Ghanaian screen icon, Prince David Osei, renowned for his charismatic ‘Bad Boy’ roles in the film industry, has made a firm declaration that he will no longer engage in on-screen kissing scenes.
The acclaimed actor and producer expressed a strong commitment to upholding his values and embracing a more modest approach to his roles.
In an exclusive interview on Accra FM’s midmorning show with Nana Romeo, the multiple award-winning actor explained that he believes he has outgrown the need for such intimate scenes in his cinematic journey.
Notable for his roles in films like “Last Night,” “Hero,” and “The Dead,” Prince David Osei reflected on his past choices, asserting, “Currently, I feel that I have moved past the need for such scenes.”
Acknowledging that his earlier involvement in kissing scenes stemmed from a youthful eagerness to make a mark in the industry, Prince David Osei admitted to a change in perspective.
He confessed to occasionally questioning the authenticity of those moments, saying, “I sit down and look at the images of my colleagues I kissed and wonder if I indeed kissed all of them in the name of a movie.”
This decisive move by the actor not only marks a personal evolution but also underscores his commitment to evolving portrayals in the world of cinema, as he steps away from certain roles that no longer align with his current values.
A man from Ohio has been granted a 20-year prison term on Wednesday, for posing as a Ghanaianprince and defrauding over a dozen victims.
According to testimony presented during his trial, Daryl Robert Harrison, also known as Prince Daryl R. Attipoe and Prophet Daryl R. Attipoe, defrauded at least 14 people out of more than US$800,000.
Harrison was convicted in September of mail and wire fraud, conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, and witness tampering.
For several years, Harrison stole money from people who believed they were investing in African mining and trucking companies, prosecutors said. Harrison falsely claimed that he was a prince from Ghana and had connections to those companies, according to the Justice Department.
Several of Harrison’s victims were congregants of the Power House of Prayer Ministries, where Harrison and his stepfather claimed they were ministers. According to prosecutors, Harrison and his stepfather used the investment money for personal expenses, including renting a house in Colorado and purchasing luxury cars.
District Judge Michael J. Newmangave Harrison the maximum sentence allowed under the law – 20 years behind bars – more than the 14-year sentence prosecutors had asked for.
“Each of the Defendant’s fraud crimes were committed in a cold, calculated and premeditated fashion,” prosecutors wrote in court filings, describing Harrison as an “extremely selfcentered, self-possessed sociopath who has no respect for societal rules or norms, and further lacks any empathy or sympathy for his victims” that “intimidated and threatened his victims to establish and maintain control over them.”
Harrison had asked the judge for a much lower sentence, highlighting supportive letters written by parishioners and family members. Harrison’s defense attorney also noted that his wife, who is taking care of their six children, is battling stage IV cancer.
Harrison’s stepfather, Robert Shelly Harrison, Jr., pleaded guilty to one felony charge in December. He will be sentenced later this month.
But there were questions in the House of Lords this week about the need to update the rules for eligibility.
Labour peer Viscount Stansgate had challenged how Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, and Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, could be two of the five potential replacements when one had “left public life” and the other had “left the country”.
Any update will require an amendment to the Regency Act, which is under the auspices of the Cabinet Office, but there appears to be momentum behind such a constitutional change.
However, it is expected that the response will be to widen the number of royals who can act on behalf of the monarch, making a more flexible list of available working royals – rather than removing Prince Andrew and Prince Harry.
IMAGE SOURCE,MAX MUMBY/INDIGO Image caption, Peers questioned the status of Prince Andrew and Prince Harry as two of the current five counsellors of state
Depending on the legislative timetable, there could be changes later this year, reflecting the need to have stand-ins in place when both the King and Queen Consort and Prince and Princess of Wales could be on overseas trips in 2023.
At present these are Camilla, the Queen Consort; Prince William, the Prince of Wales; Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex; Prince Andrew, Duke of York, and his daughter, Princess Beatrice.
They can carry out official duties, such as signing documents, receiving ambassadors, or attending Privy Council meetings, if the monarch is temporarily ill or abroad,
IMAGE SOURCE, PETER NICHOLLS Image caption, Counsellors of state could be needed if the King is travelling overseas
Labour peer Viscount Stansgate – who is Stephen Benn, the eldest son of Labour politician Tony Benn – said this showed the value of updating the Regency Act, to ensure royals were available to stand in.
“It is the only reason why it was possible to open the current session of this Parliament,” he told peers in the House of Lords.
He called on the government to approach the King over changes to the current arrangements, now that Prince Harry was living in the United States and Prince Andrew no longer carried out royal duties.
Lord Addington, a Liberal Democrat, suggested that working royals – “somebody who actually undertakes royal duties” – should be given priority for these roles.
In response, the Lord Privy Seal, Lord True, said he would not comment on “specific circumstances” of counselors, but he did not rule out a change.
Government has come under criticism from a cross-section of the public due to the current economic crisis.
In the wake of this, Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, has been at the receiving end from almost all and sundry.
While the “ordinary citizens” have been agitating on and off social media, Ghanaian celebrities have also not held back from expressing their dissatisfaction against government.
In the past week, some Ghanaian celebrities have called on President Akufo-Addo and the Minister of Finance to sit up and address the economic crisis fraught the country.
Below are some celebrities who have waded into the national conversation
Prince David Osei
The Ghanaian actor is one of the familiar supporters of the ruling government. He, alongside other celebrities like Kalybos was seen to be involved heavily clothed in NPP paraphernalia campaigning for the then Presidential Candidate, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
However, the movie star has openly displayed his disappointment in the government. In a tweet sighted by GhanaWeb, Prince called on government to seek help.
“Can we all put aside politics, humble ourselves and seek help from whoever has the ideas or in-depth knowledge on how to stop the further depreciation of our currency and stabilize our economy,” he tweeted.
Yvonne Nelson
The movie producer and actress is another popular figure who has not held back from bashing the government and calling for urgent steps to change the current tides.
In 2015, Yvonne Nelson led a demonstration against power cuts in Ghana, popularly known as “Dumsor”. Being a citizen and not a spectator as President Akufo-Addo implored Ghanaians, the model has this time taken to Twitter to quiz the President over his governance.
“Are you still the President? Are you still in this country? Are you this heartless? Do you hear people crying? Are you this heartless? No more campaign ahead so you are unbothered. You obviously feel nothing for Ghanaians. Such a disappointment”, she lamented.
Lydia Forson
The Ghanaian actress and social critic have also been vociferous over the state of affairs. She has opined that the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori Atta, needs to resign.
According to her, the minister has performed woefully and thus is unfit to continue occupying his position.
Furthermore, she has asked the government to take a cue from Britain, whose Prime Minister has resigned her inability to lead.
“I really wish Gabby Otchere Darko’s obsession & admiration for the UK parliament included taking pointers as well on resignations and firing. It makes absolutely no sense that Ken Ofori Attah is still the finance minister; how? He’s lost the confidence of the people! She said in a tweet.
Nana Aba-Anamoah
The Ghanaian media personality and General Manager of GHOne TV and Starr FM has penned a long letter to Ken Ofori Atta.
The TV host in the letter discusses how the minister has failed in his capacity and needs him to resign. She called the minister an absolute failure in managing the economy and driving it into an abyss.
A portion of the letter reads, “Hmm. Maybe a part of you wants to leave and your cousin (President Akufo Addo-Addo) is backing you to the hilt on the altar of loyalty. But for God’s, spare the entire nation this prolonged spectacle of failure and let go of the burning rod.”
