President John Mahama has joined the viral conversation surrounding the visit of American YouTube sensation IShowSpeed to Ghana, humorously recounting how his own children introduced him to the 28-day Africa tour and an experience that will ensure the streamer returns for more.
Speaking during a recent engagement, President Mahama shared his light-hearted reaction to the streamer’s visit to the Shea Butter Museum in Accra, an experience that has since become a global case study in cultural marketing and tourism.
He made the remark at the launch of the SheaPark Resource Hub Project in Wa.
President Mahama revealed that his children were all excited about the visit of the 21-year-old content creator, whose real name is Darren Watkins Jr.
One of his children showed him a clip of Speed at the museum, which is owned by Ghanaian entrepreneur and former beauty queen Hamamat Montia.
“Recently, my children were all excited about some young man from America called IShowSpeed, who came to Ghana,” Mahama said with a chuckle. “And one of my children showed me a video of him in a shea butter museum of some sort.”
The President was particularly amused by the sight of Speed undergoing an intensive shea butter massage—a session that saw the streamer visibly overwhelmed by the sensation.
“I saw him lying down, and about 10 girls, all with shea butter, were massaging this boy. And the way he was enjoying it, he opened his mouth as if he couldn’t breathe. That guy, I’m sure he’ll come back here,” President Mahama predicted.
Beyond the comedy of the moment, the visit sparked a sense of nostalgia for the former President.
He noted that the museum, which promotes northern Ghanaian heritage, brought back memories of traditional games and songs from his youth.
While Mahama viewed the visit through a fatherly lens, tourism experts have dubbed it the “IShowSpeed Effect”.
The streamer’s visit to Ghana on January 26, 2026, was a massive logistical feat that included:
- Cultural Immersion: Receiving the Akan name Barima Kofi Akuffo during a ceremony in Akropong.
- Viral Stunts: A daring backflip at Independence Square and a sparring session at the Bukom Boxing Arena.
- Global Exposure: His flight from Akropong to Accra became the most tracked flight worldwide on Flightradar24, with over 3,000 people monitoring his helicopter journey.
The impact has been so significant that Ghana’s Foreign Ministry reportedly approved a Ghanaian passport for the YouTuber, citing his “irrefutable ties” to the country through his mother’s ancestry.
The Shea Butter Museum, which recently hit maximum capacity following the feature, has been praised for transforming a local commodity into a symbol of luxury and heritage.
Hamamat Montia ensured Speed was treated as a “cultural guest”, showcasing 21 unique types of shea butter from across Africa.
As President Mahama noted, the sheer “enjoyment” displayed by the global superstar has likely cemented Ghana as a top-tier destination for a new generation of travellers.
