Nkonkonsa Celebrity Gossip From Africa
The grand event is slated for June 25 when filmmakers and journalists from across Africa will be flown to Ghana to participate. However, the organisers may first have to water down the growing controversies.
Their announcement that celebrated actress Nadia Buari has been appointed the ‘brand ambassador’ for the 2016 event has sparked some hullabaloo at a time dust is yet to settle on how the organisers sent out two conflicting messages on whether the 2016 edition would be launched last Tuesday at the Tang Palace Hotel in Accra.
Even before NMJ Ghana, the organisers of the event, find space to clear the air, one of the nominees, Samla Mumin, has expressed disappointment and taken them to the cleaners, crying foul that she is way above the ‘Most Promising Act’ category into which she has been placed.
NADIA
A section of art writers in Ghana and stakeholders within the film industry have complained that Nadia Buari, though an accomplished actress, was barely visible during the year under review and therefore should not have been made the brand ambassador.
There are even speculations that NMJ Ghana paid Nadia an alarming GH¢50,000 for the job. This has neither been confirmed nor denied.
NMJ, however, explained that the company believes in the principles of resilience, transparency and service and this contributed to its decision to pick Nadia. The actress also seems unperturbed by the controversy but is rather focused on her new appointment.
“I will do whatever it takes putting in the time and effort it requires so that our overall objective of changing African narratives through film will come to fruition. Thank you so much,” the actress stated soon after the announcement was made.
SAMLA MUMIN
Moments after the announcement of the nominees, this was what Samla Mumin wrote on herInstagram wall: “Thank you very much Golden movie Awards for recognition but I’m not a “Most Promising Actress”. The movie, ‘No Man’s Land’, arguably, is one of the best movies to come out of Ghana and even if personally I don’t get nominated (no qualms ‘cos nomination is beautiful but not the end of the world.) How about its storyline? What happened to @wiyaala performance? What happened to @deyemitheactor ? What happened to @adjeteyanang performance? What happened to @dj.vegaz props and other crew’s work?
“For once, we had hope in the Ghana movie industry but as it stands, we all have to collectively work positively if we need immense sincere growth. Too bad I got disappointed again (but that’s life)! With all respect, black should be black and white should be white. You either do it or don’t do it at all! Do not disrespect our hustle. Maybe for some controversial reasons, you decided to fix me in that category – thank you! Maybe it was an error from whoever – thank you! I already have a ‘Most Promising Act’ in 2013 from Pamsa Awards in Abuja on myshelve… Long live Ghana Movie Industry. Long live the organisers. Long live my esteem fans. Thank you. @salmumpictures#nomansland.”
NMJ, however, explained to NEWS-ONE that though it might be true that Samla had been nominated for Most Promising Act in other award schemes, the Golden Movie Awards is a pan-African one that focuses on the continent and not just a country.
They therefore do not consider it as demeaning or disrespectful if an actress who had been previously nominated for ‘Most Promising Act’ category during a national competition gets nominated for the same category at a continental awards event.
GOLDEN MOVIE AWARDS
The Golden Movie Awards seeks to honour outstanding achievements in the African television and film industry and is administered by the experts in the film and television industry on the African continent.
It rewards performance and delivery rather than popularity; and this year though it received submissions from over 30 African countries, films from only four countries made it to the nomination stage.
