Ghanaian film director Jones Agyemang has hit back at veteran Nigerian actor Kanayo O. Kanayo, accusing him of making unnecessary comments about Ghana and its actors since arriving in the country for a film project.
Agyemang opined that some of Kanayo’s interview comments are irrelevant, especially blatantly portraying himself as superior to Ghanaian actors.
The director’s response follows recent comments by Kanayo in which the veteran actor criticised what he described as entitlement among some Ghanaian actors who demand to be paid the same fees as Nigerian stars on joint productions.
But Agyemang believes the issue should not be reduced to nationality or who commands the bigger fee.
He argued that acting is a craft with different dimensions and that an actor’s reputation should not automatically make him superior to colleagues in another country.
According to him, Kanayo should focus on the role he was invited to Ghana to perform instead of making comments that create unnecessary controversy.
“Apart from juju, what better role can you play again?” Agyemang asked, referring to the ritualistic and occult-themed characters that have become strongly associated with Kanayo’s screen persona.
“What other character has he portrayed in his acting which has elicited emotions of viewers? Coming here doesn’t make you any superior. Focus on the job for which you were brought here. Acting comes in dimension, so he should stick to his niche of ritualistic roles”
The director was particularly critical of Kanayo’s remarks about wealth and opportunities in Nigeria, questioning why the actor would choose to work in Ghana if Nigeria offered all the opportunities he suggested.
“If there are many rich men in Nigeria, why didn’t he accept their jobs and come to Ghana?” he asked.
Agyemang further accused Nigerian actors of repeatedly comparing themselves with their Ghanaian counterparts, as he believes such comparisons do little to strengthen relationships between the two film industries.
He urged Kanayo to appreciate Ghana and the people who brought him into the country rather than using his platform to make statements that could be perceived as disparaging the local industry.
According to the director, a veteran of Kanayo’s stature should be more measured in his public comments.
“A man of your calibre shouldn’t talk anyhow. It’s wrong,” he said.
