Ghanaian Actresses Using Juju ‘Black Magic’ To Sabotage Colleagues & Gain Movie Roles

It may be superstitious and thick to you, but to the many Ghanaian Actresses visiting the shrines of prominent juju men (native doctors), it works wonders and that is the source of their fame, glory and the ‘goodness’ that follow them.

Few months ago, I was kicked out of my chair when I was informed by certain industry persons about the rapid spread of the use of black magic by some Ghanaian Actors (predominantly the women-Actresses).

The shock and the thought of this primitive practice endured with me for days. I could not believe what I was hearing.

Despite how bemused and bewildered I was, I could not let the issue just pass like the wind. I decided to talk to certain industry persons such as Actors, Actresses and movie makers to ascertain the merits which can be accorded to this evil development.

To be frank, I thought it was a joke. I could not bring myself to understand the connection between black magic and getting a movie role or being famous in a struggling movie industry like ours. I guess I was a little too naive to spot how diluted the over saturated industry has gotten.

During my conversations with several industry persons, 3 names were common on the lips of all. From what I deducted from my conversation with these people, it seemed I was the only one who did not know about the use of ‘juju’ by our movie stars especially the women in the Ghanaian movie industry.

Most of the Actors I spoke with could not believe I did not know such a practice existed in the movie industry. A popular A-list actress said to me ‘Chris, are you serious you do not know about this juju thing? I thought you had all the exclusive background info on your desk. This has been going on for years now’.

Another actress who wanted to remain anonymous for fear of being attacked spiritually and physically also mentioned that, she was terrified once at a movie set when they woke up to see evidence of rituals having been performed.

She explained that ‘we went on set the second day and everyone was terrified by what we saw. The Director was called to come and have a look at a black pot with a red cloth, beads, different colours of feathers and kola packed in there’.

Apart from the various Actors who mentioned that they are aware of the rate at which certain Actresses are visiting Shrines, most of the movie makers I delved into this conversation with also hinted that, they have heard of this practice which can be confirmed by certain strange ornaments they occasionally find on their sets.

Is this the way forward for a struggling movie industry like ours? I asked an Award winning Ghanaian Actor the same question and his answer was that ‘soon, these women will be killing themselves, the enmity and jealousy growing within some of these Actresses is beyond imagination. They can do anything to get the other person off their way’.

Have you heard of the use of juju in the Ghanaian movie industry? Is this the way forward? What happened to talent and healthy competition? What happened to genuine hard work, pure heart and education?

Ghanaian Actress Blasts Movie Makers!

Just as many industrial players have started complaining about the plodding fall of the movie industry, most of the movie stars who took a French leave are also coming back into the scene with the hope that their coming back will help raise the industry.

Not too Long ago Adjetey Anan and Kafui Danku announced their coming back into the movie industry after going out of the country for individual personal businesses.

This time around Soraya Mensah who went out of the scenes after picking up a special Award in the Fashion and Life Achievements Awards through the movie title scorned has announced a comeback into the scene after being spotted at Venus Films office this month.

In a chat with Soraya, she revealed to the media that she went out of the scenes for many reasons, but she is back due to the calls she is getting from her fans.

“Many of my fans will bear with me that even at the time of my pregnancy; I tried my best to accept some scripts. It got to a point that I had to brake for some time since I had many loads on me” she added

When we asked her what she thinks about the movie industry, she revealed that although many people are blaming the gradual collapse of the industry on the type of stories our producers are telling for their films, she thinks the industry not having lots of stars is also another factor the industrial players have to look at.

She added that with the experience she has gained in the industry , she will advice that film producers should try and give upcoming movie stars enough motivation, by giving them their script in time,” they should not be frustrating them in any way so the job can be so easy for them “ she noted

Explaining what she meant by frustrating, she stated that most of the time when the film producers are casting, they don’t consider the upcoming ones and by so doing they don’t give them enough time to practice their script in any way.

“When you go to Hollywood, based on the majority of African film makers who want to reach in their movie career, they really have time to train upcoming movie stars and even to the extent of training the professionals also, there are lots of stars in Hollywood who didn’t play any major role but were able to get to the peak in their career because lots of time went into shooting their scenes “she lamented

“so to me personally , I think for us to make more stars we need to first consider giving the upcoming ones good opportunity , being it minor or major role and lots of time should go into shooting their scenes” she suggested

Ghanaian rapper ‘Sky Tee’ records a song with Jay Z

Hip life artist Sky Tee formally of 8pm Boys fame whose debut album 'hyia me na gye' hit the airwaves and TV screens a couple of years ago is currently in studio with hip hup legend Jay Z working on his first solo album after splitting from 8pm Boyz group.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with a section of the media, sky Tee revealed that the desire to hit the international market instigated him to bring on board the high profile hip hop artist.

According to him, music like sports is an international brand and therefore the only way Ghanaian artist can derive the deserving dividends from their works is to collaborate with already established internationally known artist.

The album which is titled “The Top Job” is likely to be released later this year. “This album is the manifestation of the hard work I’ve been doing over the past ten years as an underground artist both in Ghana and South Africa and I am so glad we have been able to pool it through”

I must say that my production team has done a marvelous job by pulling through this collaboration”. “I didn’t believe it would be possible to get Jay on this album but it happened.” He said.

He called on hip-hop artist to place high value on the profession as it remains one industry that can boost the nation’s foreign exchange.

He also called on government to help the local music industry flourish by injecting the much needed capital in the industry to ensure that the needed equipment and infrastructure to make the local music industry break into the international sector.

He called on the legislature to pass stringent laws that would discourage people from pirating.”

“If government is really committed to tackling the unemployment situation, then investment in the music industry is one sure way of reducing the massive unemployment situation in the country”

“One successful musician can employ as many fifty other people so what happens when hundred musicians are successful.”

He added that Ghana has a country has not been able to take full advantage of its, unique musical culture and rhythm as far as the international market is concerned.

He has therefore pledged to fly high the flag of the nation in the area of music just as the National Soccer Teams have done in in the past.

99% of Ghanaian musicians use drugs - C-zar maintains

Hiplife musician, C-zar has maintained that, his claim that about 99% of the musicians in Ghana use drugs is factual and will not change his stance on the claim. This claim the artiste made on a private radio station in Accra has generated huge public debate with the spokesman for the Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA) Okyeame Kwame, contesting it in an interview on Hitz FM.

Okyeame Kwame said the claim was untrue adding it is just a cheap publicity stunt by C-zar. C-zar affirmed in an interview with Hitz FM that although the 99% might be outrageous, he still maintains his stance that “most musicians smoke before going on stage.”

He claimed to have personally seen some colleagues smoking marijuana before stepping on stage for their performances. The controversial musician denied ever smoking, saying, he feels embarrassed when he finds his colleagues doing it before their performances.

Known for the hit song Araba Lawson, C-zar has been absent from the music scene after winning the Hiplife Song of the Year at the 2009 edition of the Ghana Music Awards. The issue of drug use by showbiz personalities is a never ending one and with the deaths of renowned musicians Whitney Houston and Amy Winehouse – attributed to their drug use– there have been calls on others to take a lesson and quit.

On the Ghanaian scene, Lord Kenya, a one-time hiplife musician did admit publicly that he was on drugs and was reported to have said that most Ghanaian artistes use drugs to enhance their performance. Hiplife artiste Ex-Doe in an interview on Daybreak Hitz during the Entertainment Review segment did acknowledge that many musicians in Ghana smoke.

Atumpan, another musician who was also a guest on the show, shared the same opinion that there are smokers in the industry but doubted if it will match up to the 99% indicated by C-zar. In another development, Socrate Sarfo, renowned film producer has called for the ban of any Ghanaian celebrity engaging in drug abuse.