Kumasi filmmakers to protest against popular Indian soapie, 'Kumkum Bagya' and others

It appears industry players have had enough of the dominance of Twi-Translated foreign telenovelas on Ghanaian TV screens, and some have threatened to go on a demonstration to kick against the trend.  Despite the constant talk against the new trend by stakeholders, no policy has been taken to stop or reduce the rate at which it is shown on TV. This has pushed movie makers in the country to plan a demonstration against telenovelas translated in Twi languages. The Film Producers Association of Ghana will stage a demonstration on Thursday, August 31 in Kumasi to protest against Kumkum Bagya and others. The ‘Yegye Y’adee’ campaign to fight against ‘Twinovelas’  will commence from the Cultural Center. The movie producers, actors and stakeholders will walk through the streets of Kumasi. https://ameyawdebrah.com/5-ghanaian-start-ups-started-social-media-soaring-now/ In a petition sent to Otumfour Osei Tutu to stage the march, the group stated that “the current incessant influx of diverse telenovela programs on our national screens which indent on the progress of the Local Movie Industry of the Nation as well as having bad repercussions on the Akan culture.” Read the petition below:

“HIS ROYAL MAJESTY,

OTUMFUO OSEI TUTU II,

THE ROYAL HEAD OF THE ASHANTI KINGDOM

KUMASI.

HIS ROYAL MAJESTY

PETITION TO STAGE A STREET DEMONSTRATION – Ref: The Influx of Telenovela Programs on our TV Screens

The National Executive of FIPAG would like to stage a public protest in Kumasi on the ………. Day of ……….. 2017. This move is to appeal and prevail on His Royal Majesty, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II about the current incessant influx of diverse telenovela programs on our national screens which indent on the progress of the Local Movie Industry of the Nation as well as having bad repercussions on the Akan culture. 

The planned demonstration is scheduled to take place as per the above stated date, at ………….am/pm from the …………………… street to ………………….where ourfinal petition would be presented by the Group President/Secretary.

We humbly submit this petition to His Majesty and a subsequent notice be served to the Regional Commander of Police in compliance with the Public Order Act 1994 (ACT 491) Section 1 of Ghana that makes it mandatory for everyone or group or organization who wishes inter-alia to stage any Special Public Event to notify the Police 5 days before the said Special Event.

The concerns of your royal subjects that have induced this envisaged demonstration are as per the details below mentioned;

The above two concerns are very eminent that need swift mitigations and interventions to save our rich culture which is deep seated in our Akan (Twi) language. Culture is a fuzzy set of attitudes, beliefs, behavioral conventions, basic assumptions, and values that are shared by a group of people and that influence each member’s behavior and each member’s interpretations of the meanings of other people’s behavior. And language is the medium for expressing and embodying other phenomena. It expresses the values, beliefs and meanings which members of a given society share by virtue of their socialization into it. Language also refers to objects peculiar to a given culture, as evidenced by proper names which embody those objects. Byran posited that “a loaf of bread” evokes a specific culture of objects in British usage unless a conscious effort is made to empty it of that reference and introduce a new one. 

Language is culture and culture is language. Language and culture have a complex, homologous relationship. Language is complexly intertwined with culture (they have evolved together, influencing one another in the process, ultimately shaping what it means to be human). In this context, A.L.Krober (1923) said, “culture, then, began when speech was present, and from then on, the enrichment of either means the further development of the other.”

So, we can conclude that language is a part of culture, and through it, we can express cultural beliefs and values, and that the specific usages of a given word are peculiar to a language and its relationship with culture. And these Telenovelas when transcribed into our local content language flouts and go beyond the boundaries of our Akan Language usage.

We therefore humbly beseech the Royal Majestic Throne of the Ashanti Kingdom to help us channel these two major concerns of FIPAG to the concerned authorities of the nation so that the necessary mitigation actions are taken to avert the dire consequences of their impact.

We remain thankful to any assistance that your outfit could deliver to us by making this our envisaged peaceful protest, as pacific as we thought it to be.

Thank you.” ]]>