Ghanaian MC and creative personality, MC Portfolio, is calling for a national rethink of funeral tourism, arguing that the Ashanti Region offers the perfect blueprint to turn funerals into a thriving cultural and creative economy.
To him, funerals in Ghana — especially in Ashanti — have gone beyond grief. They’ve transformed into massive social events that now hold more weight than weddings, blending culture, fashion, history, and showbiz.
“I think if people come over here and witness how colorful it is and what it represents — beyond the grief — we have the culture, the literature. There’s a fashion essence to it, there’s a whole glitz and glamour and a whole industry around it.”
MC Portfolio believes the conversation around funeral tourism needs to be brought back to the table — especially the idea that was once floated by former Tourism Minister Dr. Ibrahim Mohammed Awal, who proposed using the Ashanti Region as a model for this concept.
“I think funeral tourism should be reconsidered, because now funerals give us a more festive and social experience than the weddings and other events. And come to think of it, now funerals have become a bigger deal more than any other social event in the Ashanti Region.”
The comments were made during an interview with Feeling Daddy on Starr Showbiz on Starr 103.5 FM, where MC Portfolio strongly argued that people need to understand the depth of what funerals represent in Ashanti culture — not just emotionally, but creatively and economically.
“People have the concept of funeral tourism misunderstood. It should be well explained so that we build an industry around it that can go a long way to generate something lucrative.”
Just last week, Kumasi hosted two major funerals — that of Rev. Obofour’s mother, and the Mamponghene, a revered traditional figure who is like a right hand to the Asantehene. Both events, MC Portfolio said, were major draws for both locals and the diaspora.
“So yes, aside Rev. Obofuo’s mother’s funeral which happened last week and took center stage, we are also witnessing the funeral of one of our greats — the Mamponghene. We have a very good funeral happening live here in the city, which is also attracting tourism from far and near. People from the diaspora have flown in to witness this burial of one of our greats in our chieftaincy history. Kumasi is kept alive today because of the funeral.”
And while outsiders may only associate funerals with mourning, Portfolio says Ashanti funerals now represent much more.
“When people think of funerals, all they think of is mourning, all the reason around is grief. But when you come to the Ashanti Region now, it has taken a different terrain. It goes beyond just the mourning. It’s also an opportunity for homecoming. It’s an opportunity for exhibition. It’s an opportunity for commerce, it’s an opportunity for culture. It’s an opportunity for poetry and literature.”
He pointed out that the evidence is all around — from the number of funeral banners on billboards to how seriously people take funeral celebrations now.
“If you come to the Ashanti Region, you’ll see 90% of our billboards are being displayed with funeral banners. And you’ll see that even our payslips and dressing changes, anniversaries — whatever — all because of the dimension our funeral has taken.”
MC Portfolio also opened up about his own experience in the industry, where funerals now rival — or even outperform — weddings and corporate events in terms of scale and pay.
“And one of my biggest paychecks I received as an MC last year came from a funeral reception, which now has become part and parcel of the fanfare aspect of the burial. After the burial, they hired a dome in the north, with aesthetic decoration.”
“For me to tell you that my biggest paycheck in 2024 didn’t come from a wedding, it didn’t come from a corporate event — it should tell you how big funeral tourism is, and how we can push it into our creative arts industry.”
For MC Portfolio, this isn’t just about culture — it’s about opportunity. A homegrown space that merges tradition, celebration, and economic potential.
By: JOSEPH KOBINA AMUAH
