Giant headgear gives me headaches but I love it — Akumaa

Many people may have noticed Akumaa Mama Zimbi’s rather huge headgear but what they do not know is that it can be so heavy that it sometimes gives her headaches.

Akumaa admitted to Showbiz recently that the big headgear which she has worn for the past 15 years can be very heavy.

“It does feel very heavy, sometimes my head aches because blood doesn’t flow freely. So sometimes, as soon as I sit in the car after an event, I take it off but trust me, I love it because it always makes me stand out, “ she explained.

The television and radio personality told Showbiz she calls her headgear Mama Zimbi, “You can call it Mama Zimbi, it is my brand. I created it because I wanted to be unique. When I wasn’t in showbiz, I did all kinds of hairstyles but once I got into it, I decided to settle for something different so here we are,” were her words.

Akumaa added that the headdress takes about 30 minutes to fix, “it needs to fit properly because I may run or dance especially when I step out and it needs to be stable,” she said.

According to Akumaa, she fixes it herself and it takes quite a bit of fabrics to put it together. “People think it is some kind of a hat that I just pick and wear everyday but no, I actually take my time to fix it each and everyday. I use eight yards for everyday use and 18 yards to 24 yards for the more sophisticated ones for special occasions,” she said.

Sharing some of her bad experiences with towering headpiece, Akumaa said people often complain it blocks their view when she sits in front of them at functions.

“ It once fell off at an event and I had to quickly go to a quiet place to fix it and go back to my seat. There was also this time that I travelled and an immigration officer asked me to take it off.

“I did just that for her to conduct her inspection and right after that I fixed it”. You see, you can ask me to undo it a million times and I can fix it again a million times,” she said.




Mama Zimbi, real name, Joyce Akumaa Dongotey-Padi presents Odo Ahomaso on Adom FM on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 10pm to midnight and on Adom TV on Thursdays and Fridays from 11pm to 1am.

Giving us feedback on her shows, Akumaa said before the year 2000, people didn’t understand it because she gives sex education at the tail end of her shows but that has changed now, “people have now accepted it because they realised it is educative, informative and entertaining as well, now the schools, churches and other institutions are always inviting me for talks,” she stated.

Before leaving us, Akumaa hinted that her Mama Zimbi’s Foundation will hold its ninth National Widows Alliance Conference under the theme, “Empowering Widows for Greater Achievements”.

“It will come off on June 17 at the Trade Fair Site Pavillion B, it is free so all widows should make it a point to attend,” she said.

Source: Graphic.com.gh