstated.

Noticeable at the centre of the attire were four Adinkra symbols.

They are, ‘Gye Nyame’, ‘Sankofa’, ‘Dwennimmen’ and ‘Nyame Dua’.

The ‘Nyame Dua’ symbol translates to “Tree of God” which signifies God’s presence and guardianship.

‘Dweninmmen’, located at the bottom, depicts the horns of a ram.

It symbolises strength, humility, wisdom, and learning. During the campaign, Mr Mahama indicated that he would be stiff in his corruption fight even in his own ranks, yet collaborative with the populace.

Coupled with the strength of rams’ horns, they can be very fierce, and intimidating and serve as a strong line defense.

The symbol also features strongly on the logo of the University of Ghana, the president’s alma mater.

These seem to have informed his stylists’ choice of symbol.

To the left was the Sankofa symbol, which signifies learning from the past.

This is particularly introspective, given that President Mahama’s last two attempts at the presidency were unsuccessful after his first term.

Finally, to the right is the Gye Nyame, the most popular of all Adinkra symbols.

It represents the faith of Ghanaians, who believe in God’s involvement in every aspect of human life.

Essentially, the new president is emphasising the centrality of God in his administration.