“Why Your Big Belly Could Be a Cry for Help — And Why Nobody Talks About It”
A few months ago, I was standing in front of my mirror, shirt halfway up, just… staring. My stomach looked bigger than it ever had before. At first, I laughed it off — “Ah, too much fufu and late-night waakye, that’s all.” But deep down, something didn’t feel right.
Then, scrolling social media late one night (because insomnia and Instagram go together like kelewele and peanuts), I saw a headline:
“If You Have a Protruding Stomach, You’re Sick — Dominic Nitiwul”
My first reaction? “Eii, this man too? Politicians and their wahala talk again.”
But then I read on. And honestly? It hit me differently.
-That Wake-Up Call Nobody Likes Hearing
Apparently, according to Defense Minister Dominic Nitiwul, a protruding stomach isn’t just about overeating. It could mean something much deeper — your body is fighting, quietly. It might even mean sickness you haven’t diagnosed yet.
And you know what? I’ve noticed something lately. We joke about potbellies in Ghana like it’s nothing.
“Oh chairman! Prosperity belly ooo!”
“Ei, you dey chop money now eh?”
But the truth is, it’s not always just “chop money.”
It could be fatty liver. Or diabetes creeping in. Or high cholesterol silently building up like a ticking bomb.
I’m not trying to scare you (well, okay, maybe just a little). But think about it. When’s the last time you really checked what was going on in there?
-I’ve Been There Too
In my experience, you don’t even realize how much your health is slipping until little things start happening. You’re always tired. You can’t climb two flights of stairs without feeling like your chest is about to explode. You sleep but still wake up feeling drained.
We hide behind loose shirts, call it “big man status,” and go on like everything’s fine. But honestly? Everything might not be fine.
And I’ll admit — at first, I brushed off what Nitiwul said. But now? After my own quiet health scare? I see his point.
-So, What Now?
I might be wrong, but I think it’s time we stopped seeing these things as just jokes.
Stop calling it a “chairman belly” and start calling it what it might actually be — a sign to wake up and check yourself.
Go get that check-up you’ve been putting off. Walk more. Drink more water. Eat less fried everything. (I know. Easier said than done. Trust me.)
Because no title, no money, no “big man” vibes are worth losing your life quietly to something preventable.
-Here’s My Question for You:
What if the next time someone jokingly pats your stomach and calls you “bossu,” instead of laughing… you actually listened?
What if you didn’t wait until it was too late?
Because sometimes, what we think is a sign of wealth is really just our body begging us to pay attention.
Think about it.