Ghanaian journalist Ernest Adu Kumi has delivered a passionate critique of the intense family and societal pressures that many Ghanaians face.
Speaking on Hitz FM on Thursday, February 26, he said society has normalised placing unreasonable expectations on individuals, especially young women, without considering their emotional, financial, or physical readiness.
“Many people have been through pressure which has resulted in deaths,” he said. “Young women are pressured to get married just to wipe away shame, and they end up with men they’re not interested in.”
He explained that the pressure does not end at marriage. Women are often rushed into childbirth to meet societal expectations, sometimes with fatal consequences.
“They are told to do well to give birth, pressured to give birth, and some of them end up dying during labour,” he noted.
Kumi extended his concerns beyond marriage and childbirth, pointing out that the culture of comparison and expectation affects all aspects of life. From owning cars to achieving certain milestones, many people feel forced to meet standards they are not ready for.
“People are pressured to buy cars, and they end up crashing them in accidents,” he said, highlighting how societal validation can override common sense and personal safety.
He observed that individuals who try to shield themselves from these pressures are often misunderstood or labeled as disrespectful.
“We’ve gotten to the point where if you don’t toughen your skin, irrespective of where the pressure is coming from you’re seen as weak. But if you do toughen up, they say you’re insolent.”
Sharing a personal experience, the journalist revealed that he, too, faces such pressure, particularly during family gatherings in rural areas.
“When we go for family meetings in the villages, the kind of things they say, giving you pressure that if this doesn’t work, you should try another one. ‘When are you bringing us another invitation?’” he recounted.
He lamented that these comments are often made casually, without any consideration for a person’s financial situation or emotional preparedness.
“They say it sheepishly without considering your background, whether you’re prepared or not. They don’t even care. They want you to live their lives,” Adu Kumi stated.
He called for a cultural shift that prioritises empathy, personal choice, and mental well-being over rigid societal expectations, urging families and communities to allow individuals to live life at their own pace.
View this post on Instagram
