Ghanaian filmmaker Nana Asihene has shared the obstacles he faced while attempting to produce a documentary on Ghana’s music industry. In a Facebook post on November 17, 2024, the filmmaker revealed that his project was put on hold because many industry professionals either demanded payment or were unwilling to participate.
“We paused development on a documentary about Ghanaian Music because the music practitioners were not willing to collaborate. And others were asking for money from us, the people who were going to bring attention to them,” Asihene wrote.
The filmmaker, who has now embarked on a football-related documentary, says he is encountering similar resistance. He noted that this may force him to feature foreign football personalities instead of Ghanaian figures.
“We have started another project that involves football and are facing the same hurdles. We will finish it (Nyame Adom) and even use another country’s football personalities. I hope not. But it may come to that,” he remarked.
In a candid reflection, Asihene lamented the lack of collaboration and foresight within the local creative industry, describing it as “selfish” and “myopic.” Despite these challenges, he remains optimistic about completing his projects, stating, “Till then, we’ll make MAGIC! Inshallah. So help us God.”
Fellow filmmaker and music video director David Nicole-Dey expressed solidarity, recounting his own struggles with similar projects. “I tried doing the same thing a few years ago, investing over 2 million Ghana cedis from my own money. Given the Ghanaian/African attitude, my entire investment was wasted. So I understand your pain; we are our own downfall,” Nicole-Dey commented.
These sentiments echo longstanding concerns within the creative community about the lack of collaboration and support for storytelling projects that could elevate Ghana’s cultural and creative industries on the global stage.