For some, social media has even become an addiction, as they are always active no matter the day or time.
What makes social media more interesting is that there are always different trends at every point in time.
Sometimes these trends make sense, other times they don’t. But what is undoubted is that most of these trends tend to excite people to the extent that social media users engage in their ‘challenges’.
Below, we take a look at six social media trends that took over Ghana's internet in 2019:
1. Patapaa’s Scopatuma tweet
2019 may not have been the best year for Patapaa in terms of releasing hits, however, the Swedru-based artiste captured the internet with the word “Scopatumana”.
The year began with “O jewa ke eng” (which means ‘what is bothering you’) taking over the trends. But by the end of the first quarter, “Scopatumana” completely took over.
The word became the most used worldwide, with star actors, musicians and even major European clubs adopting it in their tweets.
In July, the word found its way into the list of terms on the online dictionary site Dictionary.com and Urban dictionary.
2. Scopatumana song challenge
While the “Scopatumana” tweet went viral across the world, locally, the “Scopatumana” song challenge also made massive waves.
It all started as a troll following Patapaa’s cameo on a song by Kawoula Biov titled ‘Daavi neba’.
The Swedru-based artiste said a lot of gibberish in his rap verse, but the word “Scopatumana” was clearly heard.
Although no one understood what it meant, people took to social media to release their own versions.
This led to the creation of the “Scopatumana challenge” which really trended for many weeks.
3. 10 Years Challenge
The #10YearsChallenge was a global trend which took over social media in almost every country.
It was actually, hands down, the most explosive social media trend in 2019, with almost everyone getting involved.
This trend demanded that people went 10 years back in their lives and posted photos of what they looked like.
The decade-old photo is then gridded and juxtaposed with a current photo of the person partaking in the challenge.
The #10YearsChallenge quickly spread like fire on the internet, with many celebrities also getting involved.
4. FaceApp challenge
The FaceApp challenge popped up somewhere around July when the phone app was launched with a new filter.
This new filter makes one look 30 years older – it practically gives one a fair idea of how he or she would look like in old age.
By simply sliding a photo of yourself on the app, it would use an AI pattern to determine how you would age.
This challenge eventually gathered momentum, with various social media users engaging in it to see their transformation in old age.
It is fair to say that the wrinkles, grey hair and everything else that comes with old age really attracted many millennials to try the FaceApp challenge.
5. Chalewote challenge
In October 2019, the “Chalewote” challenge also emerged following a viral video of a Legon student using slippers to beat a supposed cheating boyfriend.
In the video, the girl is seen using the slippers (known in the Ga language as ‘chalewote’) to constantly hit the guy, while he sat quietly with his face down.
Ghanaians on social media quickly jumped on the subject, leading to the creation of the “chalewote” challenge.
Many posted videos of themselves using slippers for all sort of skits, while others also created all sorts of memes out of it, making this trend one of the hottest in 2019.
6. Coup challenge
Although news of an attempted coup d’etat in Ghana should ordinarily be taken serious, Ghanaians still found a way to make a joke out of it.
In September, the Information Ministry said an attempt had been made to overthrow the Akufo-Addo government.
The Ministry said knives, guns, explosive devices and other weapons were seized from the suspects.
However, the coup weapons listed by the government rather got social media to create a hilarious challenge.
The #CoupChallenge quickly became a thing on Facebook and Twitter, with people making their own videos and featuring kitchen gadgets and other hilarious tools as their own coup weapons.