Ghana News
“Kuriya, Kuriya From Temu”: Nigerians Seen Copying Ghana’s Viral Shea Butter Trend
A new video from a Lagos-based spa has ignited a fierce cultural debate across West African social media, with Ghanaians sharply accusing their Nigerian neighbours of appropriating the now-iconic “Kuriya Kuriya” shea butter massage experience.
The controversy, which erupted on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, centers on a promotional video from Glee Spa in Lagos.
In the footage, four Nigerian women dressed in traditional cloth—which many observers identified as Ghanaian Kente—are seen extolling the benefits of shea butter, introducing the product in various Nigerian languages, and administering massages using calabashes filled with the golden butter.
For countless Ghanaians online, the visual echoes of Hamamat Montia’s Shea Butter Museum were impossible to ignore.
The Original: How a Museum Became a Phenomenon
The Shea Butter Museum, owned by former beauty queen and entrepreneur Hamamat Montia, became an international sensation in January 2026.
The catalyst was a visit from American livestreamer iShowSpeed, whose enthusiastic reception of the “Kuriya Kuriya” massage—a rhythmic, full-body treatment using shea butter—sent the video viral.
The impact was seismic. The museum was suddenly fully booked for the first half of the year. International celebrities, including Nigerian Afrobeats superstar Davido and Jamaican dancehall icon Popcaan, made pilgrimages to experience the treatment for themselves.
Hamamat herself was subsequently recognized by Ghana’s Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts as an official Ambassador for Shea Butter, cementing the museum’s status as a premier cultural attraction.
“Copycats” or Cultural Evolution?
The emergence of the Glee Spa video has been met with a wave of accusations from Ghanaians who see it as a direct imitation.
“Hamamat really paved the way, now look at the Nigerians too and they’re even wearing kente,” one user, @al_varo777, posted on X (formerly Twitter), capturing the sentiment of many.
Others were less measured in their criticism.
Comments ranged from the sardonic—”Kuriya, Kuriya from Temu”—to the outright dismissive: “Nigerians like copying Ghanaian too much.”
Some warned of a future where the origins of the trend might be forgotten.
“After 5 years, they’ll start insinuating their shea butter massage is the best,” one user predicted. Another added, “Nigerians will see you do something and not support you but rather copy it. They lack creativity but will open their stinking mouths to say others envy them.”
The criticism extended to the aesthetic choices in the video. Several commenters pointed out that the attendants were dressed in what appeared to be Kente cloth, a fabric with deep cultural significance to the Akan people of Ghana.
“This one no be spa oo na brothel,” one user, @space_cowboy_gh, commented, suggesting the Nigerian execution lacked authenticity.
Nigerian Defenders Push Back
Not all reactions were one-sided. Some Nigerian social media users and commenters defended the spa, advancing a counter-argument rooted in shared heritage.
Their core contention is simple: shea butter is not exclusively Ghanaian. The shea tree grows across the West African savanna belt, and its butter has been used for centuries by numerous ethnic groups for skincare, cooking, and medicinal purposes. From this perspective, a Nigerian business using shea butter is not copying Ghana; it is simply utilizing a regional resource.
Furthermore, some defenders argued that the concept of a spa massage using natural ingredients is not proprietary to any single nation. They suggested that the Ghanaian outrage reflects a possessive attitude toward a common cultural and natural asset.
The Politics of Cultural Influence
The debate touches on a sensitive nerve in the long-standing cultural rivalry between Ghana and Nigeria. As West Africa’s two most influential entertainment and cultural powerhouses, the flow of influence between them is often a subject of intense scrutiny.
Ghanaians have long complained that their innovations in music, fashion, and now wellness are sometimes adopted by their larger neighbor without credit. The phrase “original copy cats” appeared repeatedly in the social media discourse.
Yet, as one user, @espioj, offered a more measured perspective: “People only copy success. Nobody copies failure.” This comment suggests that the Nigerian spa’s decision to feature a shea butter massage may simply be a market response to a trend that has demonstrably captured global attention.
A Shared Resource, Distinct Presentations
At the heart of the controversy lies a nuanced question: when does cultural participation become cultural appropriation?
Shea butter itself is undeniably a shared heritage. But the specific presentation—the rhythmic chanting of “Kuriya Kuriya,” the use of calabashes in a choreographed massage, the association with a particular museum and ambassador—is more distinctly Ghanaian, and specifically tied to Hamamat Montia’s brand.
The Glee Spa video does feature elements that echo this specific presentation, particularly the visual of multiple women in traditional cloth working with calabashes. However, the incorporation of Nigerian languages and the framing as a local Lagos business also represent an attempt to indigenize the concept.
Cultural Tourism and Economic Opportunity
Beyond the social media outrage, the controversy underscores a significant economic reality: culture sells. The global attention generated by iShowSpeed’s visit has created a new market for shea butter experiences, and entrepreneurs across the region are naturally seeking to participate.
For Ghana, the challenge will be to capitalize on its first-mover advantage and establish the Shea Butter Museum as the definitive, authentic destination—much as the country has done with its slave castles and festivals. For Nigeria, the opportunity lies in developing its own distinct shea butter experiences that draw on local traditions without appearing imitative.
Ghana News
Ghana Ties Rice Imports to Local Production, Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital Halts Emergency Admissions, and Other Big Stories in Ghana Today
These are the most relevant and impactful stories from across Ghana today, presented as concise updates on key developments across the country.
Government to Tie Rice Imports to Local Production in Major Policy Shift
The Ghanaian government is set to introduce a significant policy linking rice import permits directly to investments in local rice production and milling facilities. This move by the Ministry of Agriculture aims to boost domestic farming, reduce the country’s growing rice import bill, and accelerate progress toward food self-sufficiency. Read the full story here
Edem Senanu Questions Procedural Lapses in Anti-LGBTQ+ Bill Process
Chairman of Advocates for Christ, Edem Senanu, has raised concerns over how Parliament’s House of Records handled the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, questioning procedural and drafting issues that emerged after its passage. Read the full story here
Sheikh Shaibu Warns Against Politicising Anti-LGBTQ+ Bill
Spokesperson for the National Chief Imam, Sheikh Aremeyaw Shaibu, has cautioned the NDC and NPP against turning the anti-LGBTQ+ bill into a political contest, stressing that Ghana already has a broad national consensus on the matter rooted in cultural and religious values. Read the full story here
Honest Ghanaian Rewarded GH¢10,000 for Returning Lost ATM Cash
Fidelity Bank has rewarded Emmanuel Appiah Boateng with GH¢10,000 for his honesty after he returned GH¢4,000 he found left behind at one of its ATMs. Read the full story here
Nigel Gaisie Files GH¢10m Defamation Suit Against Kumchacha
Prophet Nigel Gaisie has sued Prophet Nicholas Osei (Kumchacha) for GH¢10 million over alleged defamatory statements questioning his prophetic ministry. Read the full story here
680 Ghanaians to Be Evacuated from South Africa Amid Xenophobia Concerns
The Ghana High Commission in South Africa has announced plans to evacuate 680 Ghanaians (340 on June 6 and 340 on June 7, 2026) due to xenophobia-related safety issues. Read the full story here
Free SHS Suppliers to Picket at Education Ministry Over GH¢50m Debt
The National Association of Institutional Suppliers (NAIS) will picket at the Ministry of Education on June 11, 2026, over unpaid debts of approximately GH¢50 million for supplies delivered under the Free Senior High School programme since 2023. Read the full story here
Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital Halts Emergency Admissions
The Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi has temporarily halted new emergency admissions after its Accident and Emergency ward exceeded capacity due to overwhelming patient numbers. Read the full story here
15 dead, 25 injured in head-on collision at Peki-Tsame
At least 15 people have been confirmed dead and 25 others injured following a devastating head-on collision between a container truck and a passenger bus at Peki-Tsame in the Volta Region. The fatal accident occurred in the early hours of Tuesday, 2 June 2026, near the premises of Peki Senior High School, prompting an emergency response from personnel of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS). Read the full story here
Wednesday, June 3, 2026. Stay informed with today’s front pages of Ghanaian newspapers, all in one place.
Ghana News
Is the UN Losing Its Legitimacy? Ghana’s President Says Permanent Security Council Bias ‘Eats Away’ Trust
The continued exclusion of Africa from permanent seats on the United Nations Security Council is not merely a procedural flaw but a structural imbalance that is systematically eroding the credibility of the multilateral system, Ghana’s President John Dramani Mahama warned on Monday.
Speaking at Chatham House, the London-based international affairs think tank, Mahama argued that the UN’s primary decision-making body risks becoming untenable as a steward of global peace and security if it fails to reflect the demographic and political realities of the 21st century.
“This is not nearly a procedural anomaly,” Mahama said. “It is a historical injustice and a structural imbalance that undermines the credibility of the multilateral system itself.”
The president’s remarks come as the UN Security Council (UNSC) remains composed of five permanent members (P5) – the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Russia, and China – all of which were Allied powers in World War II.
Africa, home to 54 UN member states, the largest regional bloc in the organization, holds no permanent seat and only three non-permanent seats that rotate every two years.
Mahama noted that the representational gap is poised to become more pronounced as global demographics shift. According to UN population projections, Africa will account for nearly a quarter of the world’s population by 2050.
“This eats away at the trust in the system,” a senior official from the Ghanaian presidency later summarized, reinforcing Mahama’s central thesis that legitimacy in global governance requires equitable participation.
The Ghanaian leader affirmed that his government would continue to advocate for “comprehensive reform” of the UN, including permanent, veto-wielding seats for African nations.
The African Union has long pushed for a common position known as the Ezulwini Consensus, which demands at least two permanent seats for the continent, with the same powers and responsibilities as current P5 members.
However, Mahama’s critique extended beyond the Security Council. He linked the UN’s representational crisis to what he described as parallel failures in the international financial architecture. He argued that debt vulnerabilities across the Global South are not isolated fiscal challenges but structural development constraints that limit investment in health, education, infrastructure, climate adaptation, and industrial transformation.
“The international debt system must therefore become fairer, more flexible and more development-focused,” Mahama said.
He also called for reforms to global taxation frameworks, asserting that developing economies should derive equitable value from economic activity generated within their jurisdictions. A stable international order, he warned, cannot be sustained while prosperity remains structurally unequal.
To illustrate the tangible cost of such inequality, Mahama pointed to the COVID-19 pandemic. African nations, he said, discovered that access to vaccines and essential medical supplies depended not on the urgency of public health need but on their position within the global supply hierarchy. That experience, he noted, directly prompted Ghana to launch the Accra Reset Initiative – a strategic framework designed to move Africa and the Global South from dependency toward resilience, and from passive participation toward active agenda-setting in global governance.
President Mahama concluded by rejecting any characterization of Ghana as a passive observer of the changes reshaping the international order.
“We see ourselves as active participants in shaping a more balanced, equitable, and cooperative international system,” he said.
No immediate response was issued by the permanent members of the UN Security Council. Reform of the council requires an amendment to the UN Charter, which must be approved by two-thirds of the General Assembly and ratified by all five permanent members, each of whom holds a veto over their own status.
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