Came as a star.
Leaves as legend.
Thank you, Robert Lewandowski, for every goal, every battle, and every magic moment wearing these colours. Culer forever. πβ€οΈ
Scanty!!! Scanty!!! Scanty!!! How many times did I mention your name?
A portion of people on Twitter are furious at Team Scanty Explores, including Scanty, Essel and Latif. From what I have gathered, there are three main reasons behind the backlash.
1. First, many people believe the thumbnail for their video titled βWe drove 100hrs from Accra to the Northern Part of Ghana (Tamale)β was derogatory and stereotypical. They argue that the thumbnail reinforces an old narrative that the five northern regions are underdeveloped and defined by bad roads. To them, it was unnecessary and disrespectful, especially coming from content creators with a large audience.
2. Second, some critics were offended by the way Scanty referred to the entire upper part of the country simply as βthe northβ in the title and in multiple captions promoting the video. Their point is that the five northern regions are not one homogenous block. They have different identities, cultures and languages. Reducing all of that to a single label feels dismissive, especially to people who are already sensitive to being stereotyped or misunderstood.
3. Lastly, many people, both in and outside Ghana, were upset that Scanty Explores visited Zaina Lodge, a resort that charges 7,000 cedis per night. Some felt it was tone-deaf to highlight a luxury experience in a region that is often negatively stereotyped, while others simply thought the price tag was outrageous and disconnected from the economic reality of most Ghanaians.
Here is my take;
A. On the thumbnail and the generalization of the northern regions, I think the critics have a point. Whether intentional or not, creators must be conscious of how their visuals and language can reinforce existing stereotypes. Northern Ghana has spent years fighting misrepresentation, so anything that hints at old narratives will naturally trigger pushback. Being more precise and respectful in the framing would have avoided all this.
That said, I do not think Scanty or his team set out to insult anyone. Their work generally focuses on exploring Ghana and showcasing different places. If their wording or thumbnail created the wrong impression, the responsible step would simply be to acknowledge it and adjust. That is not a loss; it is part of growing as a creator.
B. On the Zaina Lodge issue, I do not think Scanty was wrong for visiting or documenting it. It is a real place in the region. It is expensive, yes, but it exists, and showing it is not inherently disrespectful. If anything, it proves that northern Ghana also has high-end tourism experiences. The outrage over the price is understandable, but it is not Scantyβs fault that a private resort is expensive.
Overall, both sides have valid concerns. The creators could have been more thoughtful in their presentation, and the critics are right to demand respectful representation. But there is room for a middle ground. Instead of assuming malice, we can expect creators to learn from feedback and improve how they frame content about sensitive regions. Everyone benefits from that.
The term βNorthernersβ is used to reinforce stereotypes and deny us what is due us.
Otherwise, what is so difficult about saying I went to Upper West, I went to North East, I went to Northern Region, or I went to Savannah Region?