Samini: Yvonne Nelson Did Not Snub Me

Celebrated Ghanaian music icon and rising actor, Emmanuel Andrew Samini, appears to be having a head-on collision with some top Ghanaian corporate bodies.

The star, whose fate reports says is in the balance after an expiration of contract with communications giant MTN, has hinted of his decision to take his time before signing any future contracts with corporate bodies. According to him, even though a number of companies are falling over each other for him, he is not giving them any response yet.

He told News-One in an exclusive interview on Thursday at Alisa hotel, Accra that a lot of corporate bodies, realising the expiration of his MTN deal, are chasing him to get him on their brands, to the extent that he says he is not enjoying his ‘liberty’. The multiple awards winner’s ambassadorial contract with MTN ended last month. But it appears the dancehall icon is not free from the woes of being an ambassador. For now, MTN has not made public its intention of whether or not it wants to renew the Samini contract. Recent media reports mentioned a giant communication company as one those chasing the ‘Sweet Mistake’ crooner, but Samini himself would not confirm or deny that report.

However, he boldly disclosed that he would not rush into any new deal now. “I am still looking at my contract with MTN. We are still talking,” he said, adding that his news stance has to do with not just the financial aspect of the deal, but other factors. “A lot of calls are coming from different corporate bodies, and we are looking at a long term deal, including other things”. Samini is no doubt one of Ghana’s heavyweights as far as Ghanaian and African music is concerned.

At the time MTN signed him, he was on top of his game. He still maintains his accolades and usual driving force, even though new faces have taken over the local terrain. The first Ghanaian artiste to win MOBO award said he hoped to climb higher until he grabbed a Grammy award. “To have become the best African act for so many different times, I think, is a realization of something I anticipated long ago and I have worked for it. My target is the Grammy and I’m pushing towards it”.

Samini said currently, he is also taking a part time job in acting, and has already starred in a new movie. Asked what role he played in the movie, he said fans should just wait for the movie to come out and see it for themselves.

Meanwhile, Samini dispelled rumours that Yvonne Nelson snubbed him when his management team contacted her to be part of his video. Rather he said the video shoot did not come to fruition because of miscommunication between his camp and that of Yvonne’s.“Communication did not go down well with my management and Yvonne so we couldn’t shoot that video. I didn’t see why we should pursue it,” he concluded.