Akofa Edjeani snubs Iroko TV over ‘insulting’ film budget

Revered Ghanaian actress Akofa Edjeani is upset with some movie producers in Nigeria over what she describes as an outright insult, a meager fee that was offered her for a movie role.

According to the filmmaker, she was contacted by popular Nigeran production company Iroko TV to appear in a serial movie with an offer of $500 for forty scenes, one she deems disrespectful.

The actress had to turn down the offer, quizzing whether the same would have been offered her colleague veteran actors in Nigeria.

Akofa can be likened to veteran actors in Nigeria including Richard Mofe-Damijo, Stella Damasus, Olu Jacobs, Liz Benson, and a host of others.

Meanwhile, some Ghanaian actors including Jackie Appiah, Van Vicker, Nadia Buari, Yvonne Nelson etc claim Nigerian movie Producers paid more compared to Ghanaian movie producers.

According to Jackie Appiah for instance, she said was paid four times more what she usually received from Ghanaian Producers. She explained that Ghanaian Producers were a little stingy when it comes to paying them their worth because they always found mischievous means to deduct money from their salaries.

However, speaking exclusively to starrfm.com.gh, a furious Akofa disclosed “they are shooting a new TV series for iroko TV here in Ghana and they offered me a role that I had to turn down. I think that they cheat us too much. Most of them don’t respect Ghanaian actors, they want to pay me $500 for forty scenes.”



She further stated “one, they don’t wanna pay per episode so they cram all your scenes together, count them and say its forty scenes. And for those forty scenes, it spans across. It’s almost like fifteen episodes. How do you pay $500 dollars which is just about GHC3,000 for fifteen episodes.”

“So, that’s how cheap that they think Ghanaian actors are or what. So, I asked them if they will give that money to any of their top Nigerian actors. Even here in Ghana, I charge per episode, they pay me per episode.

Madam Edjeani insisted “I think that is an outright insult to somebody my caliber, its an insult. Because they will not pay RMD, Liz Benson, Genevieve, Desmond Elliot, they won’t pay any of their top actors $500 for fifteen episodes.”

“Why would they want to do that to a top actor here in Ghana, I think that’s an outright insult and a shame that they do not appreciate or want to pay for good talent,” she added.

Source:Starrfm.com.gh