Many Kwachu people returned home during Easter, increasing the demand for bat meat as they celebrated reunions with their families.
Locally, bat meat was often called ‘mea ne bo’, meaning ‘step on the breast’ in reference to how the meat soaked up the soup and squeezing it released the flavourful broth.
The popularity of bat meat continued until 2014, when the Ebola pandemic hit.
Bat meat was implicated as one of the possible sources of the disease outbreak.
In response, the authorities banned the sale of bat meat in Kwahu markets.
Nana Nyarko Bawuah, a prominent chief in Kwahu, emerged as an activist who actively campaigned against the consumption of bat meat to prevent the possible spread of Ebola.
He was not alone in this mission as Kwahu West environmental officers also joined forces and played their part in discouraging the natives from eating this meat.
While this campaign proved effective, with many market women ceasing the sale of bat meat, it cannot be stated with certainty that the entire Kwahu tribe stopped consuming bat meat altogether.
However, as far as we know, many Kwahu people avoided eating bat meat, largely due to concerns related to the Ebola outbreak.
The decision to ban the sale of bat meat in Kwahu market and the subsequent reduction in consumption can be attributed to health concerns and the support of influential figures such as Nana Nyarko Bawuah.