South African nationals Lue and Rue(L) and KOD(R)
Director of Diaspora Affairs at the Presidency, Kofi Okyere Darko, popularly known as KOD, has deleted a Facebook post after receiving backlash for sharing photos of a same-sex couple kissing beneath Ghana’s Independence Arch.
The men, identified as South African nationals Lue and Rue, were captured displaying affection under the monument.
In the images, one of them, light-skinned, was dressed in an oversized, custom-made red and black print suit.
The other, who is dark-skinned, wore a red shirt, red leather shorts, and a matching red leather jacket.
The photos show the pair standing beneath the iconic arch, kissing and appearing intimate.
KOD posted the images with a caption questioning their identities and expressing disapproval of the location chosen for the photoshoot: “Who are they? Do your thing, but not beneath our Independence Monument.”
Shortly after the post went live, it drew massive criticism on social media.
Some users condemned KOD for publicising the couple’s actions, arguing that the post fuelled online homophobia and violated their privacy.
In response to the backlash, KOD deleted the post from his page.
The Independence Arch, constructed in 1961, is a historic symbol of Ghana’s liberation from British colonial rule.
Located within Independence Square in Accra, the monument also commemorates soldiers who sacrificed their lives in Ghana’s struggle for independence.
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