When Ghana’s Fugu Culture Goes Viral: WASSCE English Comprehension Exercise

This post is based on a February 2026 real-life incident involving three unlikely co-actors: Ghana’s President John Dramani Mahama, a traditional attire from northern Ghana popularly known as Fugu or Batakari and some Zambian social media users.

Preparing for the English Language paper of the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE)requires more than memorising the rules of grammar.

As a WASSCE candidate, you must be able to read carefully, interpret ideas, analyse language, and answer questions clearly. The comprehension section of this WAEC examination tests these important skills.

Prepare for Real Exam Questions

In our bid to support students preparing for the WASSCE, AOne English College regularly publishes practice passages that mirror the style and difficulty level of real examination questions.

The following passage is inspired by a recent cultural controversy involving Ghana’s president, John Dramani Mahama. The story shows how a misunderstanding on social media unexpectedly helped promote a traditional Ghanaian garment known as the Fugu.

You are encouraged to read the passage carefully before attempting the questions that follow.

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Passage: When Ghana’s Fugu Culture Goes Viral

When Ghana’s president, John Dramani Mahama, travelled to Zambia for an official state visit, the main purpose of the trip was to strengthen diplomatic relations between the two African nations. During the visit, he addressed the Zambian parliament and held discussions with government officials on matters of regional cooperation, trade, and development.

However, what should have remained a routine diplomatic engagement soon took an unexpected turn.

At one of the official events, the president appeared wearing a traditional Ghanaian outfit known as the Fugu, a loose handwoven garment commonly worn in the northern regions of Ghana. The Fugu is valued not only for its comfort but also for its cultural significance. For many people in Ghana, it represents identity, heritage, and pride.

Shortly after photographs of the visit appeared online, some social media users in Zambia began mocking the president’s attire. A few critics described the garment as resembling a woman’s blouse, suggesting that it looked unusual for a male leader.

What began as a handful of careless remarks soon spread rapidly across social media platforms. Within hours, the comments attracted thousands of reactions, shares, and replies.

Ghanaians, both at home and in the diaspora, quickly came to the president’s defence. Many people expressed disappointment that fellow Africans could mock a traditional outfit simply because they were unfamiliar with it. Others used the opportunity to explain the history and meaning of the Fugu.

The discussion soon extended beyond Ghana. Africans from other countries, particularly Nigerians, joined the debate and defended the cultural importance of traditional African clothing. Some social media users even posted pictures of themselves wearing traditional garments from their own cultures to celebrate Africa’s diversity.

As the online discussion intensified, the incident unexpectedly began attracting global attention. Fashion enthusiasts, cultural commentators, and international audiences grew curious about the garment that had sparked such a lively debate.

Before long, people from different parts of the world began asking where they could purchase a Fugu. Images of the garment spread across blogs, fashion platforms, and social media networks.

The sudden rise in global curiosity created an unexpected opportunity for local producers in northern Ghana. Tailors and textile makers who specialised in making the traditional garment began receiving orders from customers both within Africa and overseas.

Demand increased so quickly that many producers struggled to keep up. What had started as an attempt to ridicule a traditional African outfit had transformed into an accidental marketing campaign.

In the end, many observers concluded that the incident carried an important lesson. Cultural misunderstandings may occur, especially in a digital world where people frequently encounter unfamiliar traditions. However, such moments can also become opportunities for learning and appreciation.

For many Ghanaians, the episode was more than just an online controversy. It was a reminder that cultural identity should never be treated as a source of embarrassment. Instead, it should be proudly shared with the world.

Comprehension Questions (Set A)

A. Objective Questions

1. Why did President Mahama visit Zambia?
2. What traditional outfit did the president wear during the visit?
3. How did some Zambian social media users react to the outfit?
4. How did Ghanaians respond to the criticism?
5. What unexpected effect did the controversy have on the popularity of the Fugu?

B. Vocabulary in Context

Explain the meaning of the following expressions as used in the passage:

6. “took an unexpected turn”
7. “came to the president’s defence”
8. “surge in interest”
9. “cultural misunderstanding”

C. Inferential and Analytical Questions

10. Why did Africans from other countries support the Ghanaians in the debate?
11. What does the passage suggest about the role of social media in modern society?
12. What lesson does the writer want readers to learn from the incident?

Recommended Answers

1. He visited Zambia to strengthen diplomatic relations and discuss cooperation, trade, and development.

2. He wore the traditional Ghanaian outfit known as the Fugu.

3. Some Zambian social media users mocked it and compared it to a woman’s blouse.

4. Ghanaians defended the president and explained the cultural significance of the Fugu.

5. The controversy increased global interest in the Fugu and boosted demand for it.

6. Took an unexpected turn — the situation suddenly changed in an unforeseen way.

7. Came to the president’s defence — supported and protected him from criticism.

8. Surge in interest — sudden and rapid increase in curiosity or demand.

9. Cultural misunderstanding — a situation where people misinterpret another culture because they lack knowledge about it.

10. They believed African cultures should be respected and celebrated rather than mocked.

11. The passage suggests that social media can spread controversies quickly but can also promote cultural awareness.

12. The writer wants readers to learn that cultural identity should be respected and that misunderstandings can become opportunities for education and appreciation.

Explanatory Notes for Students

1. Pay attention to the sequence of events.
   The passage moves from a diplomatic visit → online criticism → international debate → unexpected promotion of the Fugu.
2. Identify cause and effect.
   The criticism caused a defensive response, which eventually increased interest in the traditional garment.
3. Understand the writer’s message.
   Beyond describing an incident, the writer encourages respect for African cultures and traditions.
4. Learn contextual vocabulary.
   Many comprehension questions require understanding phrases based on how they are used in the passage.

WASSCE English Language – Comprehension Questions (Set B)

Below is a second set of questions structured strictly according to the typical West African Examinations Council (WAEC) WASSCE English Language Comprehension model.

The structure follows the standard areas usually tested in WAEC comprehension passages:

• Factual comprehension
• Inference
• Vocabulary in context
• Figurative language/expressions
• Writer’s intention
• Sentence structure or grammatical function

These questions assume you have already read the “Fugu” passage above.

Answer the following questions based on the passage.

(a) Why did the incident involving the president’s outfit attract so much attention on social media?

(b) What two reasons does the writer give for the importance of the Fugu in northern Ghana?

(c) Why were many Ghanaians offended by the comments made by some Zambian social media users?

(d) What role did other Africans, particularly Nigerians, play in the online discussion?

(e) Explain what the writer means by saying that the Zambians “ended up marketing Ghana’s Fugu without charging a pesewa.”

(f) What lesson does the writer suggest can be learned from the incident?

(g) For each of the following expressions, explain its meaning as used in the passage:

i. took an unexpected turn
ii. came to the president’s defence
iii. top trending topic
iv. surge in demand

(h) What does the passage suggest about the power of social media in shaping public opinion?

(i) In the sentence:
“Demand for it from all parts of the world increased so rapidly that producers could hardly meet the rising demand.”

(i) What grammatical name is given to the expression “from all parts of the world”?
(ii) What is its function in the sentence?

(j) For each of the following words underlined/highlighted in the passage, find another word or phrase that means the same and can replace it.

i. trip

ii. routine

iii. mock

iv. sparked

v. outfit

Recommended Answers

(a) The incident attracted attention because social media users mocked the president’s traditional outfit, which quickly sparked debate and reactions from people across different countries.

(b) The Fugu is important because:

1. It represents the cultural identity of people in northern Ghana.
2. It symbolises heritage and traditional pride.

(c) Many Ghanaians were offended because the comments showed ignorance and disrespect toward a recognised African cultural tradition.

(d) Other Africans, especially Nigerians, supported Ghanaians by defending the cultural significance of traditional African clothing and criticising the mockery.

(e) The writer means that although the Zambians criticised the garment, their comments unintentionally promoted it and increased its popularity worldwide.

(f) The lesson is that cultural misunderstandings can be transformed into opportunities for education and appreciation of different traditions.

(g)

i. took an unexpected turn
The situation suddenly changed in an unforeseen way.

ii. came to the president’s defence
Supported and protected the president from criticism.

iii. top trending topic
One of the most widely discussed subjects on social media.

iv. surge in demand
A sudden and significant increase in people wanting to buy something.

(h) The passage suggests that social media has the power to spread information rapidly and influence global conversations about culture and public events.

(i)

(i) Adverbial phrase (prepositional phrase).

(ii) It modifies the verb “increased”

(j) i. trip: visit/journey

ii. routine: normal

iii. mock: ridicule

iv. sparked: generated/brought about

v. outfit: attire

For Teachers: Teaching Notes from AOne English College

These questions reflect common WAEC comprehension testing patterns, especially:

• Literal comprehension (a, b, c)
• Inference and interpretation (d, e, f, h)
• Vocabulary in context (g) and (j)
• Grammar and structure (i)

Using two different question sets on the same passage is actually an excellent teaching strategy because it trains students to:

• Read the same passage from multiple angles
• Recognise different question styles
• Strengthen exam confidence

Here is a third set of questions based on this WASSCE English Comprehension Exercise.

WASSCE English Language – Comprehension Exercise Questions (Set C)

Answer the questions that follow based on the Fugu passage.

(a) Writer’s Tone and Attitude

(i) What is the writer’s attitude toward the Zambian critics who mocked the president’s attire?

(ii) Which two words in the passage best describe the writer’s tone when discussing the rising popularity of the Fugu?

(b) Reference Questions

State clearly what each of the following expressions refers to in the passage.

(i) “they” in the expression “they derided the Zambian critics for their ignorance.”

(ii) “it” in the sentence “Demand for it from all parts of the world increased so rapidly…”

(iii) “this incident” in the final paragraph of the passage.

(c) Synonyms in Context

From the passage, choose the word or group of words that is closest in meaning to each of the following expressions:

(i) ridiculed

(ii) rapid increase

(iii) ignorance

(iv) unexpectedly

(d) Understanding the Writer’s Intention

Why does the writer describe the incident as an “accidental marketing campaign” for the Fugu?

(e) Sentence Transformation

Rewrite the following sentence beginning with the words given without changing its meaning.

Original sentence:
“The incident became the top trending topic on almost every social media platform worldwide.”

Begin with:
Almost every social media platform worldwide

(f) Structure: Grammatical Name and Function

In the sentence:

“Within days, the incident became the top trending topic on almost every social media platform worldwide.”

(i) What is the grammatical name given to “Within days”?

(ii) What is its function in the sentence?

Recommended Answers

(a) (i) The writer’s attitude toward the critics is disapproving because he suggests that their comments showed ignorance of African culture.

(ii) The writer’s tone may be described as ironic and amused, especially when explaining how the criticism unintentionally increased the popularity of the Fugu.

(b) (i) “they” refers to Ghanaians at home and abroad.

(ii) “it” refers to the Fugu (the traditional Ghanaian dress).

(iii) “this incident” refers to the social media controversy surrounding the president’s traditional outfit during his visit to Zambia.

(c) (i) ridiculed → trolled/mocked

(ii) rapid increase → surge

(iii) ignorance → lack of knowledge

(iv) unexpectedly → incidentally / ironically (depending on interpretation in context)

(d) The writer describes the incident as an accidental marketing campaign because the criticism from social media users unintentionally drew global attention to the Fugu and increased demand for it.

(e) Almost every social media platform worldwide became the site where the incident emerged as the top trending topic.

(Any answer that preserves the original meaning and structure may be accepted.)

(f) (i) Adverbial phrase of time.

(ii) It modifies the verb “became”. (Note that it indicates when the incident turned into a trending topic.)

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For Teachers: Teaching Notes from AOne English College

This third question set helps students practise advanced WAEC comprehension skills, particularly:

• Reference interpretation (a very common WAEC question type)
• Tone and attitude analysis
• Synonyms in context
• Grammatical structure
• Sentence transformation

Using three different question sets for one passage is excellent exam preparation because students learn to:

• Read critically
• Identify subtle meanings
• Understand how WAEC tests comprehension from multiple angles.

Conclusion

The story of Ghana’s Fugu demonstrates how quickly ideas and opinions travel in the digital age. What began as a misunderstanding on social media eventually turned into a moment of cultural pride and global interest.

For teachers and students preparing for the WASSCE, English comprehension exercise passages like this provide valuable practice. They enhance skills training in reading carefully, interpreting meaning, and answering comprehension questions effectively.

Cultural stories drawn from real African experiences also make the learning process more engaging and relevant.

At AOne English College, our goal is to help students develop strong reading, writing, and analytical skills that will prepare them not only for examinations but also for effective communication in the wider world.