Entertainment pundit and broadcaster Ola Michael has expressed strong disapproval over the organization of the red carpet event at the 2024 Telecel Ghana Music Awards (TGMAs). During an appearance on United Showbiz on UTV on June 8, 2024, Michael described the red carpet scene as chaotic and poorly managed, comparing it to a marketplace.
Michael’s critique centered on the apparent lack of planning and the involvement of what he perceived as an inexperienced event planner. “The red carpet event is an event on its own. But up till now, Charterhouse has yet to master it. This year’s red carpet looked like a marketplace. Maybe they didn’t plan it, or they got someone unqualified to plan it. They just allowed anyone on the carpet,” he stated on the show hosted by MzGee.
Michael emphasized the need for a more structured and professional approach to the red carpet, highlighting the incongruity of seasoned industry professionals like renowned music producer Bullet sharing the space with inappropriately dressed attendees. “A professional like Bullet will come on the red carpet, someone who can help boost the allure of it, and he was being forced to share the red carpet with someone who wore a polythene bag,” he remarked. “Someone else put on a nurse’s uniform and was allowed to come on the red carpet,” he added, stressing the importance of maintaining the red carpet’s prestige.
The broadcaster suggested that with proper management, the red carpet could become a standout feature of the TGMAs, even surpassing the awards show itself in popularity. “I think they should polish it up; it’s been 25 years. If it continues like this, people will lose interest in it. If we do it well, it will get to a point where people will just come for the red carpet and not the event itself,” he concluded.
Ola Michael’s comments echo sentiments shared by other industry figures who have also called for a revamp of red carpet events following the ‘disappointing’ display at the 2024 TGMAs. Earlier, on GhanaWeb TV’s E-Forum Show, media personality Sammy Rasta criticized the TGMA red carpet for lacking the respect seen at similar events in other countries. He urged the organizers to treat the red carpet as a showcase for fashion and to involve industry experts in its planning.
Rasta pointed to the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCAs) as a model where the red carpet often eclipses the main event. He recommended that TGMA organizers collaborate with seasoned fashion influencers like Kofi Okyere Darko (KOD) to elevate the red carpet experience.
As the TGMAs continue to grow, the call for a more polished and professionally managed red carpet event is gaining momentum among industry insiders and fans alike.
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