Ghanaian Kumawood actor Kwaku Manu has advised creatives to avoid finding validation in awards.
The actor shared his candid thoughts, making it clear that he has never looked to awards for validation because, in his view, they’ve never added any real value to his career.
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Since I started working, I have not considered awards because they’ve done nothing for me. It’s good if you’re acknowledged for your efforts and your name is mentioned. But for someone to dress up, fly from Kumasi to Accra, and book hotel rooms for themselves and their team, what’s the point?
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Kwaku Manu acknowledged that recognition is nice, but he believes the stress and financial strain that come with attending award shows simply aren’t worth it.
It’s not like they’re even getting money from the awards. Forget about deals or opportunities.
Reflecting on his experience with the Ghana Movie Awards, the actor didn’t hold back, calling it a waste of time due to the disregard Kumawood actors faced.
I went for the Ghana Movie Awards sometime back, and it was a waste of time for me. Those of us who came from Kumasi, our names weren’t even mentioned. The hosts mentioned all the names of the English-speaking actors and ignored us.
He went on to highlight how the awards scheme struggled when Kumawood actors pulled out.
You could see that when the Kumawood actors stopped attending, the scheme collapsed. These award shows depend on celebrities to function. The moment the celebrities stop attending, they collapse. So what’s their use?
Kwaku Manu’s comments is in line with recent conversations about the current state of award schemes in Ghana’ arts industry and whether they genuinely benefit creatives or simply serve as empty recognition. The most recent case was the issue of snubs at the recent Telecel Ghana Music Awards, which includes King Paluta’s ‘Makoma’ not getting a nomination for the Most Popular Song of the Year.
