Famous Ghanaian actor, Kofi Adjorlolo, has reignited a long-simmering debate over credit for Ghanaian movie fame, rejecting the notion that Nigeria’s Nollywood made Ghana’s stars.
During a discussion on The Real Talk Podcast with Elizabeth Essuman, Adjorlolo dismissed claims that Ghanaian actors only found the spotlight after migrating to Nigerian film sets. “Though the Ghana Movie Industry may be having its own problems; it does not mean that Nigerians made us, Ghana Films made Ghanaian actors,” he said. “Ghana movie industry and the movies produced made us popular before the Nigerian producers noticed, and called us.”
Adjorlolo emphasized that Ghana’s industry, popularly dubbed Ghallywood, was thriving long before cross-border collaborations became common. “Ghana movie is not down, actors are acting daily, producers are producing daily, work is ongoing daily; rather it is the promotion and marketing that is lacking – and we’ve got to fix that area,” he explained.
The veteran actor pointed to the careers of Majid Michel, Van Vicker, Jackie Appiah, John Dumelo, Juliet Ibrahim, Nadia Buari, Yvonne Nelson, and many others as proof of homegrown success. “Ghanaian actors gained their breakthroughs in their home country before being introduced to Nollywood,” he reminded listeners, citing a robust history of local productions and audiences that embraced them.
While acknowledging Nigeria’s strong business instincts and aggressive marketing, Adjorlolo insisted Ghana deserves recognition for cultivating its own talent. He urged industry players to shift attention from blame toward improving weak spots, particularly in publicity and distribution.
The veteran actor, who recently revisited his lifelong love of music, a passion dating back to childhood, called for collaboration and constructive problem-solving rather than endless criticism. “We’ve got to fix that area,” he said, emphasizing joint strategies as the key to restoring Ghanaian cinema’s visibility and influence across Africa.
