“Medikal and Fella have broken up.”
When you first heard that, where were you? On Twitter? In a WhatsApp group? Maybe it was a TikTok “exposé” with dramatic background music.
Within minutes, everyone had an opinion. Some were heartbroken, others celebrated like Ghana had just scored against Nigeria. Some even turned into full-time FBI agents, digging for who cheated, who lied, and who deserved better.
But have you ever paused to ask yourself: Why do we care so much? Why does a celebrity breakup (people we’ve probably never met) feel like our personal business? Let’s unpack this, both as Ghanaians and as human beings.
Within minutes, everyone had an opinion. Some were heartbroken, others celebrated like Ghana had just scored against Nigeria. Some even turned into full-time FBI agents, digging for who cheated, who lied, and who deserved better.
But have you ever paused to ask yourself: Why do we care so much? Why does a celebrity breakup (people we’ve probably never met) feel like our personal business? Let’s unpack this, both as Ghanaians and as human beings.
1. Gossip Is Cultural, And Ghana Is No Exception
Let’s be honest, Ghanaians love gist. From childhood, we’ve grown up around kokonsa, whether it was in the form of aunties whispering during funerals, radio morning shows breaking down celebrity drama, or those “open letters” on Facebook.
It’s not always malicious. Sometimes, gossip is how we connect. It’s how we pass time, bond, and even make sense of the world.
In a society like ours where open conversations about emotions and relationships are often brushed off or hidden behind proverbs, celebrity drama becomes a safe outlet. We can talk about someone else’s heartbreak instead of dealing with our own.
It’s not always malicious. Sometimes, gossip is how we connect. It’s how we pass time, bond, and even make sense of the world.
In a society like ours where open conversations about emotions and relationships are often brushed off or hidden behind proverbs, celebrity drama becomes a safe outlet. We can talk about someone else’s heartbreak instead of dealing with our own.
2. Parasocial Relationships: We Think We Know Them
Psychologically, what’s happening here is called a parasocial relationship. It's a one-sided emotional connection we develop with public figures. We follow them, root for them, laugh at their jokes, and cry when they break up, even though they don’t know we exist.
In a way, watching Medikal and Fella grow, love, and clash felt like watching a series. So when it ended, it felt personal.
Our brains don’t always distinguish between real-life friends and people we watch constantly online. That’s why when Delay drops a cryptic tweet or Shatta Wale posts something dramatic, it triggers real emotional responses.
Let’s be real, sometimes, it’s not even about them. It’s about us. We project our fears, hopes, and wounds onto these public stories. If you’ve ever been cheated on, you might feel validated seeing a public figure get caught. If you’re in a toxic relationship, you might secretly wish for your own “breakup announcement moment.”In a way, watching Medikal and Fella grow, love, and clash felt like watching a series. So when it ended, it felt personal.
Our brains don’t always distinguish between real-life friends and people we watch constantly online. That’s why when Delay drops a cryptic tweet or Shatta Wale posts something dramatic, it triggers real emotional responses.
3. Projection: Seeing Ourselves In Their Story
So we follow the story not because we hate the person, but because it mirrors our own.
4. Gossip As Escape: A Break From Our Own Lives
In a country where the economy is unpredictable, jobs are scarce, and everyday life feels like a survival game, celebrity drama offers a kind of escape.
It’s easier to worry about who unfollowed who than to think about rent. It gives us something to laugh about, argue over, and share memes on, just for a moment, we forget the heaviness of our own realities.
It’s easier to worry about who unfollowed who than to think about rent. It gives us something to laugh about, argue over, and share memes on, just for a moment, we forget the heaviness of our own realities.
5. But There’s A Dark Side Too
Sometimes, the obsession turns ugly. We tear people down, insult them, and reduce complex relationships to Twitter threads and TikTok lives. We forget that beyond the gossip, these are real people with families, mental health struggles, and private pain.
It’s one thing to be interested. It’s another to become so invested that we start feeling entitled to their pain, or worse, take pleasure in their downfall. That says more about us than them.
It’s one thing to be interested. It’s another to become so invested that we start feeling entitled to their pain, or worse, take pleasure in their downfall. That says more about us than them.
6. So… What Do We Do With All This?
Listen, it’s okay to enjoy a little celebrity tea. We're human. We’re wired for stories, and celebrity breakups are just modern-day folklore.
But maybe next time, we can ask ourselves:Sometimes, the tea we're sipping isn't just about them. It's about us.
- What am I really feeling right now?
- Why does this story hit me so hard?
- Am I being kind, or just entertained?
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