“Kwatakwata by June diεε…”: Internet humour used during the first phase of the COVID-19 pandemic by social media users in Ghana

Abstract

The first phase of the COVID-19 pandemic has been described as stressful. People make light of stressful situations in different ways. Ghanaians are known to be able to make humour out of any situation. During the first phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, Ghanaians shared memes and posters on social media, making light of the seriousness of the pandemic. "Kwatakwata by June diεε…”, shortened from the phrase: [kwatakwata by June diεε na obiara ewu] to wit "Latest by June, we will all be dead", has become a catchphrase on social media and the streets of Ghana to make fun of the serious impact of the virus. This current study examines internet humour that became popular with Ghanaians during the first phase of the COVID-19 pandemic in Ghana. We examined videos, memes, and posters from various social media sites to learn about the Ghanaian use of humour during a public health crisis. Content analysis of the data showed that Ghanaians created humorous content to express how they felt about the public health crisis and educate citizens about the pandemic. Recurring themes observed from the data include humour concerning death, isolation, and keeping children occupied. Our analysis showed that Ghanaian social media users largely used self-enhancing humour. We discuss these themes to show the types of internet humour Ghanaians shared during the first phase of the COVID-19 pandemic.