Sarkodie finally explains viral ‘Gari soakings’ post linked to Mahama’s return to power

Dorcas Agambila 16:19 - 05 June 2026

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Sarkodie defends music as a serious business, pushing back against claims it is not a “proper” profession.

Award-winning Ghanaian rapper Sarkodie has finally addressed the controversy surrounding a social media post he shared in early 2025, which many interpreted as a subtle criticism of President John Dramani Mahama following his return to office.

Sarkodie has clarified that his controversial 2025 “Back to gari soakings like never before” post was not aimed at President John Mahama or politics, despite widespread speculation.
The rapper said he was simply referring to a meal he was preparing at home and that social media users misunderstood the post.
Speaking to Adesope Olajide, Sarkodie used the incident to highlight how people often attach meanings to social media posts without knowing the full context, drawing parallels with recent reactions to a post by Stonebwoy.

The post, which read, “Back to gari soakings like never before,” quickly gained traction online and sparked heated reactions. At the time, numerous social media users and political commentators speculated that the rapper was expressing dissatisfaction with the country's economic situation under the newly elected administration.

Although Sarkodie did not provide any context when he made the post, many supporters and critics alike linked it to the outcome of the 2024 general election, prompting widespread backlash and calls from some quarters to boycott the musician.

More than a year later, Sarkodie has offered an explanation, insisting that the post had nothing to do with politics and was widely misunderstood.

Speaking during an interview with UK-based broadcaster Adesope Olajide, the rapper used the incident to illustrate how social media users often draw conclusions about posts without knowing the full story.

His comments came while discussing a recent social media post by fellow musician Stonebwoy, which some observers interpreted as a subtle dig at Sarkodie and dancehall artiste Shatta Wale over their renewed friendship.

Reflecting on his own experience, Sarkodie said he could relate to how easily online audiences create narratives around posts that may have no hidden meaning.

He said;

Stonebwoy made a post, and perhaps people are connecting it to the timing of certain events. I've experienced that myself several times

The rapper went on to reveal that on the day he made the now-famous gari soakings post, he was simply preparing to enjoy the popular Ghanaian meal.

He explained;

There was a time I sent one of my boys to buy gari, sugar and milk for me, and when I posted about it, people assumed I was talking about the President. I never came out to explain it because I didn't think it was necessary, but if people knew the real story, they wouldn't have reacted that way. I was literally in the kitchen

Sarkodie added that he prefers not to speculate about the intentions behind other people's social media posts, noting that online audiences are often too quick to assign meanings without sufficient evidence.

He said;

I don't want to play that game where someone says something and everybody immediately assumes they know exactly what the person meant

The clarification comes more than a year after the post generated intense debate on social media, with many users viewing it through a political lens despite the rapper never publicly linking it to any political figure or event.

@empowerpeoplesgroup UPDATE; Breaking Sarkodie finally talks about Stonebwoy’s tweet which people were directing it to him and Shatta Wale during Kweku Smoke’s concert in London. On an interview with Afrobeat enthusiasts Adesope #tiktokghana🇬🇭 #goviral #stonebwoy #shattawale #sarkodie ♬ original sound - Empower Peoples Group

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