Edem suggests to NDC: 'Strengthen your online game'

Rap star Edem has urged the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to improve its social media engagement. He spoke with Nana Romeo on Accra 100.5 FM’s Ayekoo Ayekoo show.

During the 2024 campaign season, some thought he was entering politics. Edem clarified, “No, it wasn’t a game. It was a social experiment.” He wanted to see how people would react.

He and his team were doing a photo shoot when they took a picture for an "MP poster." There was a flaw in the viral poster that went unnoticed.

Edem explained, “When you’re going for MP, you don’t wear dark glasses.” He noted that branding experts advise showing your eyes in such photos. Surprisingly, many people missed this detail.

The results of his experiment surprised him. After the first poster came out, many powerful figures reached out to him. The poster featured NDC colors and Edem's image with the text: “Big announcement soon. Fully active.”

He recalled comments from NDC members saying, “Bro, if you want to come to us, we’ll support you.” Meanwhile, New Patriotic Party (NPP) members began questioning his intentions on WhatsApp.

They asked him about his decision and whether he truly wanted to pursue this path. When he shared an image in NPP colors, NDC supporters attacked him while NPP supporters praised him.

From this experience, Edem learned two key lessons about politics. First, one must choose whose ideologies to support based on personal beliefs. Second, he noticed that the NPP poster received more engagement than the NDC one.

He said he didn't know why this happened but suggested asking for analytics later on. Many people called him asking him to consider a leadership position due to his brand's influence.

Some friends turned into enemies during this time and later revealed their feelings when they realized he wasn't running for office. One MP candidate told Edem he thought he was competing against him.

Edem mentioned other artists like Pappy and Frank Naro who also leveraged the buzz at that time. He humorously noted receiving backlash from those who initially praised him after both posters were released just a day apart.

“The NPP poster got more engagement,” he stated regarding day two of posting. He recommended that the NDC strengthen its online presence based on these observations.

Ghana held elections on December 7, 2024. On December 9, EC Chair Jean Mensa declared John Mahama of the NDC as the winner of the presidential race. On December 5, Edem performed at the final rally for the NDC in Madina.