Mohammed Mubarique (PhD)
Social and Political Psychology
Ankara Yildirim Beyazit University, Ankara/Turkey
Email: mohammedmubarique@gmail.com
Yvonne Nelson, a well-known Ghanaian celebrity, recently published a memoir entitled ‘I’m not Yvonne Nelson’, which has been the subject of much controversy since its release. The book delves into her struggles as a public figure to maintain a positive and perfect image, while hiding her real-life difficulties. Additionally, it discusses her long-standing identity crisis, resulting from her uncertainty about her father’s identity and her mother’s alleged reluctance to help her resolve the issue. Furthermore, the book talks about her experience with an unsafe abortion, which she says she was compelled to undergo because the man who impregnated her said he was not ready to be a father. Finally, the book touches on how Yvonne was forced to study a program in high school that she wasn’t interested in, leading to a drop in grades and a negative impact on her sense of self-worth.
Despite the potential value of the book in highlighting important complex social dynamics that can influence a young person’s life in Ghanaian society, many people in Ghana have criticized Yvonne for sharing too much private information about her life, including perceived humiliation of her mother and the famous musician who impregnated her. In this article, I examine some relevant psychological theories that can help readers to appreciate the complexities in social situations that surround people like Yvonne and the resulting difficulties that they often have to deal with silently. The article will end with an invitation to psychologists in Ghana to up their game in public education about their professional services and topics ranging from career choices for teenagers and parent-child relationship especially when it involves step fathers/mothers.
From a psychological perspective, Yvonne Nelson’s experiences can be understood through several theoretical lenses. Two of such theories are a) social identity theory and b) self presentation theory. The social identity theory posits that individuals have a need for a positive self-concept, which is achieved through social comparison and identification with social groups. As a member of a social group referred to as ‘celebrities’, Yvonne Nelson has lived a significant part of her life in the public eye and is expected to maintain a positive public image which aligns with the way society regards this particular group. This social demand, coupled with the natural drive for individuals to present themselves in a positive light to others against their personal life struggles, undoubtedly exert a high amount of pressure on celebrities which, in most western cultures, often results in drug addiction, depression and suicide or it’s attempt. In the case of Ghana, the collectivist nature of our culture might be providing some social buffer to these people hence the seeming absence of news on celebrity suicides. Thus, the move by Yvonne to share her story should be commended, even though some revelations could have been better managed considering their potential impacts on the images, careers, families and mental health of those whose shared secrets with her are now in the public domain without their consent. Here, I especially expect my colleague psychologists in Ghana to seize this opportunity to encourage others in the creative arts industry to seek professional help.
Secondly, Yvonne Nelson’s apparent unsuccessful journey to discover her biological father and the mother’s alleged uncooperative attitude in helping her resolve this issue should be discussed with high level of sensitivity. This is because both mother and daughter could be victims of the same psychological circumstances. First, living in a society that’s so judgmental and quick to crucify people without listening, the mother for all intents and purposes might be unable to travel on the same path with her daughter because she may be psychologically distraught/incapacitated by whatever experiences she lived regarding Yvonne’s birth. Second, being the only person who might know the truth, she might be acting in the interest of a naive daughter because, as the saying goes, sometimes, it’s better and safer not to know certain things to avoid perpetual, collateral and trans-generational damage to one’s self and others connected to them including their children. It is also entirely possible that the mother herself may actually not know who specifically made her pregnant if it happened that she had multiple partners at the time. Whichever way it is, the mother may be suffering elevated trauma coming from her past (with the man or men she might have dated) and her present (at the hands of her daughter) who has made her a public talking point by revealing her most private secrets in public. If she is not already getting it, it may be imperative to seek psychological help for this mother as a matter of urgency to help her safely navigate the public shaming and trolling.
For Yvonne, it is important to note that early childhood experiences with attachment figures influence the development of adult relationships and identity. The lack of a father figure in her life could have contributed to her identity crisis, leading to a search for a sense of belonging, the lack of which may have triggered the writing of the book.
If this is the case, then both mother and daughter may need very serious professional intervention in the form of family therapy to help overcome this psychological challenge. This is why it’s important for people who may not have the requisite background knowledge to be very mindful of their utterances when discussing this matter.
That apart, the possible traumatic experience of the alleged unsafe abortion can be understood through the theory of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This theory suggests that individuals who experience traumatic events may develop a range of psychological symptoms, including re-experiencing the event, flashbacks, avoidance or withdrawal behaviors, and hyperarousal. Yvonne Nelson’s experience of the alleged unsafe abortion could have led to PTSD, which could explain the years of trauma she says she has had to cope with. Understandably, Sarkodie (from his ‘Try Me’ song) appears hurt and disappointed by Yvonne’s revelations in the book, but I think with his position as a father to a young girl, a husband and most importantly a celebrated artist and role model, he could have clarified his side of the story without engaging in direct insults and use of abusive language. I don’t know who his handlers are, but I seriously believe they need to help him control the way he expresses his emotions.
Finally, Yvonne Nelson’s allegation of being compelled to study a program she was not interested in and how this affected her high school grades and her self-worth also raises one of the prevalent issues in our Ghanaian society. Because of poverty and poor leadership which have resulted in limited employment opportunities, many parents and sometimes children themselves, overlook or ignore personal interests when choosing career related educational programmes. For instance, until recently, there seemed to be guaranteed employment opportunities for teachers and nurses in Ghana. Many Ghanaian parents/guardians therefore prevailed upon their children to go to Teacher Training Colleges or Nursing Training Colleges even if they had zero interest in these fields. It is therefore not surprising that recent statistics published by the Ghana Education Service shows that about 84% of teachers who sat for the licensure exam this year failed. Likewise, there are many who are compelled to pursue a programme because the existing system bequeathed to us by our colonial masters, has made such programmes ‘fanciful’ even though they address little to none of our current challenges as a country.
From this stance, Yvonne’s situation can be considered as a window of opportunity to educate parents and the public about the need to help nurture talents rather and abandon our worship of outdated systems. Yvonne Nelson’s experience of being compelled to study a program she was not interested in and how this affected her high school grades and her sense of self-worth could have led to a lack of autonomy, competence, and relatedness regarding the programme leading to poor academic performance and a negative self-concept.
In conclusion, Yvonne Nelson’s memoir highlights several complex social dynamics in Ghana that psychological theories can help to explain. The self-presentation theory, identity theory, PTSD, and self-determination theory are just some of the theories that this memoir confirms. As a social psychologist, I believe that the memoir is an important reminder of how societal pressures and personal struggles can affect individuals’ mental health and the mental healths of those around them because as it stands now one can only wonder what impact this memoir is having in the mental healths and well-being of those who interacted with Yvonne in the past and whose “secrets” with her have been made public. It is essential to seek professional support when dealing with trauma and other psychological issues. Also, It is essential to address these issues on a societal level, and psychologists can play a significant role in helping people cope with these challenges.
Finally, it is important to be mindful of the comments we make about others’ personal
struggles and their pasts and to be supportive of those who are going through difficult times. Here, I particularly would like to implore the media to be circumspect in their discussions on this matter. Thus far, I haven’t seen any media house or YouTuber invite a psychologist for education and professional insight on this matter. All I’ve seen are unhealthy commentaries involving people described as celebrity pundits and social media commentators who unfortunately, lack the needed professional knowledge and understanding of human behavior and traumatic experiences. I think the media can do better in serving as a platform for proper education of the Ghanaian public on social issues such as this one and not only politics. A call to the wise is enough.
May God bless our nation.
