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Fight Over ‘Ghallywood’: Miss Goldenwood Replaces Miss Ghallywood Beauty Pageant & Talent Hunt!

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Some of the contestants posed with the first prize car after the press conference

In September, West Coast Entertainment Ghana Limited launched a new pageant beauty and talent hunt event to cater for the needs of young budding actresses in Ghana. The sole aim of the event is discovering upcoming actresses and makes them movie stars and celebrities.

In a bid to show its seriousness to the world, the organisers who also specialises in Movie and Music Production, Modelling, Photo Studio, Artiste Management unveiled the prizes for winners [first, second and third positions] of the pageant setting the road for the commencement of the show.

Two separate auditions were held in the Southern and Northern sector in Kumasi and in Accra respectively. Just when the show is about to commence, the organisers have been forced to change the name of the event from ‘Miss Ghallywood Beauty Pageant & Talent Hunt’ to ‘Goldenwood Beauty Pageant & Talent Hunt’.

The change of name has been necessitated as a result of misunderstanding between organisers of the pageant and movie maker Mr. William Akuffo who has registered the name ‘Ghallywood’ Film Academy and claims it’s his bona-fide property.

According to West Coast Entertainment Ghana Limited, they have already submitted their application to the Registrar General Department for the register of the Trademark and have been issued with a letter pending their Certificate.

But Mr. Akuffo didn’t see the sense in that and asked them to stop using the name ‘Ghallywood’ or face his wrath [through whatever means if he fails in the court room] even though the Registrar General thinks otherwise.

After several meetings and consultations, the organisers have decided to salvage their investments by changing the name of the event to forestall any court injunctions.

In a press conference yesterday, the company spelt out reasons for the sudden change of name.

Listen to the audio below…

[audio:http://www.ghana101.com/interview/Goldenwood.mp3|titles=Goldenwood Press Conference]

Below is the full text of the press release issued at the press conference.

Management of West Coast Entertainment Ghana Limited saw it appropriate to inform and consult the originator and pillar behind GHALLYWOOD, MR. WILLIAM AKUFFO of our good intentions and reasons for coming up with a pageant of such nature. This, we did by calling on him at Ghallywood Film Institute premises on the Accra – Dawhenya road after he called to enquire why we were using GHALLYWOOD without his knowledge or permission.

It was during our meeting that we were informed that the name “GHALLYWOOD” was actually his [Mr. Akuffo’s] private company and personal property but NOT A NAME ADAPTED FOR OR BY THE GHANA FILM INDUSTRY as perceived by majority of Ghanaians and foreigners at large. He is an individual owner and President of GHALLYWOOD as a FILM ACTING ACADEMY.

Thus, our notion or belief of GHALLYWOOD being an established and widely accepted name associated with the Ghana Film Industry was debunked.

We however, still decided to maintain the name with his permission and blessings being a pillar and owner in the industry with an official letter on the 10th October 2011, stating that the fact that WEST COAST ENTERTAINMENT GHANA LIMITED. “… West Coast Entertainment Ghana Limited promises to honour its allegiance to GHALLYWOOD and YOU in our bid to annually organise this pageant, thus protecting the registered Trademark of the Pageant from future encroachers…”.

While waiting for his reply we decided to launch our prize at the mall since time was not on our side for the event. Mr. Willie Akuffo finally decided to reply by advising WEST COAST ENTERTAINMENT GHANA LIMITED to withdraw our letter of registration of the trademark [MISS GHALLYWOOD PAGEANT] from the Registrar General before we could decide on what to do. This we thought was inconsistent on his part considering the fact that he had given us his blessings and advice to protect the Ghallywood name.

This case took different turn when Mr. Akuffo served us [West Coast Entertainment Ghana Limited] a letter his lawyers dated 14th November, 2011 on the UNAUTHORISED USE OF THE NAME “GHALLYWOOD”, that we had a seven [7] days ultimatum to stop the usage of the name else we will face a legal action.

Management of West Coast Entertainment Ghana Limited have decided after series of deliberations with share holders to avoid any court actions or injunctions and also to have a successful event hence, we have decided to withdraw our letter from the Registrar General.

We have therefore decided to name our pageant, MISS GOLDENWOOD BEAUTY & TALENT HUNT. This is because Ghana is blessed and associated with GOLD and the WOOD has been associated with the film industry all the way from America [HOLLYWOOD], India [BOLLYWOOD], and Nigeria [NOLLYWOOD]. It is only fair to belong to a bigger family with a common goal for international recognition.

Henceforth, the name of our pageant is MISS GOLDENWOOD TALENT HUNT.

Signed:

West Coast Entertainment Ghana Limited.

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Some of the contestants posed with the new banner after the press conference
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Some of the contestants posed with Campus Glitz Magazine published by West Coast Entertainment Ghana Limited after the press conference
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Some of the contestants posed with Campus Glitz Magazine published by West Coast Entertainment Ghana Limited after the press conference
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Some of the contestants posed with the first prize car after the press conference
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Some of the contestants posed with the first prize car after the press conference
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Miss Goldenwood Talent Hunt 2011

 

 



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2 thoughts on “Fight Over ‘Ghallywood’: Miss Goldenwood Replaces Miss Ghallywood Beauty Pageant & Talent Hunt!”

  1. sham company, stop making things up and accept you erred. you stole someones registered name and you trying to make excuses that Ghana has gold and golden sounds better……silly sods. The change of name is not to please the masses or the contestants, but to save yourselves from further losses. Stop patronizing the people cos we aint daft. the man could not have given you his blessings and later on tell you in a letter he’s not endorsing you to use the name. stop blaming him and act professional.

    The whole thing is pretty flawed and sound really daft. a beauty pageant and actress hunt? and the winner gets a role in a movie hahahahaha, this must be a joke! an advice to the organisers or financiers….dogodfather dont give much so you better listen good; 1. you either go for a a talent(actress search) or beauty and stop trying to get the two done under one umbrella. 2. get yourselves a decent SLR camera and get a professional outfit to do your posters…….surely it doesn’t cost that much. and if you think you posters and the name brouhaha is ok, then3.  i will recommend you target the ladies in asankragwa and somanya (no disrespect to them)

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  2. Like seriously, why is ”wood” thing? Has it become an obsession or what? Miss Golden-Ghana or Miss Golden-GH would have been perfectly fine. There are enough bushes/forest in Africa…… S)mi ha, wood ; s)mi ha ”wood”. Adzzeeen?

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