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Opinions of Monday, 26 September 2016

Columnist: Ebenezer Donkoh

Election 2016: The beginning of the end of Kumawood?

Kumawood actors Kumawood actors

The past few months have seen really interesting developments as several Kumawood actors, actresses, producers and directors have openly declared their support for political parties and have willingly started campaigns to canvass for votes for their favourites.

Yes, this couldn’t have come at a right time than few months to the presidential elections in Ghana.

In as much I feel that sounds super cool since each individual has the right to support and vote for any party, I still feel sad at the future of the movie industry in this part of the country. Why do I feel sad? Well, simply because a number of actors and actresses would have to look for new jobs after the elections.

A prophet of doom? No, I’m none close to that since I often don’t even remember my own dreams when I get out of bed. (Say a word of prayer for me cos I hear it’s not a good sign).

In a jurisdiction which has a pretty high number of petty people who would simply not work with you because you support a different political party, what else do you expect? Well, let’s not run away from the fact that this is well rooted in the Ashanti Region where Kumawood largely thrives.

Yeah, referring to SOME of them as petty might sound harsh but hey that’s the bitter truth and I simply wouldn’t want to find any other word to describe them. Oh, before you bring the cutlasses, remember, I do know what I’m talking about because I have worked with a countless number of them in the past.

The rippling effects of choosing sides and openly declaring support for political parties is already being made manifest as a number of the actors, actresses narrate their ordeal.

A couple of years back, Ghanaian actor Clement Bonney popularly known as Mr. Beautiful openly declared his support for the NDC, mounted stages to campaign and the aftermath, very glaring.

Clement Bonney is not the only person to have suffered such a fate, the list is endless but the question I ask is, would election 2016 intensify the fast rate at which Kumawood is already dying? Would it be the beginning of the end of Kumawood especially as so many of the stars have endorsed parties this year or perhaps a call for people to wake up to changing times?