Renowned Ghanaian YouTuber and content creator, Wode Maya, has stated that he was the mastermind behind the Foreign Affairs Ministry’s move to issue a Ghanaian passport to popular American streamer, IShowSpeed.
This comes in response to the backlash that followed Foreign Affairs Minister Okudzeto Ablakwa’s post on X, in which he said he plans to give American streamer IShowSpeed a Ghanaian passport.
Wode Maya clarified that Hon. Ablakwa did not plan to offer a free passport to the American streamer, stressing that the idea was entirely his own.
“The Minister had no idea. I pleaded with him that it would be good for him to honour him. The time he had responded, the guy had already left. We wanted to do it while we were streaming, but the Minister was on a plane so he didn’t see the message early,” he stated in an interview on Joy FM on January 29, 2026.
Wode Maya said the popular streamer has strong African roots and has repeatedly leveraged his platform to showcase Africa in a positive light to a global audience.
“I’ve seen all the noise that has been happening after the passport but the thing is, the guy has a Ghanaian route. He’s someone who’s on that journey to change the negative narrative of Africa.”
“I feel like IShowSpeed did it on a larger scale, which he deserved to be honoured. Honouring him by welcoming him home and he wanted to say that he’s 100% African so let’s say he’s 100% Ghanaian.” Wode Maya explained.
It emerged that the American streamer could not visit all the places arranged for its tour in Ghana.
In an interview on Okay FM on January 27, 2026, the deputy CEO of the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA), Abeiku Santana, said IShowSpeed was supposed to visit five (5) more places before ending his tour in Ghana.
Unfortunately, limited time and the large crowds following him altered the plan.
“He was supposed to see Reggie Rockstone and go to the Despite Automobile Museum. However, how things worked out yesterday, he couldn’t visit some of the planned places. Republic Bar, Osu Night Market, Goldbod Jewellery, etc. They were all part of the itinerary, but he couldn’t visit them all,” he said.
Ghana attracted global attention on January 26, 2026, following the arrival of international streamer and content creator Daren Jason Watkins, popularly known as IShowSpeed, as part of his tour of the African continent.
During the visit, the content creator travelled to Akropong in the Eastern Region, where traditional authorities received him with an Akan naming ceremony.
The ceremony exposed the streamer to traditional cultural practices, after which he was given the local name Barima Kofi Akuffo.
Following the naming rite, IShowSpeed boarded a private helicopter that transported him from Akropong to Burma Camp in Accra before proceeding to the Independence Square for scheduled activities.
The brief helicopter journey from Akropong to Accra became the most tracked flight globally on Flightradar24.
Reports indicate that flight 9GAFW AS50 ranked first on the platform on January 26, 2026, with more than 3,000 people monitoring the flight while following the livestream.
The visit, which generated significant public interest, featured several activities, including car stunt displays, a massage session at the shea butter museum, an interaction with the daughter of Ghana’s first President, Kwame Nkrumah, a boxing experience in Bukom, a backflip at Black Star Square, and a visit to the Asenema Waterfall.
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When American livestreamer iShowSpeed announced plans for an African tour, early reactions from his online audience pointed to Ghana as one of the safest destinations on the continent.
By January 25, 2026, the streamer arrived in Ghana after visiting several other African countries.
The visit has sparked debate over the tangible image or economic benefits Ghana stands to gain and whether the impact is mutually beneficial or largely one-sided.
At face value, the question appears reasonable, particularly around why the arrival of a 21-year-old American streamer has generated significant public interest.
Understanding the scale of his influence provides some clarity. iShowSpeed has more than 50 million subscribers on YouTube, a figure that surpasses Ghana’s population of just over 30 million.
In effect, his digital reach exceeds the total number of people living in the country.
His livestreams often attract more than 200,000 concurrent viewers, with previous broadcasts recording even higher peaks.
This level of exposure mirrors the audience size governments typically pursue through expensive tourism campaigns, cultural diplomacy, and international branding efforts.
The tour also challenges traditional tourism promotion models. A single content creator with global reach can achieve in weeks what formal strategies may take years to deliver.
Unlike state-led marketing campaigns, his streams are not packaged as advertisements, making them appear spontaneous and authentic to viewers.
Although Speed holds no official tourism ambassador role, his content has shaped perceptions in ways comparable to structured national branding efforts.
His core audience consists largely of Gen Z viewers, mostly under the age of 26, who represent the next generation of tourists, investors, and cultural consumers.
Reaching this demographic early positions Ghana for long-term relevance rather than short-term visibility.
By contrast, many traditional tourism campaigns across the continent have historically targeted older audiences.
Early signs of impact are already evident elsewhere on the continent. In Benin, Speed’s visit delivered visibility that would normally require significant tourism expenditure.
Footage from his livestreams also sparked conversations on Ghanaian social media, with users drawing comparisons between Benin’s development and Ghana’s.
This demonstrates how digital perception can shift in real time through livestreaming rather than brochures or promotional videos.
For Ghana, the implications extend beyond the immediate visit. A young viewer outside Africa watching Speed experience Ghana live — engaging with local culture, food, and people — may carry that familiarity for years.
When that viewer eventually has the means to travel, Ghana is likely to remain a recognisable option.
This is how long-term tourism interest is built, extending beyond present gains to future returns.
The longevity of digital content further amplifies the impact, as Speed’s videos remain searchable long after his departure.
Short-form clips will continue circulating on social media, news organisations will reference the visit, and other creators will react or remix the content.
Increased cultural visibility often coincides with rising interest from the African diaspora and potential investors.
The broader question, therefore, is not why Ghana should pay attention to a young streamer, but whether the country can afford to overlook such digital influence.
In an era where soft power is increasingly shaped online, influence no longer rests solely with governments, advertisers, or diplomats.
At times, it belongs to a single creator with a camera, an internet connection, and millions watching.
