Rashidatu Mohammed alias –Rashida Black Beauty, has caught a number of lips including women in the media and communication’s industry with her nude video, which has gone viral.
While some thought she needed help and that her actions were a reflection of society’s failure, others felt it was a deliberate act so she must take responsibility for her action.
During the 2016 Jigwe Award, Rashida Black Beauty won Viral Video of the Year award with her Kushmai recording.
Not everyone lauded her winning the award and also expressed disdain about the organisers.
“The organisers of the award are the kind of people destroying the moral fiber of this country” said a lady who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
The discussion was on the WhatsApp platform for Alliance for Women in Media, Africa.
“I don’t think she has good people around her. Her manager only seemed interested in getting his hands on the money people offered her to help further her education,” another interviewee said.
One Rhema noted that society had failed people like Rashida by reducing popularity and fame to nudity and indecency.
Afua observed that “without controversy a decent hardworking person doesn’t trend”.
“You cannot do decent diligent work and make it in Ghana. Looks like you have to be dubious to have it work out for you. She is a product of our society, a reflection of our system,” Efe Plange, Founder of Sankofa Reviews said
Another said discussions should revolve around depression and its management however the discussion which started off about the welfare of Rashida Black Beauty turned into a critical look at what possibly contributed her actions and the consequences of her action on today’s generation.
It also triggered concerns about the role of media in promoting sexual indecency and the growing trend of sex tape leaks: “Social media sets the pace now”, “traditional media must be up and doing”, “We have to blame ourselves most media houses now pick their news bulletin from social media, lazy journalism”, comments from the page said.
The media is not setting the agenda right or maybe journalists are no longer setting the agenda.
If the media is truly setting the agenda and is supposed to work in the interest of the people in a professional practice then discussions around video leaks will be steered in a more healthy direction.
It’s great to have divergent views, the discussion grew more interesting.
“And why shouldn’t they? It’s a story? She’s a human being who deserves to be heard and seen.
That oppression of women’s bodies is the reason we have her. Let her have her agency!” someone replied.
“She would have trended and ended on social media, but we brought her to national attention through the power of television and radio,” Dela said.
It is true the penetration of radio and television in the country cannot be compared to that of the internet.
Again not everyone who uses the internet is on social media so less harm could have been done if the trend ended on the social media.
Just when the discussion got to its peak, Rashida Black Beauty posts on her facebook page, “Hello Ghana, I am sorry and I regret my actions, there is a lot of explanation to this video but I guess the harm has already been done so no one will be willing to hear what I have to say or tell them.
All I want to say is I regret my actions and I hope Ghanaians do forgive me… Thank you!”
By Caroline Pomeyie|GNA|Ghana