Adinkra, Kente Symbolisms, Sartorial Semiotics and Political Leadership Communication of John Dramani Mahama's 2025 Presidential Inauguration Fashion

Adinkra, Kente Symbolisms, Sartorial Semiotics and Political Leadership Communication of John Dramani Mahama's 2025 Presidential Inauguration Fashion | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Adinkra, Kente Symbolisms, Sartorial Semiotics and Political Leadership Communication of John Dramani Mahama's 2025 Presidential Inauguration Fashion Nyamawero Navei, Dickson Adom, Osuanyi Quaicoo Essel This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-8615643/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract This study examines President John Dramani Mahama’s incorporation of Adinkra symbols and kente patterns in his inaugural dress and its synergy with his leadership ideologies and inaugural speech. It also analyses the ideological and philosophical statements linked to the Adinkra and Kente symbols present in his sartorial choices on January 7, 2025. This study fills a research gap using cultural semiotics and discourse analysis. The study demonstrates that President Mahama’s sartorial choice constituted a deliberate narrative. He selected Adinkra symbols such as Nyame Dua (divine authority) and Gye Nyame (divine supremacy) for spiritually anchored leadership; Dwennimmen (strength with humility) reflected accountable leadership; Sankofa (learn from the past) materialised his "reset" agenda, while Ɛmmerepa da w’anim Kente (better days ahead) visualised national unity and future prosperity, resonating with his inaugural speech. The study concludes that Adinkra and Kente symbols are active forms of political language, embodying leadership ideologies essential for Ghanaian national identity and dress culture. Building on this, President Mahama should elevate this dress culture to national policy by having his administration, through parliament, pass legislation for a national dress code for Ghanaian public officers. Cultural Studies Anthropology Art History Adinkra Symbols Ghanaian indigenous dress fashion Kente Leadership Ideologies President John Dramani Mahama Figures Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4 Figure 5 Figure 6 1. Introduction Fashion is a critical aspect of human civilisation. Studies recognise fashion as a potent communicative system, encoding sociocultural and philosophical ideologies globally (Akdemir, 2018 ; Barnard, 2002 ; Gjoni, 2025 ). Within this context, Ghana offers a compelling case study, where leaders’ sartorial choices are imbued with national significance (Essel, 2019 ). This trend is exemplified by the diverse use of Adinkra and Kente symbols in the dress culture of Ghanaians (Akwetey, 2007 ; Armah et al., 2023 ; Mawuli, 2019 ), which transcend aesthetics to articulate profound philosophical and leadership ideologies rooted in Ghanaian heritage (Aflakpui et al., 2023 ; Ansong, 2022 ; Adom et al., 2018 ; Adom, Asante & Kquofi, 2016 ; Danzy, 2009 ; Donkor, Navei & Addae, 2024 ; Kuwornu-Adjaottor et al., 2016 ), thus serving as a vital tool for constructing and projecting national identity and personal conviction within the political sphere (Essel, 2019 ). With specific reference to the fashion symbolism of Ghanaian leaders, significant studies have attempted to decode the ideologies, philosophies, and symbolism of what Ghanaian iconic figures wear for public ceremonial events. Essel’s ( 2019 ) art-historical study investigated the fashion politics of Ghanaian presidential inaugural ceremonies from 1960 to 2017, highlighting the role of presidential attire as a communicative tool of national identity construction. The author found that seven of the eight presidents-elect selected their inaugural ceremony fashion (fabric weaves, pattern symbolisms, and construal of colours) from the repertoire of Ghanaian multi-ethnic nationalistic fashion classics to promote and preserve the Ghanaian unique dress cultural identity. These findings of Essel reaffirm the significant role of fashion as a visual communication element (Essel, Navei & deGraft-Yankson, 2021 ; Warritay, 2017 ; Mamiya, 2016 ; Adrover, 2015 ; Howard, Sarpong & Amankwah, 2012 ; Akwetey, 2007 ). Subsequently, Essel, Navei, and deDraft-Yankson (2021) analysed public reactions to Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo's Eurocentric attire for his 2021 presidential inauguration and found that his dress choice was non-nationalistic, Eurocentric in structure, and a disservice to Ghana's cultural identity construction. The study advocated for the incorporation of Ghanaian traditional textiles to promote national identity. The combined effect of these studies reveals a systematic tracing of what Ghanaian presidents-elect have worn for their inaugural ceremonies for six decades (1960 to 2021). In furtherance of this scholarly trajectory, the then president-elect, John Dramani Mahama’s fashion choice in his 2025 inaugural ceremony comes into focus. A recent study by Horsu, Opare, Amankwah, and Kyei (2025) has partly addressed this gap by analysing the Adinkra symbols on President Mahama’s apparel to interpret their political communication repositories through the Lense of Semiotics. While the study by Horsu et al. (2025) provides a valuable foundational analysis of the Adinkra symbols, it leaves critical gaps that this current research seeks to address. First, in terms of scope, Horsu et al. (2025) focus predominantly on Adinkra symbols, potentially overlooking the communicative power of Kente patterns and their sartorial semiotics as an integrated system with Adinkra that embodied President Mahama’s 2025 inaugural attire. Second, and more significantly, is a methodological and conceptual gap. Their qualitative descriptive approach, while effective for cataloguing and interpreting the symbols, does not extend to a triangulated analysis with the President Mahama’s inaugural spoken discourse. This leaves a lacuna in understanding how the sartorial symbols function in dialogue with the leadership ideologies and philosophies of President Mahama Therefore, the current study moves beyond the established discourse that views dress merely as a vessel for collective national identity construction. Instead, it analyses the individualised ideological and philosophical statements linked to the Adinkra and Kente symbols, and crucially, investigates their synergy with President Mahama's personal leadership ideologies. Through this lens, the study offers details about how President Mahama’s strategic deployment of indigenous Ghanaian dress fashion in ceremonial contexts articulates his leadership ideologies and constructs a Ghanaian nationalistic identity entrepreneurship. In this research, the concept of "nationalistic identity entrepreneurship" is defined as the deliberate and strategic public political undertaking by a leader acting as a national symbolic architect. This involves the selective framing of his public persona using national cultural symbols, such as Adinkra and Kente, to construct a powerful narrative of a superordinate national identity. This process entails forging an indelible connection between his leadership ideology and this crafted national identity, thereby legitimising his authority, promoting national cohesion through the transcendence of ethnic and political divisions, valorising and selling the nation’s cultural heritage to the world. This conceptualisation is supported by the works of Gkinopoulos ( 2020 ), Leong ( 2016 ), and Reicher, Haslam, and Platow ( 2018 ). 2. Empirical Review 2.1 Theoretical Framework Understanding how Adinkra and Kente symbols intersect with and articulate the personal ideologies of Ghanaian leaders, exemplified by President Mahama’s 2025 inaugural fashion, necessitates a multi-layered theoretical framework. This study was, therefore, framed within cultural semiotics, social identity, and Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA). Positioned within cultural semiotics, Adinkra and Kente symbolism constitute a complex system of meaning-making deeply rooted in the Ghanaian culture. Semiotics, the study of signs and symbols (de Saussure, 1916/1983; Peirce, 1931-1958), provides a framework for understanding this system. De Saussure's (1916/1983) dyadic model posits the sign as comprising the signifier (the perceptible form) and the signified (the associated mental concept). Consequently, Adinkra motifs function as cultural signifiers whose meanings are intrinsically derived from their embeddedness within Ghanaian Akan cosmology, history, and social values (Kacheria, 2013). Peirce's (1931-1958) triadic model significantly enriches this analysis. It defines a sign through the interaction of the representamen (the sign's form), the object (to which it refers), and the interpretant (the sense made of it in the mind of an interpreter), a process termed semiosis (Kacheria, 2013). Adinkra symbols primarily operate as symbols with sociocultural, philosophical, metaphorical, and iconic meanings in Akan culture. Crucially, generating their signifieds or interpretants requires a careful decoding process, where the meanings emerge from the interplay of the symbol's form, its conventional referent, and the interpreter's cultural knowledge. Therefore, it is worthy of note that Adinkra meaning operates beyond simple denotation, accruing rich layers of connotative cultural, historical, and ideological significance. As Danzy (2009) affirms, Adinkra symbols not only signify preserved aspects of Akan culture but also all the diverse cultures in Ghana. They also represent Ghanaian cultural ideals that were lost through colonialism (Danzy, 2009). Considering this, when displayed on Ghanaian presidential attire or state regalia, Adinkra transcends ornamentation. It functions as potent visual rhetoric, operating multimodally within distinct socio-political contexts to communicate leadership values, national identity, and ideological stances. The interpretation of such displays, particularly concerning a leader like President Mahama, hinges on this intricate interplay of culturally embedded semiotic codes and their contextual deployment, as the current study seeks to do using a semiotic theoretical lens. Additionally, the Social Identity Theory (SIT) within the context of national cohesionisinstrumental to the current study. Proposed by Henri Tajfel in the early 1970s (Tajfel, 1978) and advanced by Tajfel and Turner (Tajfel & Turner, 1979), Social Identity Theory (SIT) elucidates how individuals derive self-esteem and identity from group membership, together with the value and emotional significance attached to that membership. In a multi-ethnic nation like Ghana, national identity is a crucial superordinate group identity. Adinkra symbols transcend specific ethnic origins (though they are Akan-derived) and are widely recognised as “Ghanaian”, serving as powerful national identity markers (Blount & Brookins, 2021; Danzy, 2009). When leaders like President Mahama use these symbols prominently, they engage in identity entrepreneurship (Reicher, Haslam, & Platow, 2018), reinforcing a shared cultural heritage, fostering national pride, and attempting to build solidarity across ethnic and political divides. The symbols become unifying communicative codes that signal the Ghanaian nation. Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) and ideological encoding were pivotal to this study. Grasping how ideology is conveyed necessitates analysis extending beyond static symbols to dynamic communication. Fairclough's (1995; 2010) and van Dijk's (1998) CDA views provide the tools to dissect how power, ideology, and dominance are enacted and reinforced through discourse. This includes formal speeches, visual, and multimodal communication (Machin, 2007; Serafini & Reid, 2019; Zafar, 2020). Addae et al. (2023) showed how Mahama's linguistic choices (pronouns, metaphors, and other narrative structures) function ideologically, often constructing an inclusive, empathetic, and unifying persona while potentially obscuring specific policy positions or contradictions. CDA allows this study to examine how Mahama's verbal rhetoric (emphasizing unity, patience, and development) and media discourses on his inaugural dress synergise with his non-verbal rhetoric (inaugural fashion) to create a coherent, culturally resonant ideological narrative. Thus, CDA provided a framework to highlight the strategies of legitimation and persuasion embedded in both words and symbols of President Mahama’s inauguration on January 7, 2025. Regarding theoretical underpinnings, this study integrates cultural semiotics, Social Identity Theory (SIT), and Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) to analyse how Adinkra symbols in President Mahama's inaugural dress articulate his ideology, national unity, and cohesion. Cultural semiotics provides the tools to decode the symbols' embedded cultural meanings as complex signs, while SIT elucidates their strategic deployment in fostering national identity and cohesion, framing Mahama as an identity entrepreneur. CDA critically examines how these visual symbols synergise with his verbal rhetoric within a multimodal discourse to encode ideology, enact power, and achieve legitimation. Therefore, these theories are mutually reinforcing semiotics decodes the symbols, SIT explains their social function, and CDA critically analyses their ideological use in leadership communication 2.2 Philosophy and Leadership Ideologies of Adinkra Symbols in Ghana Adinkra symbols represent a sophisticated system of visual philosophy deeply embedded within Ghanaian, particularly Akan, culture. Rooted in Akan cosmovision, these symbols have transcended ethnic boundaries to attain significant national resonance as expressions of shared values and wisdom (Danzy, 2009; Aflakpui et al., 2023; Ansong, 2022). Far from being merely decorative motifs, each symbol encapsulates complex socio-political principles, ethical directives, and profound leadership ideologies that have guided communal life for centuries (Adom et al., 2016; Adom et al., 2018; Kuwornu-Adjaottor et al., 2016; Essuman et al., 2024). As illustrated in Table 1, these symbols provide a lexicon of virtues and concepts directly applicable to governance and societal organisation. Consequently, these symbols offer a rich indigenous framework for conceptualising and articulating fundamental principles for societal organisation and ethical governance. Bi Nka Bi ("no one should bite the other") explicitly advocates for peace and harmony, a cornerstone of stable leadership (Danzy, 2009). The principle of Boa Me Na Me Mmoa Wo ("help me and let me help you") (Danzy, 2009) powerfully underscores cooperation and interdependence, essential for national development. Symbols like Funtunfunefu Denkyemfunefu (Siamese crocodiles) (Danzy, 2009; Mawuli, 2019) offer a potent visual metaphor for unity in diversity and democratic coexistence. Even spiritual symbols, such as Gye Nyame (except for God), acknowledging the supremacy of the divine (Danzy, 2009; Mawuli, 2019), inform a leadership ethos grounded in humility and responsibility. Sankofa emphasises the value of historical wisdom in decision-making (Danzy, 2009; Donkor, Navei & Addae, 2024). While the philosophical wealth of these symbols is well documented (Aflakpui et al., 2023; Ansong, 2022; Adom et al., 2018; Adom, Asante & Kquofi, 2016; Kuwornu-Adjaottor et al., 2016; Danzy, 2009), a dearth of rigorous analysis exists concerning how they manifest within the philosophies and tangible governance approaches of contemporary Ghanaian leaders, such as President John Dramani Mahama. Undertaking such analysis promises a culturally grounded and nuanced view of leadership, moving beyond predominantly Western paradigms to engage Ghana's symbolic heritage as a primary source for evaluating leadership efficacy and philosophical alignment 3. Methodology 3.1 Research Philosophy This study adopted the interpretivist paradigm, which emphasizes the socially constructed nature of reality and the subjective interpretation of symbols. Interpretivism is particularly suitable as it seeks to uncover how President Mahama’s use of Adinkra motifs for his inaugural dress fashion on January 7, 2025, conveys meaning within Ghana’s cultural and political contexts. Creswell ( 2013 ) notes that interpretivist inquiry focuses on multiple realities of participants. This aligns with Denzin and Lincoln ( 2018 ), who stress that in everyday life, reality is articulated in myriad sites and is socially variegated; actors methodically build intersubjective realities in diverse, locally nuanced, and biographically informed terms. This philosophical stance enabled the decoding of President Mahama’s inaugural attire as a nonverbal cultural-linguistic expression that encapsulates both personal and national values from the subjective views of Ghanaians. 3.2 Research Design A qualitative descriptive design was employed to provide a rich, contextualised account of how Adinkra symbols manifest President Mahama’s ideological positions embedded in his 2025 inaugural attire. This approach suits exploration studies aiming for a close, faithful description of a phenomenon without generating theory (Creswell & Poth, 2018 ). Sandelowski ( 2010 ) and Bradshaw, Atkinson, and Doody ( 2017 ) contend that qualitative descriptive studies are appropriate for capturing straightforward depictions of underexplored phenomena, like President Mahama’s Adinkra symbolic dress. The design remained appropriate as it accommodates flexibility in data interpretation (Bradshaw, Atkinson & Doody, 2017 ; Creswell, 2018 ; Sandelowski, 2010 ). This study facilitated a detailed portrayal of the interplay between the attire’s symbolic content and President Mahama’s public rhetoric within Ghana’s socio-political context. 3.3 Population The study population comprises President John Dramani Mahama and selected segments of the Ghanaian populace, including media commentators and citizens. Creswell and Creswell ( 2018 ) advise that qualitative studies define their population by meaningful characteristics, not broad demographic reach. In this study, Mahama’s January 7, 2025, inaugural regalia was treated as a cultural case, while the Ghanaian public, represented through media reports and public commentary, constitutes the interpretive community. This dual focus ensures the research engages both the originator and the recipients of the symbolic communication 3.4 Sampling Technique and Sample Size Purposive Sampling Purposive sampling was adopted. President Mahama’s January 7, 2025, inaugural attire and speech constitute a homogeneous purposive case (Palinkas et al., 2015 ) due to their direct relevance to the research aim. Maximum variation (Heterogeneous purposive sampling), supported by convenience selection (Palinkas et al., 2015 ), gathered a wide range of public and expert perspectives. This included televised interviews from Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, Joy News, TV3, Citi TV (Channel One), and GhOne TV, featuring cultural commentators, the dress designer, and journalistic publications. The sample comprises twenty-one (21) media reports, visuals, and the presidential regalia. This size is justified by the qualitative principle of data saturation (Guest, Bunce, & Johnson, 2006 ; Creswell & Poth, 2018 ). Data Collection Instruments Four primary data sources were utilized: photographic artifacts and videos of President Mahama’s January 7, 2025, inauguration (dress and speech); media reports (print and broadcast) documenting attire interpretations; media interviews with cultural experts and the designer's explanatory views; and unobtrusive observation of televised footage to contextualize the Adinkra symbols’ meanings in the speech. Employing varied and triangulated data sources (artifact, media content, and observation) strengthened the authenticity and trustworthiness of the study’s findings (Creswell & Poth, 2018 ; Denzin & Lincoln, 2018 ; Kim et al., 2017 ; Sandelowski, 2000). 3.6 Data Analysis A multimodal analytical framework was employed. Semiotic and visual tools decoded the symbols and patterns in President Mahama’s 2025 inaugural dress, integrating with a Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) of his speech. The Adinkra and Kente symbols in the Batakari (Agbada) were rigorously deconstructed, interpreting both their denotative traditional meanings and connotative significance for leadership ideology construction. Grounded in cultural semiotics (de Saussure, 1983 ; Peirce, 1931 –1958; Krampen et al., 1987), the attire was examined as a complex system of signs, each visual element decoded within its Ghanaian socio-cultural context. Concurrently, using CDA (Fairclough, 1995 ; van Dijk, 1998 ), the decoded symbolism was critically examined alongside the speech’s linguistic features (lexicon, tone, emphasis). The objective was to determine whether the visual rhetoric reinforced, contradicted, or extended the discursive message. This synthesis revealed how President Mahama’s multimodal strategy (fashion and oratory) works synergistically to project meaning, articulate power, construct leadership ideologies, and engage in Ghanaian nationalistic identity entrepreneurship. 3.7 Authenticity and Trustworthiness Rigour was ensured through triangulation of data sources (observation, media interviews, artefacts, reports), researcher reflexivity, and thick description. The criteria of Lincoln and Guba ( 1985 ), reiterated by Shenton ( 2004 ) and Tracy ( 2010 ), sincerity, credibility, transferability, dependability, resonance, and confirmability were addressed. Credibility was strengthened by the qualitative approach and the researchers’ deep cultural familiarity as Ghanaians. Strategically, maximum variation and homogeneous sampling informed participant selection; data triangulation ensured participant candour. Dependability and confirmability were supported through frequent researcher debriefing and reflective journals. Critically, the investigators’ substantial arts and culture expertise underpinned the process, enhancing analytical depth and cultural sensitivity, thus solidifying the authenticity and trustworthiness of the findings (Shenton, 2004 ). 3.8 Ethical Considerations The study complied with ethical norms of confidentiality and respect. All public individuals referenced in the data are anonymised using pseudonyms or general descriptors, following the recommendations of Denzin and Lincoln ( 2018 ). This approach mitigates the risk of unintended identification and potential harm, even when using publicly available material. 4. Results and Discussion The inauguration of President John Dramani Mahama on January 7, 2025, provided a potent visual and discursive text for analysing the interplay between Adinkra symbolism, personal leadership ideologies, and national identity construction within Ghana. His deliberate sartorial choice meticulously crafted Batakari adorned with specific Adinkra symbols and striking Kente patterns—transcended mere ceremonial attire. It functioned as a complex semiotic system and a visual manifesto decoded through media discourse and juxtaposed with his inaugural rhetoric. This section presents findings from the rigorous analysis of media data, interweaving them with cultural semiotics, social identity, and critical discourse analysis to elucidate how Mahama employed indigenous Ghanaian dress symbolism to articulate his leadership ideologies and foster national cohesion and unity 4.1 Semiotic Analysis of Adinkra and Kente Symbols in President Mahama’s 2025 Inaugural Dress Fashion The statutory inauguration of President John Dramani Mahama on January 7, 2025, presented a potent visual and discursive text for analysis. The President was adorned in a gleaming white Batakari classic featuring meticulously selected Akan Adinkra symbols and Kente pattern trim (Figures 1A & B). The four embossed Adinkra symbols were: Nyame Dua (Tree of God), Dwennimmen (Ram's Horns), Sankofa (Go back and get it), and Gye Nyame (Except for God), embellished with the Ɛmmerepa da w’anim (Better days ahead) Kente motif. Media reports, discussions, and the designer’s primary information following the inauguration (Adinkrah, 2025; Joy Entertainment, 2025; Joy Prime TV, 2025) converged on this inventory and placement, forming an "order of discourse" (Fairclough, 2010, p. 27). This discourse powerfully framed the attire, emphasizing its unifying symbolism, future aspirations, and affirmation of Ghanaian identity while communicating Mahama’s philosophies (Adinkrah, 2025; Joy Entertainment, 2025; Joy Prime TV, 2025). For instance, a Ghanaian Movie Producer stated that the Kente serves as a national unifier, creating harmony where "you forget who you are... We are one people with a common destiny" (Movie Producer, personal communication, 8 January 2025). Similarly, a Kente Expert-Panelist declared, "...it's time for our unity... We need to come together and form one Ghana" (Kente Expert-Panelist, personal communication, 8 January 2025). The designer confirmed the intentionality, revealing Mahama was an active "co-creator" seeking "something Ghana with Ghana, like a touch of Ghana," and stressed that "fashion... is a universal language" requiring deliberate symbol selection (Designer, personal communication, 8 January 2025). Media interpretations aligned precisely with this intended messaging. This establishes the key semiotic consensus on the intricate fusion of Batakari classic aesthetics with Southern Ghanaian adinkra and Kente symbols and their combined communicative intents. This deliberate assemblage of Ghana’s rich visual lexicon by President Mahama at his 2025 inauguration, therefore, articulates a complex political and ideological narrative through culturally embedded semiotics. This section of the study draws upon de Saussure's dyadic model and Peirce's triadic framework to semiotically dissect the specific Adinkra and Kente symbols in President Mahama’s 2025 inaugural dress fashion, neither as an idiosyncratic reading nor a misrecognition, but as a stable intertext verifiably published across Ghana’s media landscape. Through this, the denotative forms and connotative ideological resonances of the adinkra and Kente motifs on the president's attire (Figures 1A & B) are unpacked, thereby revealing their layered meanings rooted in Akan philosophical principles yet amplifying Ghanaian national identity. 4.1.1 Nyame Dua (Tree of God): The Divine Axis of Authority The Nyame Dua symbol (Figure 2) is positioned centrally and prominently on the President’s inaugural Batakari (Figure 1). In the Peircean view (Kacheria, 2013), Nyame Dua functions as the representamen, denoting the ritual altar tree for prayer in Akan tradition. However, its connotative interpretant (Kacheria, 2013) from the inauguration signified divine guardianship, spiritual foundation, and President Mahama's invocation of God's protection (Horsu et al., 2025). The symbol’s central placement intentionally declared the President's faith as the bedrock for his leadership and spiritual foundation (Movie Producer and Panelist, Joy Prime TV, January 8, 2025). Folkloric interpretations reinforced this, with the Movie Producer stating: "...once you get under the Nyame Dua... you become untouchable" (Movie Producer and Joy Prime TV Panelist, January 8, 2025), imbuing the symbol with an aura of inviolable protection. A Kente expert (Joy Prime TV, January 8, 2025) offered a political-theological interpretation, linking Nyame Dua to an ancestral altar for sacrifice: "Mahama came in for the second time. He's coming to sacrifice himself for Ghana, for a better future... We are not looking to see a repeated mistake again." Thus, Nyame Dua semiotically positioned Mahama’s authority as sovereign power subordinated to a superordinate moral and spiritual order of God, legitimising his rule as a sacred duty. Adinkrah (2025) further solidified this by linking it to "moral governance and ethical leadership." Therefore, the symbol's centrality keyed the ensemble to a narrative of divinely ordained leadership grounded in spiritual humility (Danzy, 2009). 4.1.2 Gye Nyame (Except for God): Reinforcing Divine Sovereignty Flanking the Nyame Dua and positioned on the right shoulder of the President (Figure 1), Gye Nyame (Figure 3) acted as a divine reinforcement. Its denotative object is unequivocally the supremacy and omnipotence of God. Its interpretant within President Mahama’s inauguration ensemble amplified the spiritual foundation signalled by Nyame Dua (Figure 2), but with a distinct emphasis on divine sovereignty over all earthly endeavours, as variously corroborated by media reports (Joy Prime TV, 2025; TV 3, 2025; Adinkrah, 2025). For instance, Adinkrah (2025) interprets that: Gye Nyame represents the omnipotence of God. The symbol underscores faith, protection, and guidance. For President Mahama, it signifies reliance on divine wisdom to navigate Ghana's political turbulence and economic challenges. Amidst Ghana's socio-economic struggles, it reminded citizens to trust in higher guidance, especially as the nation seeks solutions to pressing issues such as imminent dumsor, unemployment, and inflation. President Mahama used Gye Nyame to adorn his vision with divine reassurance, transforming it into a political language that the masses could understand. Joy Entertainment (2025) affirmed that Gye Nyame “represents the faith of Ghanaians, who believe in God’s involvement in every aspect of human life. Essentially, the new president is emphasising the centrality of God in his administration.” This suggests that the Gye Nyame symbol served dual functions, fostering connection with Ghana’s deeply religious populace and performing an act of President Mahama’s ideological legitimation by seeking divine sanction for political authority. The designer of the attire affirms that the Gye Nyame symbol “has to do with the fear of God. You know, he's [President Mahama] never initiated anything without praying” (Designer of President Mahama’s Inaugural Attire, January 10, 2025). This means that the Gye Nyame symbol visually reinforced the humility before the divine protection and guidance of God, as noted by Danzy (2009), Horsu et al. (2025), and Mawuli (2019), framing President Mahama’s leadership power as derivative and accountable to a higher, omnipotent force. Its recognisability ensured this message of divine supremacy was widely accessible. 4.1.3 Dwennimmen (Ram's Horns): Embodying Strength Tempered by Humility Adorning the lower borders and cuffs of President Mahama’s 2025 inaugural Batakari (Figure 1), the Dwennimmen symbol's placement carried deliberate semiotic weight. As a representamen (Kacheria, 2013), Dwennimmen (Figure 4) denotes ram horns, symbolizing strength tempered by humility and the wisdom to yield when necessary within Akan philosophy (Adinkrah, 2025; Danzy, 2009; Joy Entertainment, 2025; Horsu et al., 2025). In the inauguration context, Dwennimmen suggested Mahama’s resolve to combat national challenges (e.g., corruption) coupled with a commitment to collaborative, servant leadership. This duality was recognized in media analysis. Joy Entertainment (2025) noted it "symbolises strength, humility, wisdom, and learning," reflecting Mahama's pledge to be "stiff in his corruption fight... yet collaborative with the populace." The horns' fierce and intimidating nature also served as a "strong line of defense" for the President (Joy Entertainment, 2025). Adinkrah (2025) corroborated this balance, linking Dwennimmen to the President's commitment to "strength without arrogance," signaling readiness for peaceful dialogue amid political tensions. Therefore, the Dwennimmen symbol visually materialized the leadership principle of being formidable yet approachable and decisive yet consultative (Adom et al., 2016, 2018), addressing past criticisms and projecting a renewed ethos grounded in balance 4.1.3 Sankofa (Go Back and Get It): The Introspective Narrative of Redemption Positioned distinctly on the President's left chest or shoulder (Figure 1), the Sankofa Adinkra symbol (Figure 5)—a bird looking backward while moving forward—served as a unique representamen (Kacheria, 2013). Reflecting the Akan proverb urging the retrieval of past wisdom, its interpretant became profoundly political, given Mahama’s return following electoral defeats in 2016 and 2020. Its placement near the heart signaled a deeply personal acknowledgment of past setbacks and perceived failures during his 2013–2016 term. The attire's designer explained that Sankofa “birthed all this... because we are going back to the past... to rewrite our wrongs and to forge ahead in the future” (Designer, TV3, 10 January 2025). This focus signifies Mahama's intent to apply hard-learned lessons from prior defeats, framing his renewed 2025 mandate as corrective and forward-looking. A Kente expert linked the symbol to national expectations: "We are not looking to see a repeated mistake again" (Joy Prime TV, 8 January 2025). Adinkrah (2025) explicitly views Sankofa as a visual articulation of Mahama’s ‘Reset’ agenda, echoing his campaign promises to revisit abandoned policies and reaffirming his commitment to reset the economy: "After all, ‘the past is never dead.’" Joy Entertainment (2025) affirmed this introspection, noting Mahama “appears to be signaling that he has taken note of these concerns” (attributed partly to inefficiencies in his first term) and is ready to apply those lessons. Sankofa thus became the semiotic vehicle for transforming electoral loss into a narrative of learned wisdom and redemptive application, exemplifying how Adinkra symbols apply cultural wisdom to contemporary political narratives (Horsu et al., 2025; Kuwornu-Adjaottor et al., 2016). 4.1.4 Ɛmmerepa Da W’anim Kente (Better Days Ahead): The Woven Promise of Prosperity The foundational Kente pattern woven throughout President Mahama’s 2025 inaugural agbada and the hat was explicitly identified as Ɛmmerepa Da W’anim , meaning better days ahead (Joy Prime TV, 2025; TV 3, 2025; Adinkrah, 2025). It functioned as a crucial, omnipresent multimodal signifier distinct from the punctuated Adinkra. Its intricate geometric design (Figure 6) denotes high-status Ghanaian cloth, specifically Kente, symbolising the concept of hope for a brighter future, directly reflecting Mahama’s core campaign slogan and promise, Building the Ghana We Want Together . A Movie Producer and Panelist of Joy Prime TV show on January 8, 2025, shares that: We should represent where we come from…especially at state functions, foreign gatherings, and stuff like that for that identity, and he [President Mahama] did just that. He added the Kente to the debate. I hear the Kente's name is Ɛmmerepa Da W’anim . Yeah, so that is what he's standing for. We are going to reset, we are going to rebuild, and good times are ahead. So he chose the right name and the right fabric. And the touch of Kente for me in the Agbada thing, Kente also is a way of uniting us because Kente is Ghana. We all know that Kente is Ghana… We have the Northern Kente, we have…Kente from Agotime [Volta Region]…the Akan have Kente. So all across, we have Kente. And when we come out at such gatherings in our Kente, it's a unifier. It brings harmony. At a place like the inauguration, it was good that he incorporated the Kente into his outfit. This was concurred by a Kente expert-panelist, during the Joy Prime TV discussion on January 8, 2025, where he saw the president’s incorporation of the Kente into his Batakari classic fashion as a signal for unity, irrespective of political or ethnic background. Therefore, the Ɛmmerepa Da W’anim Kente performed a dual semiotic function, serving as a constant, tangible visual reinforcement of President Mahama's administration’s core promise of future prosperity and renewal for Ghana, while simultaneously acting as a superordinate symbol of national unity through a shared cultural artefact. Its pervasiveness throughout the garment ensured that this optimistic, forward-looking message was inescapable, exemplifying Essel’s (2019) finding on presidential attire as a communicative tool for specific policy aspirations. A glance at how President Mahama wore the hat (Figures 1 & 6) shows his humility as he rallies Ghanaians toward a prosperous future, a meaning conveyed by its Ɛmmerepa da w’anim Kente fabric. Research confirms that the positioning of traditional hats at public gatherings in northern Ghana carries symbolic meaning (Navei, 2024; 2021; Acquaah, Amissah & deGraft-Yankson, 2017; Essel & Amissah, 2015). Essel and Amissah (2015, p. 37) note that skewing the hat tip right or left connotes “no trouble, peace, harmonious living, unity.” Thus, Mahama’s rightward-skewed hat specifically depicted his presidency as bringing peace, harmonious living, and unity in securing better days for all, as embodied in the Kente. The semiotic analysis reveals a sophisticated visual rhetoric. Mahama’s attire was not random but a carefully composed ideological statement. Each symbol's traditional meaning was strategically amplified to convey specific leadership facets: divine reliance (Nyame Dua, Gye Nyame), resilient yet humble governance (Dwennimmen), learning from past mistakes (Sankofa), and a future-orientated promise of prosperity (Ɛmmerepa Da W’anim). Significantly, this strategic incorporation constitutes a sophisticated form of nationalistic identity entrepreneurship. The prominent Nyame Dua and Gye Nyame anchor his authority in a shared spiritual framework, constructing a superordinate identity of moral governance that transcends political affiliation. Dwennimmen reframes his leadership as strong yet humble, and Sankofa merges his political redemption with the nation’s forward path. Ultimately, the pervasive Ɛmmerepa Da W’anim Kente pattern visually unifies North and South, inextricably linking his presidency to an optimistic, inclusive, and prosperous national future. This choice moves beyond Essel, Navei, and deGraft-Yankson's (2021) critique of Akufo-Addo's Eurocentric 2021 inauguration dress, positioning Mahama firmly within the tradition of using dress for culturally embedded ideological communication. Mahama’s adherence aligns with the practices of most Ghanaian presidents-elect (1960–2021), contrasting with Nana Akufo-Addo's Eurocentric suits in 1970 and 2021, which were viewed as a disservice to national identity construction (Essel, Navei & deGraft-Yankson, 2021; Essel, 2019). This highlights that presidential attire for public events should be a well-thought-through nationalistic affair that promotes and preserves Ghana's cultural heritage, with the goal of revamping the local textile and fashion industries (Navei & Donkoh, 2022). 5. Conclusions and Recommendations The study examines President John Dramani Mahama’s integration of Adinkra symbols and kente patterns in his inauguration attire and its alignment with his own leadership ideals and philosophies articulated in his inaugural address. It transcends the conventional narrative that perceives attire as a medium for the formation of collective national identity by examining the individualised ideological and philosophical assertions associated with the Adinkra and Kente symbols featured in President Mahama's inaugural garments on January 7, 2025. The study has demonstrated that President Mahama’s 2025 inaugural sartorial choice constituted a deliberate and coherent leadership ideological narrative. He strategically selected adinkra symbols such as Nyame Dua (divine authority) and Gye Nyame (divine supremacy), which signified spiritually anchored leadership; Dwennimmen (strength with humility) reflected accountable leadership; Sankofa (learn from the past) materialised his "reset" agenda, while Ɛmmerepa da w’anim Kente (better days ahead) visualised national unity aspirations and future prosperity, all of which resonated with his inaugural speech. This multimodal communication demonstrates that Adinkra and Kente symbols function as a dynamic philosophical language. However, President Mahama’s strategic deployment of them transcended mere philosophical language and was a deliberate act of Ghanaian nationalistic identity entrepreneurship that powerfully amplified and materially embodied his inaugural speech. Through this curated symbolism, he did not merely wear cloth but forged a powerful, superordinate national identity, encoding complex leadership ideologies and a unifying vision of progress for Ghana. His inaugural attire thus stands as a potent case study in how indigenous Ghanaian visual heritage can mobilise spiritual authority and personal narrative to serve as a legitimate medium for contemporary political discourse. Therefore, the study concludes that Adinkra and Kente symbols function as both an active political language embedding leadership ideologies and essential tools for fostering national cohesion, identity, and inclusive prosperity. President John Dramani Mahama's exemplary use of Ghanaian indigenous dress culture and symbolism, including Adinkra and Kente symbols, to rally national support and identity should inspire him to encourage his appointees to follow his example by incorporating indigenous Ghanaian dress repertoires in leadership and cultural contexts. President John Dramani Mahama should consider revising his recently launched code of conduct for his appointees to ensure obligatory integration of Adinkra and other Ghanaian dress repertoires into the dress fashion choices of his appointees for inter(national) ceremonial events. President Mahama, through a designated ministry, should elevate the practice of this dress culture to national policy by developing a comprehensive bill on a national dress code for Ghanaian public officers, which will be considered and passed by the Parliament of Ghana. Such legislation should enjoin all arms of government, including Parliament, the judiciary, and the presidency, as well as state institutions and agencies, to develop formalised pragmatic guidelines or protocols that promote the consistent use of Ghanaian traditional textiles and indigenous symbols like Adinkra for official duties, state functions, and official ceremonial events. The proposed legislation makes public officers Ghanaian nationalistic identity entrepreneurs. Such institutionalisation would serve as a powerful, sustained reinforcement of national identity, moving beyond individual leader preferences to embed cultural heritage within the fabric of government itself while simultaneously supporting the revitalisation of the local textile industry and job creation through cultural entrepreneurship. Further studies could do a comparative analysis of the sartorial choices of other African presidents, both past and future, who use traditional attire in political ceremony to identify patterns, evolutions, or contrasts in their use of symbolic communication. This would help determine if Ghana's case is unique or part of a broader Pan-African political language, distinguishing between universal trends and culturally specific practices. Future research could track and analyze the potential process of institutionalizing a national dress code. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-8615643","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":575384292,"identity":"ff7f91ca-5e53-4972-a736-1af05ebb0cf5","order_by":0,"name":"Nyamawero Navei","email":"","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4133-3712","institution":"Centre for Research in Culture \u0026 Creative Arts, University of Education, Winneba, Ghana","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Nyamawero","middleName":"","lastName":"Navei","suffix":""},{"id":575384293,"identity":"f483d357-9623-4006-9f60-96a6a11bb589","order_by":1,"name":"Dickson 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He thrust the state sword, which is a symbol of authority.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA. Full View of President Mahama in Traditional Ghanaian Fashion\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e(Source: Joy Entertainment, 2025).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eB. Spotlight on the Adinkra Symbols and Kente Pattern on President Mahama’s Attire\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e(Source: Researchers’ Construction, 2025).\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"1.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8615643/v1/0b37545f93b6ac8b1f0d1e7a.png"},{"id":100561400,"identity":"5100d862-2fe4-4f37-a6cd-21db43d7f405","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-01-19 08:44:01","extension":"png","order_by":2,"title":"Figure 2","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":39015,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eNyame Dua\u003c/em\u003e (Tree of God) Adinkra Symbol\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e(Source: President John Dramani Mahama’s 2025 inaugural address, 2025).\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"2.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8615643/v1/7084d9bffa7ae8ef055f82ac.png"},{"id":100594858,"identity":"e04e91a8-ada9-4e1d-92c0-f2a4f0f72ae5","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-01-19 13:45:44","extension":"png","order_by":3,"title":"Figure 3","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":31525,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eGye Nyame\u003c/em\u003e (Except for God):\u003cstrong\u003e \u003c/strong\u003eAdinkra Symbol\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e(Source: President John Dramani Mahama’s 2025 Inaugural Dress, 2025).\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"3.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8615643/v1/ac45c01a28ccc51e2f694edc.png"},{"id":100561091,"identity":"fc379ed5-7815-4fcb-a30c-be0e2d89f13b","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-01-19 08:43:56","extension":"png","order_by":4,"title":"Figure 4","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":38658,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDwennimmen\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/em\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e(Strength and Humility) \u003c/strong\u003eAdinkra Symbol\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e(Source: President John Dramani Mahama’s 2025 Inaugural Dress, 2025).\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"4.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8615643/v1/11ba779e1db89a85fab24db7.png"},{"id":100561311,"identity":"e1a7cea3-3101-486b-b62b-269fb8a90045","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-01-19 08:43:59","extension":"png","order_by":5,"title":"Figure 5","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":17264,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eSankofa\u003c/em\u003e(\u003cstrong\u003eGo Back and Get It\u003c/strong\u003e):\u003cstrong\u003e \u003c/strong\u003eAdinkra Symbol\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e(Source: President John Dramani Mahama’s 2025 Inaugural Dress, 2025).\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"5.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8615643/v1/caa44b8a052b69bced8a7aa4.png"},{"id":100561180,"identity":"c0f364e8-2e6d-4b3b-bb79-280717e04753","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-01-19 08:43:57","extension":"png","order_by":6,"title":"Figure 6","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":368842,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eƐmmerepa Da W’anim Kente (Better Days Ahead)\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e(Source: President John Dramani Mahama’s 2025 Inaugural Dress, 2025).\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"6.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8615643/v1/28e7bc632bb3cdd32e591f01.png"},{"id":100597477,"identity":"b120d08a-08e4-4de8-ab6c-4f2e1f6df874","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-01-19 14:18:16","extension":"pdf","order_by":0,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":3371887,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"manuscript.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8615643/v1/3572516f-df13-4388-8e40-00743c207ecb.pdf"},{"id":100561276,"identity":"1bb1cc20-8a2a-4be3-944b-5a460413108b","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-01-19 08:43:58","extension":"docx","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"supplement","size":174817,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"Table.docx","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8615643/v1/ee01aaa9d5334c4aa3251a2c.docx"}],"financialInterests":"The authors declare no competing interests.","formattedTitle":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAdinkra, Kente Symbolisms, Sartorial Semiotics and Political Leadership Communication of John Dramani Mahama's 2025 Presidential Inauguration Fashion\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","fulltext":[{"header":"1. Introduction","content":"\u003cp\u003eFashion is a critical aspect of human civilisation. Studies recognise fashion as a potent communicative system, encoding sociocultural and philosophical ideologies globally (Akdemir, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR9\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2018\u003c/span\u003e; Barnard, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR13\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2002\u003c/span\u003e; Gjoni, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR31\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e). Within this context, Ghana offers a compelling case study, where leaders\u0026rsquo; sartorial choices are imbued with national significance (Essel, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR25\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e). This trend is exemplified by the diverse use of Adinkra and Kente symbols in the dress culture of Ghanaians (Akwetey, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR10\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2007\u003c/span\u003e; Armah et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR11\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e; Mawuli, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR48\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e), which transcend aesthetics to articulate profound philosophical and leadership ideologies rooted in Ghanaian heritage (Aflakpui et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR8\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e; Ansong, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR12\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e; Adom et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR6\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2018\u003c/span\u003e; Adom, Asante \u0026amp; Kquofi, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR5\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2016\u003c/span\u003e; Danzy, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR20\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2009\u003c/span\u003e; Donkor, Navei \u0026amp; Addae, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR23\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e; Kuwornu-Adjaottor et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR40\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2016\u003c/span\u003e), thus serving as a vital tool for constructing and projecting national identity and personal conviction within the political sphere (Essel, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR25\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e). With specific reference to the fashion symbolism of Ghanaian leaders, significant studies have attempted to decode the ideologies, philosophies, and symbolism of what Ghanaian iconic figures wear for public ceremonial events.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eEssel\u0026rsquo;s (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR25\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e) art-historical study investigated the fashion politics of Ghanaian presidential inaugural ceremonies from 1960 to 2017, highlighting the role of presidential attire as a communicative tool of national identity construction. The author found that seven of the eight presidents-elect selected their inaugural ceremony fashion (fabric weaves, pattern symbolisms, and construal of colours) from the repertoire of Ghanaian multi-ethnic nationalistic fashion classics to promote and preserve the Ghanaian unique dress cultural identity. These findings of Essel reaffirm the significant role of fashion as a visual communication element (Essel, Navei \u0026amp; deGraft-Yankson, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR26\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e; Warritay, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR63\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2017\u003c/span\u003e; Mamiya, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR47\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2016\u003c/span\u003e; Adrover, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR7\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2015\u003c/span\u003e; Howard, Sarpong \u0026amp; Amankwah, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR34\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2012\u003c/span\u003e; Akwetey, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR10\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2007\u003c/span\u003e). Subsequently, Essel, Navei, and deDraft-Yankson (2021) analysed public reactions to Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo's Eurocentric attire for his 2021 presidential inauguration and found that his dress choice was non-nationalistic, Eurocentric in structure, and a disservice to Ghana's cultural identity construction. The study advocated for the incorporation of Ghanaian traditional textiles to promote national identity. The combined effect of these studies reveals a systematic tracing of what Ghanaian presidents-elect have worn for their inaugural ceremonies for six decades (1960 to 2021). In furtherance of this scholarly trajectory, the then president-elect, John Dramani Mahama\u0026rsquo;s fashion choice in his 2025 inaugural ceremony comes into focus. A recent study by Horsu, Opare, Amankwah, and Kyei (2025) has partly addressed this gap by analysing the Adinkra symbols on President Mahama\u0026rsquo;s apparel to interpret their political communication repositories through the Lense of Semiotics.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eWhile the study by Horsu et al. (2025) provides a valuable foundational analysis of the Adinkra symbols, it leaves critical gaps that this current research seeks to address. First, in terms of scope, Horsu et al. (2025) focus predominantly on Adinkra symbols, potentially overlooking the communicative power of Kente patterns and their sartorial semiotics as an integrated system with Adinkra that embodied President Mahama\u0026rsquo;s \u003cspan citationid=\"CR45\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e inaugural attire. Second, and more significantly, is a methodological and conceptual gap. Their qualitative descriptive approach, while effective for cataloguing and interpreting the symbols, does not extend to a triangulated analysis with the President Mahama\u0026rsquo;s inaugural spoken discourse. This leaves a lacuna in understanding how the sartorial symbols function in dialogue with the leadership ideologies and philosophies of President Mahama\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eTherefore, the current study moves beyond the established discourse that views dress merely as a vessel for collective national identity construction. Instead, it analyses the individualised ideological and philosophical statements linked to the Adinkra and Kente symbols, and crucially, investigates their synergy with President Mahama's personal leadership ideologies. Through this lens, the study offers details about how President Mahama\u0026rsquo;s strategic deployment of indigenous Ghanaian dress fashion in ceremonial contexts articulates his leadership ideologies and constructs a Ghanaian nationalistic identity entrepreneurship.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn this research, the concept of \"nationalistic identity entrepreneurship\" is defined as the deliberate and strategic public political undertaking by a leader acting as a national symbolic architect. This involves the selective framing of his public persona using national cultural symbols, such as Adinkra and Kente, to construct a powerful narrative of a superordinate national identity. This process entails forging an indelible connection between his leadership ideology and this crafted national identity, thereby legitimising his authority, promoting national cohesion through the transcendence of ethnic and political divisions, valorising and selling the nation\u0026rsquo;s cultural heritage to the world. This conceptualisation is supported by the works of Gkinopoulos (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR32\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e), Leong (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR41\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2016\u003c/span\u003e), and Reicher, Haslam, and Platow (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR54\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2018\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"2. Empirical Review","content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e2.1\u0026nbsp;Theoretical Framework\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUnderstanding how Adinkra and Kente symbols intersect with and articulate the personal ideologies of Ghanaian leaders, exemplified by President Mahama\u0026rsquo;s 2025 inaugural fashion, necessitates a multi-layered theoretical framework. This study was, therefore, framed within cultural semiotics, social identity, and Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA).\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePositioned within cultural semiotics, Adinkra and Kente symbolism constitute a complex system of meaning-making deeply rooted in the Ghanaian culture. Semiotics, the study of signs and symbols (de Saussure, 1916/1983; Peirce, 1931-1958), provides a framework for understanding this system. De Saussure\u0026apos;s (1916/1983) dyadic model posits the sign as comprising the\u0026nbsp;signifier\u0026nbsp;(the perceptible form) and the\u0026nbsp;signified\u0026nbsp;(the associated mental concept). Consequently, Adinkra motifs function as cultural signifiers whose meanings are intrinsically derived from their embeddedness within Ghanaian Akan cosmology, history, and social values (Kacheria, 2013). Peirce\u0026apos;s (1931-1958) triadic model significantly enriches this analysis. It defines a sign through the interaction of the\u0026nbsp;representamen\u0026nbsp;(the sign\u0026apos;s form), the\u0026nbsp;object\u0026nbsp;(to which it refers), and the\u0026nbsp;interpretant\u0026nbsp;(the sense made of it in the mind of an interpreter), a process termed\u0026nbsp;semiosis\u0026nbsp;(Kacheria, 2013). Adinkra symbols primarily operate as\u0026nbsp;symbols\u0026nbsp;with sociocultural, philosophical, metaphorical, and iconic meanings in Akan culture. Crucially, generating their signifieds or interpretants requires a careful decoding process, where the meanings emerge from the interplay of the symbol\u0026apos;s form, its conventional referent, and the interpreter\u0026apos;s cultural knowledge. Therefore, it is worthy of note that Adinkra meaning operates beyond simple denotation, accruing rich layers of connotative cultural, historical, and ideological significance. As Danzy (2009) affirms, Adinkra symbols not only signify preserved aspects of Akan culture but also all the diverse cultures in Ghana. They also represent Ghanaian cultural ideals that were lost through colonialism (Danzy, 2009). Considering this, when displayed on Ghanaian presidential attire or state regalia, Adinkra transcends ornamentation. It functions as potent visual rhetoric, operating multimodally within distinct socio-political contexts to communicate leadership values, national identity, and ideological stances. The interpretation of such displays, particularly concerning a leader like President Mahama, hinges on this intricate interplay of culturally embedded semiotic codes and their contextual deployment, as the current study seeks to do using a semiotic theoretical lens.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAdditionally, the Social Identity Theory (SIT) within the context of national cohesionisinstrumental to the current study. Proposed by Henri Tajfel in the early 1970s (Tajfel, 1978) and advanced by Tajfel and Turner (Tajfel \u0026amp; Turner, 1979), Social Identity Theory (SIT) elucidates how individuals derive self-esteem and identity from group membership, together with the value and emotional significance attached to that membership. In a multi-ethnic nation like Ghana, national identity is a crucial superordinate group identity. Adinkra symbols transcend specific ethnic origins (though they are Akan-derived) and are widely recognised as \u0026ldquo;Ghanaian\u0026rdquo;, serving as powerful national identity markers (Blount \u0026amp; Brookins, 2021; Danzy, 2009). When leaders like President Mahama use these symbols prominently, they engage in identity entrepreneurship (Reicher, Haslam, \u0026amp; Platow, 2018), reinforcing a shared cultural heritage, fostering national pride, and attempting to build solidarity across ethnic and political divides. The symbols become unifying communicative codes that signal the Ghanaian nation.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCritical Discourse Analysis (CDA)\u003c/strong\u003e and ideological encoding were pivotal to this study. Grasping how ideology is conveyed necessitates analysis extending beyond static symbols to dynamic communication. Fairclough\u0026apos;s (1995; 2010) and van Dijk\u0026apos;s (1998) CDA views provide the tools to dissect how power, ideology, and dominance are enacted and reinforced through discourse. This includes formal speeches, visual, and multimodal communication (Machin, 2007; Serafini \u0026amp; Reid, 2019; Zafar, 2020). Addae et al. (2023) showed how Mahama\u0026apos;s linguistic choices (pronouns, metaphors, and other narrative structures) function ideologically, often constructing an inclusive, empathetic, and unifying persona while potentially obscuring specific policy positions or contradictions. CDA allows this study to examine how Mahama\u0026apos;s verbal rhetoric (emphasizing unity, patience, and development) and media discourses on his inaugural dress synergise with his non-verbal rhetoric (inaugural fashion) to create a coherent, culturally resonant ideological narrative. Thus, CDA provided a framework to highlight the strategies of legitimation and persuasion embedded in both words and symbols of President Mahama\u0026rsquo;s inauguration on January 7, 2025.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRegarding theoretical underpinnings, this study integrates cultural semiotics, Social Identity Theory (SIT), and Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) to analyse how Adinkra symbols in President Mahama\u0026apos;s inaugural dress articulate his ideology, national unity, and cohesion. Cultural semiotics provides the tools to decode the symbols\u0026apos; embedded cultural meanings as complex signs, while SIT elucidates their strategic deployment in fostering national identity and cohesion, framing Mahama as an identity entrepreneur. CDA critically examines how these visual symbols synergise with his verbal rhetoric within a multimodal discourse to encode ideology, enact power, and achieve legitimation. Therefore, these theories are mutually reinforcing semiotics decodes the symbols, SIT explains their social function, and CDA critically analyses their ideological use in leadership communication\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e2.2\u0026nbsp;Philosophy and\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLeadership\u0026nbsp;Ideologies of Adinkra Symbols in Ghana\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAdinkra symbols represent a sophisticated system of visual philosophy deeply embedded within Ghanaian, particularly Akan, culture. Rooted in Akan cosmovision, these symbols have transcended ethnic boundaries to attain significant national resonance as expressions of shared values and wisdom (Danzy, 2009; Aflakpui et al., 2023; Ansong, 2022). Far from being merely decorative motifs, each symbol encapsulates complex socio-political principles, ethical directives, and profound leadership ideologies that have guided communal life for centuries (Adom et al., 2016; Adom et al., 2018; Kuwornu-Adjaottor et al., 2016; Essuman et al., 2024). As illustrated in Table 1, these symbols provide a lexicon of virtues and concepts directly applicable to governance and societal organisation.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eConsequently, these symbols offer a rich indigenous framework for conceptualising and articulating fundamental principles for societal organisation and ethical governance. Bi Nka Bi (\u0026quot;no one should bite the other\u0026quot;) explicitly advocates for peace and harmony, a cornerstone of stable leadership (Danzy, 2009). The principle of Boa Me Na Me Mmoa Wo (\u0026quot;help me and let me help you\u0026quot;) (Danzy, 2009) powerfully underscores cooperation and interdependence, essential for national development. Symbols like Funtunfunefu Denkyemfunefu (Siamese crocodiles) (Danzy, 2009; Mawuli, 2019) offer a potent visual metaphor for unity in diversity and democratic coexistence. Even spiritual symbols, such as Gye Nyame (except for God), acknowledging the supremacy of the divine (Danzy, 2009; Mawuli, 2019), inform a leadership ethos grounded in humility and responsibility. Sankofa emphasises the value of historical wisdom in decision-making (Danzy, 2009; Donkor, Navei \u0026amp; Addae, 2024). While the philosophical wealth of these symbols is well documented (Aflakpui et al., 2023; Ansong, 2022; Adom et al., 2018; Adom, Asante \u0026amp; Kquofi, 2016; Kuwornu-Adjaottor et al., 2016; Danzy, 2009), a dearth of rigorous analysis exists concerning how they manifest within the philosophies and tangible governance approaches of contemporary Ghanaian leaders, such as President John Dramani Mahama. Undertaking such analysis promises a culturally grounded and nuanced view of leadership, moving beyond predominantly Western paradigms to engage Ghana\u0026apos;s symbolic heritage as a primary source for evaluating leadership efficacy and philosophical alignment\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"3. Methodology","content":"\u003cdiv id=\"Sec6\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e3.1 Research Philosophy\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis study adopted the interpretivist paradigm, which emphasizes the socially constructed nature of reality and the subjective interpretation of symbols. Interpretivism is particularly suitable as it seeks to uncover how President Mahama\u0026rsquo;s use of Adinkra motifs for his inaugural dress fashion on January 7, 2025, conveys meaning within Ghana\u0026rsquo;s cultural and political contexts. Creswell (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR17\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2013\u003c/span\u003e) notes that interpretivist inquiry focuses on multiple realities of participants. This aligns with Denzin and Lincoln (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR21\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2018\u003c/span\u003e), who stress that in everyday life, reality is articulated in myriad sites and is socially variegated; actors methodically build intersubjective realities in diverse, locally nuanced, and biographically informed terms. This philosophical stance enabled the decoding of President Mahama\u0026rsquo;s inaugural attire as a nonverbal cultural-linguistic expression that encapsulates both personal and national values from the subjective views of Ghanaians.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec7\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e3.2 Research Design\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eA qualitative descriptive design was employed to provide a rich, contextualised account of how Adinkra symbols manifest President Mahama\u0026rsquo;s ideological positions embedded in his 2025 inaugural attire. This approach suits exploration studies aiming for a close, faithful description of a phenomenon without generating theory (Creswell \u0026amp; Poth, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR19\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2018\u003c/span\u003e). Sandelowski (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR55\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2010\u003c/span\u003e) and Bradshaw, Atkinson, and Doody (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR15\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2017\u003c/span\u003e) contend that qualitative descriptive studies are appropriate for capturing straightforward depictions of underexplored phenomena, like President Mahama\u0026rsquo;s Adinkra symbolic dress. The design remained appropriate as it accommodates flexibility in data interpretation (Bradshaw, Atkinson \u0026amp; Doody, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR15\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2017\u003c/span\u003e; Creswell, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR18\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2018\u003c/span\u003e; Sandelowski, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR55\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2010\u003c/span\u003e). This study facilitated a detailed portrayal of the interplay between the attire\u0026rsquo;s symbolic content and President Mahama\u0026rsquo;s public rhetoric within Ghana\u0026rsquo;s socio-political context.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec8\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e3.3 Population\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe study population comprises President John Dramani Mahama and selected segments of the Ghanaian populace, including media commentators and citizens. Creswell and Creswell (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR18\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2018\u003c/span\u003e) advise that qualitative studies define their population by meaningful characteristics, not broad demographic reach. In this study, Mahama\u0026rsquo;s January 7, 2025, inaugural regalia was treated as a cultural case, while the Ghanaian public, represented through media reports and public commentary, constitutes the interpretive community. This dual focus ensures the research engages both the originator and the recipients of the symbolic communication\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec9\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e3.4 Sampling Technique and Sample Size\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cb\u003ePurposive Sampling\u003c/b\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003ePurposive sampling was adopted. President Mahama\u0026rsquo;s January 7, 2025, inaugural attire and speech constitute a homogeneous purposive case (Palinkas et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR52\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2015\u003c/span\u003e) due to their direct relevance to the research aim. Maximum variation (Heterogeneous purposive sampling), supported by convenience selection (Palinkas et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR52\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2015\u003c/span\u003e), gathered a wide range of public and expert perspectives. This included televised interviews from Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, Joy News, TV3, Citi TV (Channel One), and GhOne TV, featuring cultural commentators, the dress designer, and journalistic publications. The sample comprises twenty-one (21) media reports, visuals, and the presidential regalia. This size is justified by the qualitative principle of data saturation (Guest, Bunce, \u0026amp; Johnson, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR33\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2006\u003c/span\u003e; Creswell \u0026amp; Poth, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR19\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2018\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cb\u003eData Collection Instruments\u003c/b\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFour primary data sources were utilized: photographic artifacts and videos of President Mahama\u0026rsquo;s January 7, 2025, inauguration (dress and speech); media reports (print and broadcast) documenting attire interpretations; media interviews with cultural experts and the designer's explanatory views; and unobtrusive observation of televised footage to contextualize the Adinkra symbols\u0026rsquo; meanings in the speech. Employing varied and triangulated data sources (artifact, media content, and observation) strengthened the authenticity and trustworthiness of the study\u0026rsquo;s findings (Creswell \u0026amp; Poth, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR19\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2018\u003c/span\u003e; Denzin \u0026amp; Lincoln, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR21\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2018\u003c/span\u003e; Kim et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR38\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2017\u003c/span\u003e; Sandelowski, 2000).\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec10\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e3.6 Data Analysis\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eA multimodal analytical framework was employed. Semiotic and visual tools decoded the symbols and patterns in President Mahama\u0026rsquo;s \u003cspan citationid=\"CR45\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e inaugural dress, integrating with a Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) of his speech. The Adinkra and Kente symbols in the Batakari (Agbada) were rigorously deconstructed, interpreting both their denotative traditional meanings and connotative significance for leadership ideology construction. Grounded in cultural semiotics (de Saussure, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR22\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1983\u003c/span\u003e; Peirce, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR53\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1931\u003c/span\u003e\u0026ndash;1958; Krampen et al., 1987), the attire was examined as a complex system of signs, each visual element decoded within its Ghanaian socio-cultural context. Concurrently, using CDA (Fairclough, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR29\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1995\u003c/span\u003e; van Dijk, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR62\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1998\u003c/span\u003e), the decoded symbolism was critically examined alongside the speech\u0026rsquo;s linguistic features (lexicon, tone, emphasis). The objective was to determine whether the visual rhetoric reinforced, contradicted, or extended the discursive message. This synthesis revealed how President Mahama\u0026rsquo;s multimodal strategy (fashion and oratory) works synergistically to project meaning, articulate power, construct leadership ideologies, and engage in Ghanaian nationalistic identity entrepreneurship.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec11\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e3.7 Authenticity and Trustworthiness\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eRigour was ensured through triangulation of data sources (observation, media interviews, artefacts, reports), researcher reflexivity, and thick description. The criteria of Lincoln and Guba (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR42\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1985\u003c/span\u003e), reiterated by Shenton (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR57\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2004\u003c/span\u003e) and Tracy (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR60\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2010\u003c/span\u003e), sincerity, credibility, transferability, dependability, resonance, and confirmability were addressed. Credibility was strengthened by the qualitative approach and the researchers\u0026rsquo; deep cultural familiarity as Ghanaians. Strategically, maximum variation and homogeneous sampling informed participant selection; data triangulation ensured participant candour. Dependability and confirmability were supported through frequent researcher debriefing and reflective journals. Critically, the investigators\u0026rsquo; substantial arts and culture expertise underpinned the process, enhancing analytical depth and cultural sensitivity, thus solidifying the authenticity and trustworthiness of the findings (Shenton, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR57\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2004\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec12\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e3.8 Ethical Considerations\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe study complied with ethical norms of confidentiality and respect. All public individuals referenced in the data are anonymised using pseudonyms or general descriptors, following the recommendations of Denzin and Lincoln (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR21\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2018\u003c/span\u003e). This approach mitigates the risk of unintended identification and potential harm, even when using publicly available material.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"4. Results and Discussion","content":"\u003cp\u003eThe inauguration of President John Dramani Mahama on January 7, 2025, provided a potent visual and discursive text for analysing the interplay between Adinkra symbolism, personal leadership ideologies, and national identity construction within Ghana. His deliberate sartorial choice meticulously crafted Batakari adorned with specific Adinkra symbols and striking Kente patterns\u0026mdash;transcended mere ceremonial attire. It functioned as a complex semiotic system and a visual manifesto decoded through media discourse and juxtaposed with his inaugural rhetoric. This section presents findings from the rigorous analysis of media data, interweaving them with cultural semiotics, social identity, and critical discourse analysis to elucidate how Mahama employed indigenous Ghanaian dress symbolism to articulate his leadership ideologies and foster national cohesion and unity\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e4.1 Semiotic Analysis of Adinkra and Kente Symbols in President Mahama\u0026rsquo;s 2025 Inaugural\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDress Fashion\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe statutory inauguration of President John Dramani Mahama on January 7, 2025, presented a potent visual and discursive text for analysis. The President was adorned in a gleaming white Batakari classic featuring meticulously selected Akan Adinkra symbols and Kente pattern trim (Figures 1A \u0026amp; B). The four embossed Adinkra symbols were: Nyame Dua (Tree of God), Dwennimmen (Ram\u0026apos;s Horns), Sankofa (Go back and get it), and Gye Nyame (Except for God), embellished with the Ɛmmerepa da w\u0026rsquo;anim (Better days ahead) Kente motif.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMedia reports, discussions, and the designer\u0026rsquo;s primary information following the inauguration (Adinkrah, 2025; Joy Entertainment, 2025; Joy Prime TV, 2025) converged on this inventory and placement, forming an \u0026quot;order of discourse\u0026quot; (Fairclough, 2010, p. 27). This discourse powerfully framed the attire, emphasizing its unifying symbolism, future aspirations, and affirmation of Ghanaian identity while communicating Mahama\u0026rsquo;s philosophies (Adinkrah, 2025; Joy Entertainment, 2025; Joy Prime TV, 2025). For instance, a Ghanaian Movie Producer stated that the Kente serves as a national unifier, creating harmony where \u0026quot;you forget who you are... We are one people with a common destiny\u0026quot; (Movie Producer, personal communication, 8 January 2025). Similarly, a Kente Expert-Panelist declared, \u0026quot;...it\u0026apos;s time for our unity... We need to come together and form one Ghana\u0026quot; (Kente Expert-Panelist, personal communication, 8 January 2025). The designer confirmed the intentionality, revealing Mahama was an active \u0026quot;co-creator\u0026quot; seeking \u0026quot;something Ghana with Ghana, like a touch of Ghana,\u0026quot; and stressed that \u0026quot;fashion... is a universal language\u0026quot; requiring deliberate symbol selection (Designer, personal communication, 8 January 2025). Media interpretations aligned precisely with this intended messaging.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis establishes the key semiotic consensus on the intricate fusion of Batakari classic aesthetics with Southern Ghanaian adinkra and Kente symbols and their combined communicative intents. This deliberate assemblage of Ghana\u0026rsquo;s rich visual lexicon by President Mahama at his 2025 inauguration, therefore, articulates a complex political and ideological narrative through culturally embedded semiotics. This section of the study draws upon de Saussure\u0026apos;s dyadic model and Peirce\u0026apos;s triadic framework to semiotically dissect the specific Adinkra and Kente symbols in President Mahama\u0026rsquo;s 2025 inaugural dress fashion,\u003cstrong\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003eneither as an idiosyncratic reading nor a misrecognition, but as a stable intertext verifiably published across Ghana\u0026rsquo;s media landscape. Through this, the denotative forms and connotative ideological resonances of the adinkra and Kente motifs on the president\u0026apos;s attire (Figures 1A \u0026amp; B) are unpacked, thereby revealing their layered meanings rooted in Akan philosophical principles yet amplifying Ghanaian national identity.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e4.1.1 Nyame Dua (Tree of God): The Divine Axis of Authority\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Nyame Dua symbol (Figure 2) is positioned centrally and prominently on the President\u0026rsquo;s inaugural Batakari (Figure 1). In the Peircean view (Kacheria, 2013), Nyame Dua functions as the representamen, denoting the ritual altar tree for prayer in Akan tradition. However, its connotative interpretant (Kacheria, 2013) from the inauguration signified divine guardianship, spiritual foundation, and President Mahama\u0026apos;s invocation of God\u0026apos;s protection (Horsu et al., 2025).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe symbol\u0026rsquo;s central placement intentionally declared the President\u0026apos;s faith as the bedrock for his leadership and spiritual foundation (Movie Producer and Panelist, Joy Prime TV, January 8, 2025). Folkloric interpretations reinforced this, with the Movie Producer stating: \u0026quot;...once you get under the Nyame Dua... you become untouchable\u0026quot; (Movie Producer and Joy Prime TV Panelist, January 8, 2025), imbuing the symbol with an aura of inviolable protection. A Kente expert (Joy Prime TV, January 8, 2025) offered a political-theological interpretation, linking Nyame Dua to an ancestral altar for sacrifice: \u0026quot;Mahama came in for the second time. He\u0026apos;s coming to sacrifice himself for Ghana, for a better future... We are not looking to see a repeated mistake again.\u0026quot; Thus, Nyame Dua semiotically positioned Mahama\u0026rsquo;s authority as sovereign power subordinated to a superordinate moral and spiritual order of God, legitimising his rule as a sacred duty. Adinkrah (2025) further solidified this by linking it to \u0026quot;moral governance and ethical leadership.\u0026quot; Therefore, the symbol\u0026apos;s centrality keyed the ensemble to a narrative of divinely ordained leadership grounded in spiritual humility (Danzy, 2009).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e4.1.2 \u003cem\u003eGye Nyame\u003c/em\u003e (Except for God): Reinforcing Divine Sovereignty\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFlanking the \u003cem\u003eNyame Dua\u003c/em\u003e and positioned on the right shoulder of the President (Figure 1), \u003cem\u003eGye Nyame\u003c/em\u003e (Figure 3) acted as a divine reinforcement. Its denotative object is unequivocally the supremacy and omnipotence of God. Its interpretant within President Mahama\u0026rsquo;s inauguration ensemble amplified the spiritual foundation signalled by \u003cem\u003eNyame Dua\u0026nbsp;\u003c/em\u003e(Figure 2), but with a distinct emphasis on\u0026nbsp;divine sovereignty over all earthly endeavours, as variously corroborated by media reports (Joy Prime TV, 2025; TV 3, 2025; Adinkrah, 2025). For instance, Adinkrah (2025) interprets that:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eGye Nyame\u003c/em\u003e represents the omnipotence of God. The symbol underscores faith, protection, and guidance. For President Mahama, it signifies reliance on divine wisdom to navigate Ghana\u0026apos;s political turbulence and economic challenges. Amidst Ghana\u0026apos;s socio-economic struggles, it reminded citizens to trust in higher guidance, especially as the nation seeks solutions to pressing issues such as imminent dumsor, unemployment, and inflation. President Mahama used \u003cem\u003eGye Nyame\u003c/em\u003e to adorn his vision with divine reassurance, transforming it into a political language that the masses could understand.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp; Joy Entertainment (2025) affirmed that \u003cem\u003eGye Nyame\u003c/em\u003e \u0026ldquo;represents the faith of Ghanaians, who believe in God\u0026rsquo;s involvement in every aspect of human life. Essentially, the new president is emphasising the centrality of God in his administration.\u0026rdquo; This suggests that the \u003cem\u003eGye Nyame\u003c/em\u003e symbol served dual functions, fostering connection with Ghana\u0026rsquo;s deeply religious populace and performing an act of President Mahama\u0026rsquo;s ideological legitimation by seeking divine sanction for political authority.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe designer of the attire affirms that the \u003cem\u003eGye Nyame\u0026nbsp;\u003c/em\u003esymbol \u0026ldquo;has to do with the fear of God. You know, he\u0026apos;s [President Mahama] never initiated anything without praying\u0026rdquo; (Designer of President Mahama\u0026rsquo;s Inaugural Attire, January 10, 2025). This means that the \u003cem\u003eGye Nyame\u0026nbsp;\u003c/em\u003esymbol visually reinforced the humility before the divine protection and guidance of God, as noted by Danzy (2009), Horsu et al. (2025), and Mawuli (2019), framing President Mahama\u0026rsquo;s leadership power as derivative and accountable to a higher, omnipotent force. Its recognisability ensured this message of divine supremacy was widely accessible.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e4.1.3 \u003cem\u003eDwennimmen\u003c/em\u003e (Ram\u0026apos;s Horns): Embodying Strength Tempered by Humility\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAdorning the lower borders and cuffs of President Mahama\u0026rsquo;s 2025 inaugural Batakari (Figure 1), the Dwennimmen symbol\u0026apos;s placement carried deliberate semiotic weight. As a representamen (Kacheria, 2013), Dwennimmen (Figure 4) denotes ram horns, symbolizing strength tempered by humility and the wisdom to yield when necessary within Akan philosophy (Adinkrah, 2025; Danzy, 2009; Joy Entertainment, 2025; Horsu et al., 2025).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the inauguration context, Dwennimmen suggested Mahama\u0026rsquo;s resolve to combat national challenges (e.g., corruption) coupled with a commitment to collaborative, servant leadership. This duality was recognized in media analysis. Joy Entertainment (2025) noted it \u0026quot;symbolises strength, humility, wisdom, and learning,\u0026quot; reflecting Mahama\u0026apos;s pledge to be \u0026quot;stiff in his corruption fight... yet collaborative with the populace.\u0026quot; The horns\u0026apos; fierce and intimidating nature also served as a \u0026quot;strong line of defense\u0026quot; for the President (Joy Entertainment, 2025). Adinkrah (2025) corroborated this balance, linking Dwennimmen to the President\u0026apos;s commitment to \u0026quot;strength without arrogance,\u0026quot; signaling readiness for peaceful dialogue amid political tensions. Therefore, the Dwennimmen symbol visually materialized the leadership principle of being formidable yet approachable and decisive yet consultative (Adom et al., 2016, 2018), addressing past criticisms and projecting a renewed ethos grounded in balance\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e4.1.3 \u003cem\u003eSankofa\u003c/em\u003e (Go Back and Get It): The Introspective Narrative of Redemption\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePositioned distinctly on the President\u0026apos;s left chest or shoulder (Figure 1), the Sankofa Adinkra symbol (Figure 5)\u0026mdash;a bird looking backward while moving forward\u0026mdash;served as a unique representamen (Kacheria, 2013). Reflecting the Akan proverb urging the retrieval of past wisdom, its interpretant became profoundly political, given Mahama\u0026rsquo;s return following electoral defeats in 2016 and 2020. Its placement near the heart signaled a deeply personal acknowledgment of past setbacks and perceived failures during his 2013\u0026ndash;2016 term.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe attire\u0026apos;s designer explained that Sankofa \u0026ldquo;birthed all this... because we are going back to the past... to rewrite our wrongs and to forge ahead in the future\u0026rdquo; (Designer, TV3, 10 January 2025). This focus signifies Mahama\u0026apos;s intent to apply hard-learned lessons from prior defeats, framing his renewed 2025 mandate as corrective and forward-looking. A Kente expert linked the symbol to national expectations: \u0026quot;We are not looking to see a repeated mistake again\u0026quot; (Joy Prime TV, 8 January 2025). Adinkrah (2025) explicitly views Sankofa as a visual articulation of Mahama\u0026rsquo;s \u0026lsquo;Reset\u0026rsquo; agenda, echoing his campaign promises to revisit abandoned policies and reaffirming his commitment to reset the economy: \u0026quot;After all, \u0026lsquo;the past is never dead.\u0026rsquo;\u0026quot; Joy Entertainment (2025) affirmed this introspection, noting Mahama \u0026ldquo;appears to be signaling that he has taken note of these concerns\u0026rdquo; (attributed partly to inefficiencies in his first term) and is ready to apply those lessons. Sankofa thus became the semiotic vehicle for transforming electoral loss into a narrative of learned wisdom and redemptive application, exemplifying how Adinkra symbols apply cultural wisdom to contemporary political narratives (Horsu et al., 2025; Kuwornu-Adjaottor et al., 2016).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e4.1.4 \u003cem\u003eƐmmerepa Da W\u0026rsquo;anim\u003c/em\u003e Kente (Better Days Ahead): The Woven Promise of Prosperity\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe foundational Kente pattern woven throughout President Mahama\u0026rsquo;s 2025 inaugural agbada and the hat was explicitly identified as \u003cem\u003eƐmmerepa Da W\u0026rsquo;anim\u003c/em\u003e, meaning better days ahead (Joy Prime TV, 2025; TV 3, 2025; Adinkrah, 2025). It functioned as a crucial, omnipresent multimodal signifier distinct from the punctuated Adinkra. Its intricate geometric design (Figure 6) denotes high-status Ghanaian cloth, specifically Kente, symbolising the concept of hope for a brighter future, directly reflecting Mahama\u0026rsquo;s core campaign slogan and promise, \u003cem\u003eBuilding the Ghana We Want Together\u003c/em\u003e. A Movie Producer and Panelist of Joy Prime TV show on January 8, 2025, shares that:\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe should represent where we come from\u0026hellip;especially at state functions, foreign gatherings, and stuff like that for that identity, and he [President Mahama] did just that. He added the Kente to the debate. I hear the Kente\u0026apos;s name is \u003cem\u003eƐmmerepa Da W\u0026rsquo;anim\u003c/em\u003e. Yeah, so that is what he\u0026apos;s standing for. We are going to reset, we are going to rebuild, and good times are ahead. So he chose the right name and the right fabric. And the touch of Kente for me in the Agbada thing, Kente also is a way of uniting us because Kente is Ghana. We all know that Kente is Ghana\u0026hellip; We have the Northern Kente, we have\u0026hellip;Kente from Agotime [Volta Region]\u0026hellip;the Akan have Kente. So all across, we have Kente. And when we come out at such gatherings in our Kente, it\u0026apos;s a unifier. It brings harmony. At a place like the inauguration, it was good that he incorporated the Kente into his outfit.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis was concurred by a Kente expert-panelist, during the Joy Prime TV discussion on January 8, 2025, where he saw the president\u0026rsquo;s incorporation of the Kente into his Batakari classic fashion as a signal for unity, irrespective of political or ethnic background. Therefore, the \u003cem\u003eƐmmerepa Da W\u0026rsquo;anim\u003c/em\u003e Kente performed a dual semiotic function, serving as a constant, tangible visual reinforcement of President Mahama\u0026apos;s administration\u0026rsquo;s core promise of future prosperity and renewal for Ghana, while simultaneously acting as a superordinate symbol of national unity through a shared cultural artefact. Its pervasiveness throughout the garment ensured that this optimistic, forward-looking message was inescapable, exemplifying Essel\u0026rsquo;s (2019) finding on presidential attire as a communicative tool for specific policy aspirations.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA glance at how President Mahama wore the hat (Figures 1 \u0026amp; 6) shows his humility as he rallies Ghanaians toward a prosperous future, a meaning conveyed by its Ɛmmerepa da w\u0026rsquo;anim Kente fabric. Research confirms that the positioning of traditional hats at public gatherings in northern Ghana carries symbolic meaning (Navei, 2024; 2021; Acquaah, Amissah \u0026amp; deGraft-Yankson, 2017; Essel \u0026amp; Amissah, 2015). Essel and Amissah (2015, p. 37) note that skewing the hat tip right or left connotes \u0026ldquo;no trouble, peace, harmonious living, unity.\u0026rdquo; Thus, Mahama\u0026rsquo;s rightward-skewed hat specifically depicted his presidency as bringing peace, harmonious living, and unity in securing better days for all, as embodied in the Kente.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe semiotic analysis reveals a sophisticated visual rhetoric. Mahama\u0026rsquo;s attire was not random but a carefully composed ideological statement. Each symbol\u0026apos;s traditional meaning was strategically amplified to convey specific leadership facets: divine reliance (Nyame Dua, Gye Nyame), resilient yet humble governance (Dwennimmen), learning from past mistakes (Sankofa), and a future-orientated promise of prosperity (Ɛmmerepa Da W\u0026rsquo;anim).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSignificantly, this strategic incorporation constitutes a sophisticated form of nationalistic identity entrepreneurship. The prominent Nyame Dua and Gye Nyame anchor his authority in a shared spiritual framework, constructing a superordinate identity of moral governance that transcends political affiliation. Dwennimmen reframes his leadership as strong yet humble, and Sankofa merges his political redemption with the nation\u0026rsquo;s forward path. Ultimately, the pervasive Ɛmmerepa Da W\u0026rsquo;anim Kente pattern visually unifies North and South, inextricably linking his presidency to an optimistic, inclusive, and prosperous national future.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis choice moves beyond Essel, Navei, and deGraft-Yankson\u0026apos;s (2021) critique of Akufo-Addo\u0026apos;s Eurocentric 2021 inauguration dress, positioning Mahama firmly within the tradition of using dress for culturally embedded ideological communication. Mahama\u0026rsquo;s adherence aligns with the practices of most Ghanaian presidents-elect (1960\u0026ndash;2021), contrasting with Nana Akufo-Addo\u0026apos;s Eurocentric suits in 1970 and 2021, which were viewed as a disservice to national identity construction (Essel, Navei \u0026amp; deGraft-Yankson, 2021; Essel, 2019). This highlights that presidential attire for public events should be a well-thought-through nationalistic affair that promotes and preserves Ghana\u0026apos;s cultural heritage, with the goal of revamping the local textile and fashion industries (Navei \u0026amp; Donkoh, 2022). \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"5. Conclusions and Recommendations","content":"\u003cp\u003eThe study examines President John Dramani Mahama\u0026rsquo;s integration of Adinkra symbols and kente patterns in his inauguration attire and its alignment with his own leadership ideals and philosophies articulated in his inaugural address. It transcends the conventional narrative that perceives attire as a medium for the formation of collective national identity by examining the individualised ideological and philosophical assertions associated with the Adinkra and Kente symbols featured in President Mahama's inaugural garments on January 7, 2025.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe study has demonstrated that President Mahama\u0026rsquo;s \u003cspan citationid=\"CR45\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e inaugural sartorial choice constituted a deliberate and coherent leadership ideological narrative. He strategically selected adinkra symbols such as \u003cem\u003eNyame Dua\u003c/em\u003e (divine authority) and \u003cem\u003eGye Nyame\u003c/em\u003e (divine supremacy), which signified spiritually anchored leadership; \u003cem\u003eDwennimmen\u003c/em\u003e (strength with humility) reflected accountable leadership; \u003cem\u003eSankofa\u003c/em\u003e (learn from the past) materialised his \"reset\" agenda, while \u003cem\u003eƐmmerepa da w\u0026rsquo;anim\u003c/em\u003e Kente (better days ahead) visualised national unity aspirations and future prosperity, all of which resonated with his inaugural speech. This multimodal communication demonstrates that Adinkra and Kente symbols function as a dynamic philosophical language. However, President Mahama\u0026rsquo;s strategic deployment of them transcended mere philosophical language and was a deliberate act of Ghanaian nationalistic identity entrepreneurship that powerfully amplified and materially embodied his inaugural speech. Through this curated symbolism, he did not merely wear cloth but forged a powerful, superordinate national identity, encoding complex leadership ideologies and a unifying vision of progress for Ghana. His inaugural attire thus stands as a potent case study in how indigenous Ghanaian visual heritage can mobilise spiritual authority and personal narrative to serve as a legitimate medium for contemporary political discourse. Therefore, the study concludes that Adinkra and Kente symbols function as both an active political language embedding leadership ideologies and essential tools for fostering national cohesion, identity, and inclusive prosperity.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003ePresident John Dramani Mahama's exemplary use of Ghanaian indigenous dress culture and symbolism, including Adinkra and Kente symbols, to rally national support and identity should inspire him to encourage his appointees to follow his example by incorporating indigenous Ghanaian dress repertoires in leadership and cultural contexts. President John Dramani Mahama should consider revising his recently launched code of conduct for his appointees to ensure obligatory integration of Adinkra and other Ghanaian dress repertoires into the dress fashion choices of his appointees for inter(national) ceremonial events.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003ePresident Mahama, through a designated ministry, should elevate the practice of this dress culture to national policy by developing a comprehensive bill on a national dress code for Ghanaian public officers, which will be considered and passed by the Parliament of Ghana. Such legislation should enjoin all arms of government, including Parliament, the judiciary, and the presidency, as well as state institutions and agencies, to develop formalised pragmatic guidelines or protocols that promote the consistent use of Ghanaian traditional textiles and indigenous symbols like Adinkra for official duties, state functions, and official ceremonial events. The proposed legislation makes public officers Ghanaian nationalistic identity entrepreneurs. Such institutionalisation would serve as a powerful, sustained reinforcement of national identity, moving beyond individual leader preferences to embed cultural heritage within the fabric of government itself while simultaneously supporting the revitalisation of the local textile industry and job creation through cultural entrepreneurship.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFurther studies could do a comparative analysis of the sartorial choices of other African presidents, both past and future, who use traditional attire in political ceremony to identify patterns, evolutions, or contrasts in their use of symbolic communication. This would help determine if Ghana's case is unique or part of a broader Pan-African political language, distinguishing between universal trends and culturally specific practices. Future research could track and analyze the potential process of institutionalizing a national dress code. This could be a policy sociology study, investigating the political, economic, and cultural negotiations involved in drafting and passing such a bill.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"References","content":"\u003col\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAcquaah S, Amissah ERK, deGraft-Yankson P (2017) Dress aesthetics of smock in northern Ghana: Form, function, and context. J Text Eng Fashion Technol 1(2):68\u0026ndash;77\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAddae A, Danquah GK, Hamidu A, Adjei-Yeboah K (2023) Ideological discursive structures in political speeches: A critical discourse analysis of selected speeches of Mr. John Dramani Mahama. World J Adv Res Reviews 20(03):1314\u0026ndash;1333\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAdinkrah K (2025) Kwame Adinkrah writes: President Mahama\u0026rsquo;s statement beyond fashion. 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Res J Social Sci Econ Rev 1(4):1\u0026ndash;10\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ol\u003e"},{"header":"Table","content":"\u003cp\u003eTable 1 is available in the supplementary files section\u003c/p\u003e"}],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":true,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":true,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"Centre for Research in Culture \u0026 Creative Arts, University of Education Winneba","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":false,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":false,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Adinkra Symbols, Ghanaian indigenous dress fashion, Kente, Leadership Ideologies, President John Dramani Mahama","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8615643/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8615643/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eThis study examines President John Dramani Mahama\u0026rsquo;s incorporation of Adinkra symbols and kente patterns in his inaugural dress and its synergy with his leadership ideologies and inaugural speech. It also analyses the ideological and philosophical statements linked to the Adinkra and Kente symbols present in his sartorial choices on January 7, 2025. This study fills a research gap using cultural semiotics and discourse analysis. The study demonstrates that President Mahama\u0026rsquo;s sartorial choice constituted a deliberate narrative. He selected Adinkra symbols such as Nyame Dua (divine authority) and Gye Nyame (divine supremacy) for spiritually anchored leadership; Dwennimmen (strength with humility) reflected accountable leadership; Sankofa (learn from the past) materialised his \"reset\" agenda, while Ɛmmerepa da w\u0026rsquo;anim Kente (better days ahead) visualised national unity and future prosperity, resonating with his inaugural speech. The study concludes that Adinkra and Kente symbols are active forms of political language, embodying leadership ideologies essential for Ghanaian national identity and dress culture. Building on this, President Mahama should elevate this dress culture to national policy by having his administration, through parliament, pass legislation for a national dress code for Ghanaian public officers.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Adinkra, Kente Symbolisms, Sartorial Semiotics and Political Leadership Communication of John Dramani Mahama's 2025 Presidential Inauguration Fashion","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2026-01-19 08:30:15","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8615643/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"82199d0b-d8dd-4b72-a03f-a20fc8a5ae9e","owner":[],"postedDate":"January 19th, 2026","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"posted","subjectAreas":[{"id":61221048,"name":"Cultural Studies"},{"id":61221049,"name":"Anthropology"},{"id":61221050,"name":"Art History"}],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-01-19T08:30:16+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2026-01-19 08:30:15","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-8615643","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-8615643","identity":"rs-8615643","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"XKTyCvWXoU3ODBz1xrDgd","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}