Almost every TV station in Ghana one way or the other has a time scheduled for the showing of telenovelas. These telenovelas attract a lot of people from all age groups.
Ghanaian actor Fred Amugi has raised concerns about the effect of these telenovelas on our culture as Ghanaians during an interview with Daily Graphic. According to him, the proliferation of the telenovelas “undermines our own culture”.
“The constant showing of foreign telenovelas, even translated into local languages, undermines our own culture. It’s like showing an Indian actor speaking Twi and worshipping their goddess! This is not good for our future, especially our children. We need to stop loving cheap things and start valuing our own creativity,” Amugi said.
Ghana in recent times have seen a sharp decline in the production of local TV series. This can probably be attributed to the less cost associated to foreign telenovelas compared to those produced in Ghana.
The veteran actor further mentioned that, the sharp decline in local TV series production is as a result of the lack of unity among filmmakers in Ghana. According to him, almost every filmmaker in Ghana is working alone, and that does not help the film industry.
“The film industry in Ghana needs unity. Right now, everyone is working alone because they’re afraid of being copied or stolen from. But the truth is, no matter how much we know, someone else always knows more. If we work in unity, we could make great films that showcase our different talents and perspectives,” he added.
Do you agree with Fred Amugi? Let us know in the comment section.
