You are here: HomeEntertainment2010 11 17Article 197642

Entertainment of Wednesday, 17 November 2010

Source: News One

Actress Cautions Michael Essien Over Dad

Beautiful and sexy Ghanaian actress Khareema Aguira has cautioned Ghanaian celebrities who strongly believe in not taking care of their aged parents, because their parents did not take care of them while growing up.

“It is painful. I understand people’s grievances over the fact that their parents did not take care of them. I have talked to some persons whose parents really ignored them and several others who were brought up by single mothers. But hey! Like I am granting this interview now, if you do something to me right now, it doesn’t mean that if I see you crossing the street and a car knocks you down, I should just leave you there. No, I will give you a helping hand,” Khareema noted.

Though she fell short of mentioning specific names of celebrities who have neglected their parents, News-One asked her about her take on the recent complaint from the dad of Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien, that he had been neglected by the soccer star.

She stated: “Your father may not have taken care of you but he gave birth to you. He may have failed to live as a father but it is because of him that you are still living. And despite whatever hardship you’ve been through, today you are successful, so take care of him.”

Khareema made the statements when she spoke to News One last Friday at the premises of Help Age Ghana, where she held a sizable party for the aged. She said it is an “inhumane attitude” to neglect one’s parents, especially in their old age. Khareema lost her parents at a tender age. She lost her mum when she was only eight and had to live with her aunt, and when she turned 15 she lost her father. Her auntie also died later and Khareema went to live with her now 80-year-old uncle. This explains why the mother of one considers any older folk or aged as her parents, hence her love for them.

“I have a special feeling and attachment for the aged. I just hate to see the aged to through so much stress in life. I know for sure that most of these people, during their youthful days, had fun. So I always ask myself why they can’t have fun while they are old as well. Basically, apart from me having them at heart, I am just thinking, we all have to put some form of smile and some form of new life in their lives,” she explained why she partied with the aged on her birthday.

Friday’s event attracted a number of celebrities who joined Khareema to celebrate and interact with the aged. Among them were Ekow Blankson, producer Socrates Safo, John Dumelo, Beverly Afaglo, Yvonne Nelson, Chase, Prince David Osei, Luckie Lawson and a number of other stars, as well as the media. Asked if she felt insecure, knowing that she would also become an old lady one day, she said she was preparing for that stage. “I spoke to one of the aged who is over eighty years old.

She has never given birth and for that reason she is going through a hard time. Some too perhaps didn’t pay particular attention to taking care of their children at a time the children needed them and so the children are kind of punishing them now. “But I am learning from these people and I am doing my homework well, that is why I like to interact with older people because you learn so much from them. If she tells you that I didn’t give birth that is why I am going through this, I say to myself thank God I have a son. And if another one tells me that I didn’t take care of my children, that is why they are doing this to me, I am learning from them, so will give my child the best of what he needs from me.”

Khareema surfaced on Ghana’s movie scene through the television series ‘All That Glitters’ on GTV in 2005. Since then, she has appeared in a number of movies. She recently appeared in Shirley Frimpong Manso’s ‘Checkmate’, alongside Nadia Buari, Ekow Blankson, Senanu Gbedewo and other actors.