Ghanaian music veteran and Blackstar Experience Coordinator, Rex Omar, has addressed recent criticisms surrounding the term ‘Detty December’, explaining that it represents festive celebration rather than disorderly behavior.
His clarification comes in response to concerns expressed by the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, who implied that the phrase carried negative connotations.
In an interview, Rex Omar emphasized that the term ‘Detty’ in ‘Detty December’ refers to uninhibited yet lawful enjoyment, not an endorsement of chaos or misconduct.
“He should bear with us. We are creatives, we are always creating, and we’re changing language to mean different things, so it’s not ‘Dirty’. ‘Detty December’ is ‘Detty’, it’s ‘unrestricted celebration’,” he said.
“We have laws in this country, and you can’t come here and do anything that is against the law. If you go against the law, you’ll be arrested. The fact that we are celebrating ‘Detty December’ doesn’t mean you can come here and do whatever you like.
“Whoever translated it to him that you can come to Ghana and do anything you like is mistaken. That is not what ‘Detty December’ means. It means unrestricted celebrations all over the place, come, enjoy yourself, and go,” Omar explained.
The annual ‘Detty December’ campaign promotes Ghana as a top holiday destination, featuring concerts, parties, and cultural events.