Why the Kwahu tribe of Ghana stopped consuming bat meat

This delicacy was cherished among the Kwahu, and bat meat traders traversed towns to meet the demand, especially during the Easter season, which was akin to a second festival for the tribe.

Many Kwahu people returned home during Easter, increasing the demand for bat meat as they celebrated reunions with their families.

Locally, bat meat was often nicknamed "mea ne bo," which means "press the chest" in reference to how the meat soaked up the soup and squeezing it released the flavourful broth.

The popularity of bat meat continued until 2014, when the Ebola pandemic struck.

Bat meat was implicated as one of the potential sources of the disease outbreak.

In response, authorities banned the sale of bat meat in Kwahu's markets.

Nana Nyarko Bawuah, a prominent chief in Kwahu, emerged as an activist who actively campaigned against the consumption of bat meat to prevent the possible spread of Ebola.

He wasn’t alone on this mission as the Kwahu West Environmental officers also joined forces and played their part in discouraging indigenes from consuming this meat.

While this campaign proved effective, with many market women discontinuing the sale of bat meat, it cannot be conclusively stated that the entire Kwahu tribe ceased consuming bat meat altogether.

However, to the best of our knowledge, many Kwahu people have refrained from eating bat meat, largely due to concerns related to the Ebola outbreak.

The decision to ban bat meat sales in the Kwahu market and the subsequent decrease in consumption can be attributed to health concerns and the advocacy of influential figures like Nana Nyarko Bawuah.