I’ll Vote for a Female President; Women Are Less Likely to Steal from the State – Okyeame Kwame

Ghanaian rapper and developmental activist Kwame Nsiah-Apau, popularly known as Okyeame Kwame, has expressed his willingness to support a qualified female candidate in a presidential election, arguing that women may be more empathetic and less likely to misuse public funds.

The musician, popularly known as the Rap Doctor, made the comments during an interview with Nikki Samonas on Joy Prime’s Changes programme, where he was asked whether he would vote for and advocate for a female presidential candidate to lead the country.

Okyeame Kwame responded that he would vote for a woman if she and a male candidate were equally qualified and responsible.

“If that woman and the man are both equally qualified and they’re equally responsible, I’ll vote for the woman because women usually, not all the time, have a bit more empathy and they’re less likely to steal from the state than men,” he said.

He, however, cautioned against generalising the claim, acknowledging that there have been instances where female leaders have also been accused or found to have misused state resources.

Women bring empathy and nurturing qualities

Okyeame Kwame, who has consistently advocated for women’s empowerment, said he believes women bring qualities such as empathy, sympathy, care and nurturing to leadership.

He argued that these qualities could be valuable in governance, particularly in ensuring that the needs and welfare of citizens remain central to national decision-making.

“Women come with a lot of love, empathy, sympathy, nurture; they have that motherly thing where they care more about people. Men are inclined to care more about things, as Jordan Peterson said. So, I think a woman president will be dope,” he stressed.

He also said he believes women should be given greater opportunities to occupy leadership positions and contribute to national development.

Calls for recognition of Ghana’s ‘founding mothers’

Beyond his views on female political leadership, Okyeame Kwame called for greater recognition of women who contributed to Ghana’s political, social and economic development.

His advocacy, he said, inspired his new song, “Big Up,” which celebrates women whose contributions to Ghana have not received sufficient recognition.

He mentioned Susanna Al-Hassan, Naa Dedei Ashikishan, Theodosia Okoh, Mabel Danquah and Ama Nkrumah among the women highlighted in the song.

According to him, some of these women played significant roles during Ghana’s struggle for independence, with some reportedly facing imprisonment, losing their jobs and making personal sacrifices in support of the independence movement.

He believes their contributions should receive greater attention in Ghana’s education system and public spaces.

Wants women’s contributions taught in schools

Okyeame Kwame called for the achievements of notable Ghanaian women to be incorporated into Social Studies and other educational materials.

He said young people, particularly girls, should learn about women who contributed to Ghana’s development alongside the traditionally recognised male political figures.

“I want to see all of them in Social Studies books. I want students to write exams about them. I want young girls to know that we don’t only have the founding fathers, but there are also founding mothers,” he said.

He also proposed naming prominent streets and public spaces after some of the women as a way of preserving their legacy.

“I want prominent streets named after some of them. I want them to have their own roundabout; the founding mothers roundabout,” he added.

Promoting women in leadership

The musician further urged society to create greater opportunities for women and celebrate their achievements in the same way men are celebrated.

He argued that a more balanced approach to recognising leadership and achievement could encourage both men and women to embrace qualities such as empathy, care and emotional sensitivity.

Okyeame Kwame’s comments add to his longstanding advocacy for women’s empowerment and greater recognition of women’s contributions to Ghanaian society.