The Dome`s Come Back Undecided

A close source to the management of the Dome located at the Accra International Conference Center, has told Flex newspaper that the Dome is gone forever.

According to our source, management of the Dome shall not bring back the Dome because it does not generate profit; contrary to the general believe that it does. Also, they shall not bring the Dome back because maintaining it comes with a huge cost compared to the revenue it generates; thereby making it more of a liability than a viable asset.

Our source stated “expect the Dome no more!” Though our source sounded very sure of his information, Flex newspaper contacted the Project Manager of the Dome, Mr. Fennec Otchere for clarity. “Well, please don't give such rumours attention. Whether the Dome will come back or not, let's wait and see”.
   

“If it will come back, time will tell, if not, time will tell. I cannot give you any exact clarity on this story.  Remember I work in a corporate body so I can't just give you my opinion. At the right time, we shall release a press statement concerning the Dome.”
  

After some months of closing down the Dome, the crew of GH One TV's 'The Pundit' went to the Dome with their cameras to film the supposed new state of the Dome. Unfortunately, absolutely no repair works had been done to the building.
   

They did not find workers on site. Their footage revealed the old Dome we've all visited all these years. They did not have the privilege of speaking with any management member as at the time they went and left the place.
  

Flex newspaper went to the Dome in December 2013 to also inspect the place. After our inspection of the entire place, it was obvious no repair works had been done to the Dome. We could not find any management member to speak to as well.
 

“The Dome was closed down for renovation for improved sitting style, sound system and security detail. The venue should be ready by December 2013” said Mr. Fennec Otchere on Peace FM's Entertainment Review show one Saturday last year.
  

The closure of the Dome was announced some few days after The Weekend Globe newspaper reported of a looming disaster of the Dome if its conditions weren't appraised for onward renovation. Mr. Otchere however repudiated remarks that sought to create the impression that their closure of the Dome was precipitated by the said newspaper's report.
  

The Dome was built temporarily for the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD XII) in 2008. It was supposed to have been demolished after the conference but some private individuals showed interest in its management. We should all wait and see if it will come back or not, as advised by Mr. Fennec Otchere.                                                                                                                                                                          By Elvis Rancey Baidoo

"Stop Accusing Arts-Politicians" – Hon Fritz Baffour

Honourable Fritz Baffour has cautioned people in showbiz to stop accusing him and others – arts politicians for not supporting the creative arts industry.

Some people in Ghana's creative arts industry sometimes get the privilege of entering into politics for what we often term as public service. These art-politicians are often lambasted by players in the showbiz industry for not lobbying, advocating or supporting their first love – creative arts, when they get into political leadership. One person whose name always comes under such criticisms is Honorable Fritz Baffour. 

  

To get the side of our arts turned politicians or art-politicians, Flex newspaper had an exclusive interview with Honorable Fritz Baffour. 'Honorable I'm not recording you so please feel free and share; there will be no 'Fritz-leaks.' Honorable Baffour burst into laughter slap happily!
   

Flex newspaper asked Honorable Baffour if he has heard such criticisms against him and other art-politicians before. “Of course I have! I once remember listening to radio and hearing Kwabena Kwabena accusing me of not doing anything for the creative arts industry after entering into politics.”
   

What has honorable Fritz Baffour done for the creative industry ever since you got into active politics? Flex newspaper asked. “Well, for your information I've always been in active politics since my youthful days. Fact is, I've done a lot for the creative arts industry all my life because I am an artiste and will forever be.
   

“Most of the things I do are behind the scenes so maybe you don't get to see. Some too I do through committees in parliament. I can't just wake up in open parliament and start talking for the creative arts industry! There are mechanisms, committees and other avenues for pushing the agendas of the arts industry in parliament!”
 

What have you done for the creative art industry? Flex newspaper emphasized. “A lot! I am the chairman of the Museums and Monuments Board; I am a member of GAG – Ghana Actors Guild; I've supported the National Theatre in many ways; I supported the organization of the late Omar Hunter's funeral; I've been lobbying the World Bank to give funds for the creative arts industry.
 

“I've been advising some artistes, for instance, I've given people like KSM, Funny Face and others advice on comedy; I write and coach young writers on how to write; I just finished shooting a movie without charging a dime; I once hosted the Fritz and Friends, a lot!”
   

Your final words, “I will advise those who criticize art-politicians to stop doing so. We go there (politics) to push the interest of the arts but they are behind the scene works.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          By Elvis R Baidoo

Collaboration Of Movie Stars Is For Business

Venus Films boss Abdul Salam Mumuni has set the records straight when he told Flexy on ETV`s Talkshowbiz that the collaboration between English movie makers aka glamour and Akan film makers aka Kumawood is purely to boost sales of movies on the market.

Though Abdul Salam Mumuni himself has denied it on several occasions that the glamour movies in the country were not selling, he could not hide the facts anymore when he was stretched beyond limits for his decision of putting together Kojo Nkansah Lilwyn and Jackie Appiah in one movie which seems to be the trend in the country as much as movie making is concerned. Read his response on the show.

    

“Now we have realized that the movie market does not support most of the glamour movies but the Akan people are still selling like hot cake. Because of that as a business person, I want to cut losses, so I thought it wise to combine Kojo Nkansah Lilwyn and Jackie Appiah to increase my sales. There is no other reason why we have decided to do that, but it is purely on business grounds” Abdul Salam said hurriedly whilst rushing to continue shooting on set.
    

If readers would recall, the subject of Akan movie makers feeling ostracized has come under strong criticism as there have been reports that the English film makers always feel superior than their Akan counterparts in the movie industry. It was in the wake of this that some Akan movie people decided to boycott the Ghana Movie Awards when they realized that their independent categories had been merged to their disadvantage at the just ended Ghana Movie Awards.
  

Based on this assertion, a non-harmful statement made by colleague actor Ecow- Smith Asante nearly sparked fire among actors in this country. Despite everything, it is an undeniable fact that our people in the Akan movie industry are still making more profits therefore their ability to shoot and produce more movies for the market. Out of this market flooding, the Film Producers Association of Ghana -FIPAG issued a directive to limit the number of movies released unto the market to forestall the decline of movie sales.
    

Whether it will work out or not is another story as Flex newspaper is gathering that a series of meetings to make this directive work does not seem to be ending anytime soon. A call to the Public Relations Officer of the Association Ola Michael confirmed this marathon meeting which does not seem to be ending soon.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    By  Elvis R Baidoo

Any Challenger For Blakk Rasta This Year?

The time for awards in this country is near, therefore there is the need to make mention of some individuals whose name are synonymous to awards in the country.

Blakk RastaHitz 103.9fm reggae presenter and musician Blakk Rasta is among such names which are synonymous to awards in Ghana. As much as Flex newspaper is concerned, most awards with anything to do with reggae categories in it has Blakk Rasta on it and mostly he wins hands down almost all the times.  

    

Currently, two awards are very close to us in the months of February (Ghana DJ Awards) and May (Ghana Music Awards) and Blakk Rasta will surely be nominated in if not all, the reggae DJ awards to be specific. Our checks have proven that Blakk Rasta has been nominated again in the Dj Awards and in the Reggae category so there was the need to ask him his strength against his contenders and he gave Flex newspaper the following words.
    

“What I am about to tell you, I have never said it anywhere before. I am always possessed when I am on radio. Because sometimes I play back and listen to myself with surprise on my face that wow, did I really say that?  It is about the energy and the passion at which I use to work. Reggae on radio is all about creativity and the passion to change society. Anytime I am selecting  music on my show, I pay attention to the down trodden and I make sure I listen to the songs first before airing them. I therefore know the impact of the songs I play on the society as well as my strength of being a good story teller” Blakk Rasta told Flex newspaper.
   

He continued “do you know that when I am on radio I don't answer my calls, I don't do Facebook and any other thing? My boss, my friends or staff members can come to the studio and yet I will not recognize them. My eyes are always closed in the studio and I hardly even sit during my presentation. The long and short of it is that I am always possessed when on radio. Despite everything, I liked Prime I and Culture B sometime ago but now they are all not active again. Currently, I think Fiifi Sellah of Pluzz fm and one Black Binghi in the Volta region are doing so great” he told Flex newspaper.
    

“The difference is that I make commentary on most of the songs I play but my other colleagues do not do that. Yeah I have been nominated and we hoping the awards will go well this year too” he added. Now we are waiting for that bold reggae presenter who will be able to beat Blakk Rasta to it this year in the reggae awards: Any challenger?

Elvis R Baidoo

J. J Rawlings Criticizes Ghanaian Movies: "You Over Dramatize Your Scenes Too Much"

Last week Friday marked another memorable night in the calendar of Ghanaian movies, as Ex-President of Ghana's fourth Republic, Jerry John Rawlings  attended the premiere of the movie titled 'The Masked,' from the stables of Hau of Kadewe.

The premiere brought together dignitaries like the former Captain of the Ghana national football team (Stephen Appiah), H.E Timothy Mwab, Walamoa, H.E Ndhlove, Rev. Dr Lawrence Tetteh, Chief Dele Momodu, ministers  and other statesmen.
 
After the premiere, the lead Actress 'Nana Akua Addo expressed her gratitude to the former president for attending the premiere. “Well, the fact that the former president made it to the premiere is a big motivation not to me alone but the industry as a whole. Because most of the time we perceive that people at the top don't really show much interest in the Arts. We sometimes don't book them in our dealings. President Rawlings's coming to the premiere has helped clear that perception” she noted.
 
Ex-President Rawlings in an interview with the media expressed worry about what he describes as a false representation of real issues bedeviling the Ghanaian society in local movies. He challenged film makers to produce films that the public can identify with and not to lose touch with reality in their movies.
  
“I think what we ought to do is to be truthful to themselves, to be realistic as possible, bring things home to people. Don't over dramatize it, don't create undue melodrama because there is enough drama in our lives, there is enough pain in our lives” he said.
 
He also urged television stations across the country to help put the story of Nkuli out to educate the public, so that people can wake up to some of the realities that people go through, the violations that people would have to go through, the humiliations that people would have to go through and the consequences.
  
“In effect, let's begin to humanize ourselves. The HIV issue is a test on our conscience, on our manhood”. The Deputy High Commissioner of Zambia, Chola Chama also appealed to men to stop abusing women.

Meanwhile, internationally renowned evangelist, Dr Lawrence Tettey is optimistic there will be a cure for HIV soon. Nkuli (The Masked) tells the story of a young girl and her two siblings, Kwame and Gye Nyame who had to face the harsh realities of life after the untimely death of their parents.
 
They found themselves in the care of a wicked aunt who ushered Nkuli into prostitution, as a means of generating income for the family's upkeep – a step that led to her contracting HIV.

 by Elvis Rancey Baidoo

Kojo Antwi Breaks Silence On Legends & Legacy Ball:“I Never Demanded Anything From Imajin Advertizing”

Some issues in our entertainment industry just cannot be ignored despite the fact that it will be treated by all platforms in Ghana. One of such issues is the recent rumour and hearsay that Mr Music Man was the legend who was to be honoured by Imajin Advertising through their Legends and Legacy annual concert until the tables turned for A.B Crentsil.

Shockingly to some people, their first hand information has proven to be false and without facts because the legend to be honoured this year is no more Kojo Antwi as speculated. Since last week Thursday, when it became evidently clear that A.B.  is the man of the moment, accusations, speculations and grapevine distribution of information has been the order of the day. The two parties involved in this brouhaha are the organizers of Legends and Legacy Bal Imajin Advertising and the music Maestro himself Kojo Antwi.
 
We at Flex newspaper are saying speculations because none of the two parties had confirmed  the issue until last Saturday when Agyemang Prempeh, RTP nominee for best entertainment show host spoke to Kojo Antwi on phone during his Gh Entertainment show on Rainbow Radio 87.5. In the interview, Kojo Antwi admitted that he had started negotiations with Imajin Advertising and that things fell apart along the way and the center could not hold any more.

“I have also heard many people making comments about me and my involvement with the legends concert. One thing is that I have respect for A.B Crentsil because whilst he was in his elements in his profession, I was just an elementary school person looking to him at that time and I know he is among the great musicians in our music industry. I even think such people should be honoured before us, but I wont say much because every happening is God`s plan and at the right time, people will hear from us” he noted.
 
Kojo Antwi continued: “God`s time is the best so when it`s my turn and they want to honour me, it will happen. I never demanded anything strange from Imajin. Even if I will demand something, I will demand more on my stage act more than financial demands. My stagecraft is more important to me than anything. Every true artiste has his or her special demands and I am no exception to that, so when a promoter starts talking to me and he is thinking about profits, I look for qualities such as sound, my stage act and the production as a whole. I have no battle with Imajin Advertising as people are saying but at the right time, you will see me” Kojo Antwi told Agyemang in a telephone interview last Saturday. Really and truly, time will tell who will lose in these happenings.
                                        By Elvis Rancey Baidoo

Keep Your Love Relationships from the Media

I won't be an ostrich to say that the entertainment media has worked perfectly in shoring up this industry.

 Yet, even though our activities are indispensable, some of us have often times been very mischievous. It is either we have put out unsubstantiated stories, have written to tarnish the image of innocent people or have aided in destroying celebrity relationships.
   
 I agree to an extent that when one becomes a public figure, they lose much of their privacy. Yes, some amount of your privacy will be gone depending on your popularity. The more popular you are, the lesser privacy you have.However, the celebrity can hide certain things from the media. There are certain things that unless you allow yourself for them to come out, no one would hear of them. In short, you can manage your privacy so that most of the things you wish not heard in public lie low.
  
 I am one person who thinks, every celebrity should keep their relationship out of the media, if they seek the longevity of that union. This is because actions of the media can jeopardize a relationship. To me, the best people to solve a relationship problem are the partners themselves. Anytime one comes to settle a relationship dispute, they become 'third persons.' The moment you allow much of your relationship stuff to be out in the media for discussion, people who don't know jack about relationship will tell you what to do and if you don't take care, your union will end up on the rocks.

 There is not a modicum of sense in trying to solve a relationship problem of a celebrity in a newspaper, on a website or on radio. It is even not right discussing a showbizer's relationship issue in the media.So if by accident issues pertaining to one's relationship get to a media person you don't make so much noise about it. That is why I was mad that when gospel diva Christiana Love (now Obaapa Christie) had issues with ex-hubby Pastor Love, a certain morning show host under the pretext of getting matters solved, went about causing more pain and hurt. Meanwhile, he also had serious issues with his relationship. Instead of concentrating on caring for his wife and kids in the UK, he was talking about Christie and Love. And this is the only time morning show hosts will talk entertainment; when there is negativity.
  
 Not long ago, it was in the news that Keita and Eazzy were no longer couple. Well, it is not strange. Any other person in the world can get into a relationship and quit at anytime and there can be several reasons why there will be that break up. Jim Iyke and Nadia Buari are also so much in the news nowadays and I wonder why these guys would want people to hear so much of their relationship. Maybe they are forgetting to notice what evil the stalking media can do to them. If their relationship is real (not meant for hype) and they want it to grow into what they want it to be, they best need to stop the twitter chat and do private conversation.

Getting a bit superstitious, we are in a continent in which superstition is part of us. Believe it or not the tendency of one using a spiritual power to bewitch you for no apparent reason is rife. Those who do not want your relationship to flourish would easily get ways of destroying you when they know much about you. The destruction could even be through physical means. The fact that you are celebrity doesn't mean you should let everybody know every little step that you take in life. Try to hide certain things for a long while and make them surprises at the long run.
  
When Kwabena Kwabena had a relationship problem to contend with some years ago, I remember how a certain newspaper treated the story. They took it so personal that one wondered if they have squabbles with the fine crooner. With that action, even if there was anything to have been done to salvage the relationship, it couldn't hold. The same thing was done to Agya Koo and the ex-wife, not forgetting Esther Smith and her former husband.
 
These are the reasons why I think I would always advise people in the media to spare our celebrities with their relationship issues, with the exception of those that have good lesson for others (just like how Annica supports her husband Okyeame Kwame in his music career). Yes, they make the juiciest news but we must be circumspect not to break unions in our bid to feed people with news. And to the celebrities, do well to hide your relationship from the media.


Kwame Dadzie