Veteran Ghanaian actress Akofa Edjeani has expressed her frustration about the lack of respect for the creative arts industry in Ghana.
In a recent interview with TV3, Edjeani highlighted the crucial role that the industry plays in both preserving and advancing the nation’s culture.
She emphasized that the significance of the creative sector extends far beyond mere entertainment. “We are the stewards of our culture,” Edjeani stated.
“Leaders need to recognize this and leverage our contributions. What we offer goes beyond entertainment; it’s about providing information, education, and guiding societal values.”
As a member of the National Film Authority (NFA) board, Edjeani also voiced concern over the neglect of cultural values, attributing this disregard to several societal problems.
“The foundation is unstable because we’ve neglected our cultural roots. This has led to widespread issues that the entire country is now grappling with,” she concluded.
Actress and entrepreneur Akofa Edjeani has revealed that she had to shut down her restaurant.
She explained that it was labeled as an NDC-affiliated establishment, resulting in a loss of clientele.
Adding to her concerns, all her attempts to cater for boards and organizations were turned down due to her perceived association with the opposition NDC.
She couldn’t understand why she was being penalized, as she had never publicly declared her support for any political party.
Akorfa expressed her inclination to fully endorse a political party instead.
“I closed it down. Well, let’s say I was tired. I started running at a loss, so I decided to close it. I wasn’t getting enough. You know, after COVID, everything went down. Everything got messed up. I got tagged that my place was an NDC place.
“If you send proposals to the board that you want to serve them food, they say no, this is an NDC person. I don’t know where I said I’m an NDC person. I’ve been neutral for a very long time. I have a lot of friends in the NPP, and I still know a lot of people in the NDC. But the NPP said I’m NDC, so this time, I might simply go all out.”
Ghanaian actress Akofa Edjeani has shared an incident involving the repossession of a vehicle given to her by the previous National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration, under the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government.
She explained that during John Dramani Mahama’s tenure, vehicles were distributed to some celebrities in need, with the understanding that they would repay the costs as loans.
As a beneficiary of this initiative, Edjeani disclosed that she received a Chevrolet and was diligently fulfilling the payment terms.
However, following the NPP’s assumption of political power in 2017, she recounted experiencing the unexplained confiscation of her vehicle by the authorities.
In a 3FM interview, Akofa shared her experience: “When John Mahama was in office, he distributed 50 cars to celebrities, starting with 25 in the north, in Kumasi and 25 in Accra, to both actors and musicians. I received a Chevrolet, but when the NPP took over, my car was taken away. My son was using it; they had installed trackers. Once they were in power, they located it.
“My son was driving when they intercepted him and took the car without allowing him to retrieve his belongings, including his backpack, basketball, and school bag. The cars were given with the intention of increasing the number each year. For those who could afford it, a payment plan of perhaps five years was set up for installments. These weren’t giveaways,” she explained.
Meanwhile, celebrities such as actress Oheneyere Mercy Asiedu have called on the creative community to support John Dramani Mahama. She pointed to his provision of vehicles for creatives during his presidency as her rationale for endorsing him.
Renowned Ghanaian actress Akofa Edjeani opened up about her experiences facing sexual harassment from a Nigerian director in the film industry, shedding light on the challenges faced by actors and actresses in the 90s.
Edjeani, who has graced the screens with her talent in various movies, revealed the disturbing encounters she had with a Nigerian director who attempted to sexually harass her multiple times.
The actress courageously shared her story, emphasising that she stood up against the inappropriate advances, refusing to be a victim of such misconduct.
The actress firmly asserted, “It was a Nigerian director because I don’t think any Ghanaian director will dare look in my face and ask me that kind of stuff. It is what most of them do, so he thought he could try that on me, but I seized him up and put him in his proper place.”
Edjeani went on to describe how she managed to navigate the situation and stay on set during one production but had to quit another movie role before it even began due to the persistent harassment.
Edjeani further explained that her perceived roles as a “bad girl” in certain movies led some directors to believe they could take advantage of her.
However, the actress made it clear that she never allowed such advances and always stood her ground.
The actress’s revelations sparked a discussion on the Prime Morning show about the challenges faced by actors and actresses in the film industry, especially during the 90s.
Actor and former Artistic Director at the National Theatre, Mawuli Semevo, joined the conversation, sharing his insights on the art of filmmaking during that era.
The interview with Akofa Edjeani not only shed light on the darker aspects of the industry but also sparked a broader conversation about the need for a safer and more respectful working environment for actors and actresses in Ghana’s film industry.
As the nation celebrates Ghana month, the discussion serves as a reminder of the importance of addressing and preventing instances of sexual harassment within the entertainment sector.
Renowned actress, Edinam Atatsi revealed that she remained a virgin during her early days in the movie industry, citing her perceived innocence as a reason for industry players’ lack of interest in her sexually.
Edinam, who made her mark in the movie scene in the early 90s, disclosed that her stature and youthful appearance led many to view her as a small and naive up-and-coming actress.
She explained, “I have always been a virgin. It’s only in recent times that some of the old ones said they didn’t know that I was this mature, and they thought I was just a small up-and-coming girl. So, they didn’t touch me.”
The revelation came in response to a discussion about the impact of actors’ on-screen appearance on their interactions with others in the industry.
While Edinam shared her positive experience, fellow actress Akofa Edjeani recounted facing sexual harassment from a Nigerian director, prompting her to quit a role during one of his productions.
“It was a Nigerian director because I don’t think any Ghanaian director will dare look in my face and ask me that kind of stuff. It is what most of them do, so he thought he could try that on me, but I sized him up and put him in his proper place,” Akofa revealed.
She further shared another incident where she had to leave a set due to inappropriate advances.
The discussion shed light on the challenges faced by actresses in the industry, with Akofa emphasizing that her refusal to tolerate harassment earned her the label of a “bad girl” in some movie roles.
Actor and former Artistic Director at the National Theatre, Mawuli Semevo, also joined the conversation, providing insights into the art of filmmaking in the 90s as Prime Morning kicked off Ghana Month.
Actress Akofa Edjeani has countered the notion that seasoned professionals in Ghana’s creative sector are hesitant to extend assistance or share their expertise with the next generation.
Speaking in an interview with Kwame Dadzie on Showbiz A-Z on JoyFM, Edjeani emphasized that while it is commendable for experienced professionals to offer mentorship, younger creatives often fail to seek guidance or take advantage of educational opportunities.
“…there’s nothing wrong with them also approaching you and saying ‘sister show me the ropes, how did you get here? How did you do it? Can you show me? Can you teach me? There’s nothing wrong with them doing that but they don’t they don’t,” the actress said.
Akofa Edjeani further elaborated, stating, “in fact most times I’ve had situations where they talk behind my back and say I’m too known and ‘we also know’. And so how do you teach somebody like that?
The seasoned actress claims that many young actresses already view themselves as “superstars” after a few roles or when they start to get recognition.
Once they think they’re superstars what are you going to teach a superstar?
“So those people themselves think they’ve already reached so there’s no room for you to teach them.
“We have to look at it – some are not reaching out but those down there should also come up to you and say ‘teach me’.”
Seasoned Ghanaian actress, Akofa Edjeani, has bravely shared a troubling experience from her acting career, shedding light on the pervasive issue of sexual harassment in the entertainment industry.
During an interview on Joy FM’s Showbiz A-Z, the esteemed actress highlighted the prevalence of sexual harassment in the industry, describing it as a growing problem that requires urgent attention.
Edjeani opened up about the challenges women encounter in the entertainment sector, emphasizing the need to address this societal ill.
“I remember we were shooting somewhere after Kumasi, I think. Unfortunately, the producer was a Nigerian. We were going to shoot two movies back to back.
So based on that, the executive producer had begged me to bring my rates down, that because we were doing two movies he would pay a certain amount, which reluctantly I agreed to.
Now here is the director who asked me to come to his room. I said ‘come to your room and do what?’.
He said ‘to watch a movie’. I said ‘watch what movie? I mean come on, whatever you want to tell me, I don’t need to come to your room’. Apparently, he wanted something else. I said ‘like seriously?’ Are you serious?
The actress who doubles as a producer detailed that she was not cast for the second movie because she did not consent to the director’s sexual demands.
“I didn’t go to his room and guess what, that caused me the next movie. And when I asked the executive producer he said it was the director who was casting but I said ‘you were paying me this amount because we agreed on shooting two movies’.
And he said there was nothing he could do about it because it was the director that did the casting,” she emphasizied.
Veteran actress Akofa Edjeani has emphasised the critical part that film plays in eradicating the colonial mindset in Africa.
According to her, movies can be a potent tool for combating the lingering effects of colonialism and slavery.
“…and again, if the colonial masters used film as part of their weapons in colonizing us, I think that the honor is on us to do the same, by using film to decolonize ourselves, the mental slavery is still there… we are not independent, we are still begging for things and so many things.”
Speaking in an interview with Pan African TV on July 1, 2023, she highlighted how the colonial masters effectively employed film to perpetuate their dominance over their colonies, making it imperative for African governments to prioritize and support their local film industries.
Edjeani argued that film has the potential to bring about significant positive change and create numerous opportunities if given the necessary attention and investment.
Drawing a comparison to the financial support provided to sports, she questioned the return on investment in terms of job creation and revenue generation.
She further asserted that the film industry, with its vast potential, could surpass the benefits derived from sports.
“Look at how much money we pump into sports and most times we go and, we don’t really win, …so if we can pump all that money into sports, the bonuses that they get…but the film can even do better so they should pay equal attention to film as well.
“Sports yes, but how many jobs can it create and how much money is it bringing compared to if you give the necessary push to film, so, there are so many reasons.
“The job creation and the fact that it is education as well. You know it is that medium that you can use to showcase your heritage… film is that powerful tool to create that identity, we use film to change policies, we use film to change perceptions.
“Film is a tool that can attract tourists, so when you are talking about tourism, the best tool is to showcase your tourist attraction, and your heritage in film, and that will make people flood to your country just to see those places,” she added.
Veteran actress, Akofa Edjeani has highlighted the significant impact of film in decolonizing the African mentality.
According to her, film possesses the power to effectively challenge the persistent influences of slavery and colonialism.
“…and again, if the colonial masters used film as part of their weapons in colonizing us, I think that the honor is on us to do the same, by using film to decolonize ourselves, the mental slavery is still there… we are not independent, we are still begging for things and so many things.”
During an interview with the media on July 1, 2023, Akofa Edjeani emphasized the historical use of film by colonial powers to maintain control over their colonies.
She called upon African governments to prioritize and support their local film industries in response.
Edjeani expressed her belief that film has the power to bring about significant positive change and create numerous opportunities if it receives the necessary attention and investment.
She questioned the disparity in financial support between sports and the film industry, highlighting the potential for job creation and revenue generation in the latter.
According to Edjeani, the film industry possesses immense potential and could surpass the benefits derived from sports.
“Look at how much money we pump into sports and most times we go and, we don’t really win, …so if we can pump all that money into sports, the bonuses that they get…but the film can even do better so they should pay equal attention to film as well.
“Sports yes, but how many jobs can it create and how much money is it bringing compared to if you give the necessary push to film, so, there are so many reasons.
“The job creation and the fact that it is education as well. You know it is that medium that you can use to showcase your heritage… film is that powerful tool to create that identity, we use film to change policies, we use film to change perceptions.
“Film is a tool that can attract tourists, so when you are talking about tourism, the best tool is to showcase your tourist attraction, and your heritage in film, and that will make people flood to your country just to see those places,” she added.
