Tit For Tat Is Not A Sin Right?: I Have Stopped Using Nigerian Actors & Actresses In My Movies-Abdul Sallam Mumuni

To be frank, it has been so annoying over the last few months with so many Nigerian Actors, Actresses and Producers complaining about the influx of Ghanaian movie stars into Nollywood. They have been advising and admonishing themselves to stop using Ghanaian stars in Nollywood as they see these Ghanaian  stars are parasites and fully dependant on Nollywood.

Do not get me wrong, I am a champion of, inter alia, globalization, free trade and putting forces together between Ghana and Nigeria to build a strong movie industries. But it is disgusting and makes you feel “shit” as a jingoistic Ghanaian when you read or heard about such unfounded comments  from Nigerian Stars. I vividly remember one saying,  “These Ghanaians are taken over our industry and to worsen it all, they have started even featuring in the Yoruba movies which we tend to keep to our self”.

Now here is what we got for them as things are getting better in our home too. You started it and we will help finish it for you. The last year saw a great success in the Ghanaian movie industry, Nigerians might have produced in quantity than Ghanaians , but in terms of quality, we were able to battled them head to head. Do I have to prove it by refering you to the African Movie Academy Awards nominations and winnings?.

On their constant out cry to stop  the incursion of Ghanaian stars into their industry, One of the best and first  movie production houses to bring Nigerians to Ghana, Venus Movies have stated categorically that, they have stopped and would not be using Nigerian movie stars anymore. Whether it is a good move or a bad one, I am down with them as the adage goes, Tit for Tat is never a sin. Read and listen to the audio below…

The most consistent Ghanaian movie producer of our time Alhaji Abdul Sallam Mumuni, C.E.O of Venus Films Production, has said that he has stopped using Nigerian actors and actresses in his movies.

Speaking to peacefmonline during the premiere of his new movie “4Play” at the Silverbird cinema on Friday June 4, 2010, he said he doesn’t see the need to import actors and actresses from Nigeria, when there are brilliant and perhaps better actors and actresses in Ghana who can interpret his stories well for Ghanaian movie lovers in every part of the globe.

“I was the first producer in Ghana to bring Nigerian actors and actresses to Ghana to act in my movies, and I realized that I was just promoting Nigerians. I said to myself why I don’t I promote my own people? So that is why I decided to go without Nigerian faces. I realized that what Nigerians can do, we can also do the same and even better; look at where we are now, we are on top,” Alhaji stressed.

Sallam added that he has not regretted taking that bold decision because since then, he has discovered great Ghanaian talents who are now doing great, both in Ghana and Nigeria. “That is how come you see all these Ghanaian actors from Venus Films like: Majid Michel, Van Vicker, John Dumelo, Eddie Nettey and beautiful actresses like Jackie Appiah, Nadia Buari, Yvonne Nelson, Yvonne Okoro, the late Suzzy Williams etc.They were all discovered by Venus Films”, he said.

Asked if he will go back and use Nigerian faces again since he has achieved his aim, Abdul Sallam answered in the negative. “No! Not at all, I am not going to use Nigerians in my movies anymore, since our industry is now growing. Even in Nigeria now, they prefer seeing more Ghanaian faces rather than those of the Nigerians themselves. So why do I have to use them? He asked.

He also told peacefmonline that his movies are in hot demand in Nigeria, other African countries, in Europe and America showing Ghanaian faces.

He concluded by saying “Well, I’m so excited and very happy because, you know when I started using only Ghanaian faces people said I was wasting my time; and today, the people who said that, are the same people using them now. So it means I have achieved what I wanted. I am so happy to see stars from Ghana making it on the international scene, and people are paying them very well now.”

Abdul Sallam is known for bringing to Ghana for the first time Nollywood stars like: Ramzey Noah, Zack Orji, Ikiru Silvanus, among others.

He has produced over 40 Ghanaian movies and still counting. Including: “Devine Love”, “Three Beautiful Apples”,“Agony of Christ”, “God Love Prostitutes”, “Beyonce”, “Mummy’s Daughter”, “Princess Tyra”, “Who Loves Me” and “Chelsea”.

He has just released “4Play” and on set currently shooting two movies “Temptations” and “The Beast”, also to be premiered and released subsequently.Source: PeaceFmOnline.

Listen To Audio Below…