Former beauty queen and CEO of the Shea Butter Museum, Hamamat Montia, has opened up about the ridicule and backlash she faced when she first began promoting traditional shea butter production and cultural preservation.

Speaking about her journey in an interview with Bola Ray, Hamamat revealed that when she started the initiative, many people misunderstood her intentions and accused her of engaging in occultic practices.

“People were calling me names and asking questions like, ‘Why is she in the village being covered with herbs?’ People used to say I was mad or that I was doing juju,” she recounted.

President Mahama reacts to IShowSpeed's viral shea butter massage in Ghana

According to her, at the time, embracing village life and indigenous practices was frowned upon, especially for someone who had been exposed to the world.

“Back then, people weren’t proud to show that they came from a village. I was doing it, and so a lot of people didn’t like it. They asked how someone who had travelled the world would come and sit in the village,” she said.

Hamamat explained that her decision was driven by the purpose to preserve the rich Ghanaian heritage rather than public approval.

“Sometimes, your calling is to go back home. It’s not always about going to America or London. Sometimes, you go there to suffer. The spirits or the ancestors are telling you to go back home,” she stated.

She stressed that Africa’s natural resources hold immense value if properly appreciated.

“There is value in palm oil. There is value even in our sand, our sun, our trees, our seeds, and our rocks,” she added.

Hamamat also noted that following a visit by popular American livestreamer IShowSpeed in January, the museum has seen a surge in interest and is now fully booked until April 2026.

Watch the video below:

When I started the Shea Butter Museum 20 years ago, some people accused me of being insane or practising "juju"... - Hamamat Montia (CEO, Shea Butter Museum)#GHOneNews #EIBNetwork #GHOneTV #NewsAlert #StarrFM #StarrChat pic.twitter.com/0CU2da98NH

— GHOne TV (@ghonetv) February 6, 2026