From a ‘street gangster’ to smuggler: The roller coaster journey of Ras Nene

Born and bred in Tafo Zongo in the Ashanti region, popular Ghanaian actor Ras Nene has highlighted his journey to stardom.

Ras Nene, who halted schooling at the Junior Secondary School (JSS) stage, ventured into all sorts of professions, including tailoring, buying, and selling scraps, until his encounter with drugs.

Ras Nene, who gave a detailed account of his life story, recounted how he traded in drugs of all kinds after he moved to Suame Magazine in his teens.

The actor said he rose to the rank of a ‘street uncle’ and later broke away to be his own ‘street boss’ who boldly sold narcotics along the street.

“Never send your child to buy cigarettes or even smoke in their presence. Sometimes when someone smokes, drops it on the floor and quenches it, the fire isn’t completely out. So in that case I’m compelled to pick it, hide behind the house and smoke the rest of it. That’s how it started.

"I became stubborn because I was earning some money from my scraps trade and the smoking habit made things worse. My mother would sit me down severally to advise me but I wouldn’t listen and gradually I was introduced to wee by a friend,” he told Delay.

Recounting how he had command over the ‘street life’ while confirming reports that he was one of the dreaded ‘street kings’ at that time, Nene said he was a 'street gangster'.

“I used to control the street. I had big men who covered me so I was making a lot more money. I had weapons to scare away customers who had ulterior motives. My boss at that time named me after a notorious criminal in Lagos called Anini.

"So people could not pronounce it properly and that’s how it became ‘Ras Nene. In my mid-20s, I crossed the Libya desert several times with drugs. I was doing drugs until my early 30s and I became a Yaro. I had boys who worked for me and I only come for my settlements.”

Smuggling drugs was also part of his dealings.

“There was this drug called bond. I used to smuggle it from Togo into the country. We hide them in the tubes of trailer car tyres and take them out when they arrive in Ghana. I was dealing in crack as well,” he stated.

Ras Nene recalled how he had life-changing encounters in jail and when he was introduced into the movie scene.

“I have been to court seven times although I lost only two cases. I was dealing in drugs until it landed me in jail several times but that was the place, I learnt my lessons. Acting then came along the line and changed my life totally. Even with the smoking habit, I realized that It wasn’t right to smoke and be in the company of these famous actors. I told myself that God had plans for me so I stopped, as a result of the determination,” he told Delay.

When the movie industry took a nosedive, Ras Nene moved on to galamsey where he made a lot of losses which ruined his finances.

“I realized I was spending proceeds from my acting career although I was able to raise a shelter from it. So, I ventured into galamsey and I realized it was profitable because I made a lot of money from it.

"I made profits almost my start-up capital but when it got to a point, things got worse. We were digging but the gold was nowhere to be found. I borrowed money from people to invest but things got worse and I was even arrested in the process.”

Ras Nene, with a help of a friend took a trip to China where he met Wode Maya and this changed his life story for good.

“I once helped someone with money to travel to China. When I was on the streets, I had a lot of money and I helped the guy who had only visa but without money to travel. That person got back into the country and met me at a time when I was in need the most. He returned the favour and took me to China. There, I met Wode Maya and co. They all had apple laptops in front of them.

"There, Wode Maya approached me and told me to venture into YouTube business and that it would help me a great deal. I told him I don’t have any formal education and I ignored him. But I arrived in Ghana and my friend Paulino advised me to venture into it. Later, I bought into the idea and I started it with a friend of mine called Twan. Wode Maya opened my first YouTube channel for me and now I am here.”

Watch the video below:



EB/BOG