Ghanaian singer Wendy Shay has explained the viral moment in which she was seen removing fellow musician Lasmid’s hand from her thigh, saying the incident has been exaggerated on social media.

The moment sparked widespread reactions after a video surfaced online in late September 2026 showing the two artistes seated together on a couch. In the clip, Wendy Shay is seen moving Lasmid’s hand away from her lap as they prepared for a shoot.

Some social media users criticised Wendy Shay, with some claiming that she had embarrassed Lasmid and should apologise publicly. Others turned the incident into memes, joking about how the singer may have felt after his hand was moved.

Speaking on DJ Slim’s podcast, Wendy Shay gave her side of the story and insisted that there was nothing dramatic about the incident.

According to Wendy, she only moved Lasmid’s hand because she wanted to sit comfortably on the arm of the couch, but there was limited space.

She explained that Lasmid was already occupying the couch, and she wanted to sit on the armrest so they could get a better position for the video shoot.

“Everything has been blown out of proportion. If you look at the couch, he is sitting on the couch, and I wanted to sit on the armrest of the couch so I could also sit comfortably for the shoot, so we could get a nice video,” Wendy Shay explained.

The singer also said her decision to physically move Lasmid’s hand was possible because the two artistes share a good rapport.

She suggested that she would not have felt comfortable making such a gesture if they did not have that level of familiarity.

“We have that rapport. That’s why I asked him to take his hand off,” she explained.

Wendy Shay maintained that the brief interaction should not have been interpreted as a serious confrontation or an attempt to embarrass Lasmid.

The two musicians recently teamed up on BendOva, an Afropop collaboration that has been attracting attention and further bringing the artistes into the spotlight.

Ghana is set to take the spotlight in fashion, culture and the creative economy as the maiden Black Star Fashion Week (BSFW) prepares to bring together designers, creatives, investors, industry players and fashion enthusiasts for a two-day national fashion experience.

The initiative is aimed at discovering emerging talent, creating opportunities for players in the fashion industry and showcasing Ghanaian creativity to audiences beyond the country.

The event is being organised under the Presidency-backed Black Star Experience Secretariat, led by the  Presidential Staffer for the Black Star Experience, Rex Omar, playing a key role in the initiative.

The programme is being supported by the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts and its agencies, including the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) and the Creative Arts Agency.

Black Star Fashion Week will unfold through two connected experiences in Accra and Senchi, moving from industry discussions and talent discovery to a major fashion and cultural celebration.

The first day of the programme is scheduled for November 4 in Accra, where the Black Star Fashion Summit will take centre stage.

The summit will provide a platform for designers, fashion entrepreneurs, creatives, industry leaders, investors, buyers, manufacturers, policymakers, media practitioners and other stakeholders to engage in discussions about the future of Ghana’s fashion industry.

The programme will feature keynote addresses, panel discussions, fireside conversations, masterclasses, industry presentations and practical workshops.

Key areas to be explored include entrepreneurship, branding, digital marketing, textile innovation, manufacturing, fashion finance, export readiness, e-commerce, artificial intelligence, sustainability and intellectual property.

The summit is expected to provide participants with opportunities to exchange ideas, develop new skills, build industry connections and explore avenues for expanding Ghanaian fashion locally and internationally.

A major highlight of the Accra programme will be the 16-Region Designer Programme, which will bring emerging fashion talents from across Ghana onto one national platform.

Each participating designer will be required to develop a creative fashion interpretation inspired by their respective region.

Their presentations will draw on the identity, culture, heritage, local materials, craftsmanship and contemporary design language of the regions they represent.

At the end of the Accra programme, five designers will be selected from the participants.

One of the five finalists will then progress to the flagship fashion show at Senchi, allowing the selected designer to present on the major Black Star Fashion Week platform.

The second day of the programme will take place at Royal Senchi on November 7, where the Black Star Fashion Show and Experience will be held.

The Senchi programme will extend beyond the traditional runway, with a Fashion Village forming part of the overall experience.

The Fashion Village will feature designer showcases, retail, textiles, artisan experiences, brand activations, beauty, technology, food and beverage, tourism and lifestyle experiences.

The event will also showcase the relationship between fashion and Ghana’s broader cultural identity.

Visitors will experience elements of Ghanaian music, dance, textiles, craft, food, storytelling, heritage and visual arts, creating a wider celebration of the country’s creative and cultural heritage.

Black Star Fashion Week will also recognise outstanding contributors to Ghana’s fashion ecosystem.

The event will provide opportunities for designers and creative businesses to connect with buyers, investors, manufacturers, retailers and other industry stakeholders through networking and business engagements.

The organisers are positioning the initiative not only as a fashion showcase but also as a platform for talent development, industry collaboration and commercial opportunities.

The Black Star Experience (BSE) is a Government of Ghana initiative focused on culture, arts, tourism and creative engagement.

As a national, year-round platform, it brings together Ghana’s cultural, artistic, tourism and creative offerings with the broader objective of strengthening Ghana’s identity and promoting the country as a preferred global destination.

The initiative also seeks to position Ghana as a leading cultural and creative capital of Africa.

Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Abla Dzifa Gomashie, has called for improved maintenance, consistent interpretation of historical narratives and sustained investment in tourist attractions to enhance visitor experiences and encourage repeat visits.

She made the call during a tour of selected tourist attractions in the Eastern Region after participating in the 2026 Eastern Regional Tourism Expo, held in Koforidua as part of activities marking World Tourism Day.

The Minister visited the Aburi Botanical Gardens, Aburi Craft Village and Papaye Gardens, where she interacted with facility managers, received briefings on their operations and assessed opportunities for improving the attractions.

At the Aburi Botanical Gardens, she was taken through the site’s rich history, including its historical association with the Biafran War and trees planted by prominent world leaders who had visited the facility.

She also received updates on the condition of the trees and the general state of the gardens before planting a tree herself to underscore the importance of environmental conservation and the preservation of Ghana’s natural heritage.

Gomashie stressed that regular maintenance of the gardens must be treated as a priority, noting that the site’s historical significance and natural beauty could only be preserved through deliberate and sustained care.

She also raised concerns about inconsistencies in the way the history of tourist sites is communicated to visitors.

According to her, tour guides must provide accurate, consistent and coherent accounts of historical events to protect the credibility of attractions.

She explained that conflicting versions of the same historical narrative could confuse visitors and gradually reduce their interest in returning to the sites.

“When visitors receive different accounts of the same historical events during successive visits, they may become uncertain about what to believe,” she noted, stressing the need for a more coordinated approach to historical interpretation.

Although the Aburi Botanical Gardens do not fall directly under the management of the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Gomashie said tourism development requires collaboration among institutions responsible for attractions and those providing the infrastructure needed to support them.

She noted that the Ghana Tourism Authority plays a regulatory and supervisory role in the tourism sector, including permits and oversight, but stressed that the development of tourist destinations also depends on cooperation with other ministries and government agencies.

The Minister particularly highlighted the role of the Ministry of Roads and Highways in improving access to tourist attractions.

She disclosed that concerns over poor road access to tourist destinations had been brought to the attention of President John Dramani Mahama, who had tasked the Roads and Highways Minister with prioritising roads leading to key tourism sites.

According to her, a list of roads requiring urgent attention had already been submitted, while the second phase of the government’s Big Push infrastructure programme is expected to focus on improving access to tourist destinations.

Gomashie further stressed the need for tourism facilities to continuously evolve in order to remain attractive to visitors.

She said introducing new features while upgrading existing facilities would provide tourists with fresh experiences and give them more reasons to return.

Her visits to the Aburi Craft Village and Papaye Gardens also offered an opportunity to assess the diversity of tourism products in the Eastern Region and the potential of local attractions to support employment, enterprise development and economic activity.

The Minister was accompanied by the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Tourism Authority, Maame Efua Houadjeto; Executive Director of the Ghana Tourism Development Company, Professor Kobby Mensah; Executive Director of the Hotel, Catering and Tourism Training Institute, Dr Eric Afornorfe; Director of the Folklore Board, Mr Adjavon; Director of Tourism, Dr Tamakloe; Director of Culture and Creative Arts, Divine Owusu Ansah; and other officials of the Ministry.

Source: Graphics Online

Ghanaian Kumawood actor Kwadwo Nkansah, popularly known as LilWin, has welcomed a group of Nigerian movie stars who have arrived in Ghana to join the cast of his upcoming movie, A Journey to Africa (Nzulezu).

The Nigerian stars, including Kanayo O. Kanayo, Patience Ozokwor, Mike Ezuruonye, Zubby Michael and Destiny Etiko, touched down at the Accra International Airport on Wednesday, September 30, 2026.

The stars touched down at the Accra International Airport on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, where they were welcomed by Lil Win.

A video shared on social media showed the Ghanaian actor at the airport as he received the Nigerian stars ahead of the movie production.

The project brings together some of Nigeria’s well-known film personalities and Ghanaian talents for the international movie.

Among the Nigerian stars joining the cast are veteran actor Kanayo O. Kanayo, veteran actress Patience Ozokwor, actor Mike Ezuruonye, actor Zubby Michael and actress Destiny Etiko, alongside other Nigerian actors and actresses.

A Journey to Africa (Nzulezu) is Lil Win’s second international movie project and is set to feature the Nigerian stars alongside Ghanaian actors.