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‘The Curfew’, a movie inspired events around the funeral Nana Afia Kobi Serwaa Ampem II

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The Ashanti Kingdom of Ghana, West Africa, is one of the few traditional institutions in Africa to maintain its rich culture since its inception in 1670. Until 1901 when they were defeated by the British, the Ashanti had a growing empire which was very powerful and conquered neighbouring kingdoms in its expansion project.

The kingdom has inspired many documentaries and films as a result of its rich history and tradition. The latest is The Curfew, a movie that was inspired by the funeral of the late Ashanti queen mother, Nana Afia Kobi Serwaa Ampem II, who died in 2016 at age 111 and was buried in secrecy in late 2017.

 

Written, directed and executive produced by Ghana-based filmmaker, Mclistowel Koranteng (screen name Okra Kofi), The Curfew takes viewers through a journey of thrilling discovery, bravery, and activism as experienced by a clueless tourist who chances upon a secret transition ritual associated with royal burials.

“It is a work of fiction whose major plot points are inspired by true incidents. It took a year and a half; from pre-production, production to post-production to shoot the movie,” Mclistowel told Face2Face Africa in an interview.

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The filming of the movie was done entirely in Ghana and Mclistowel, who is a Ghanaian, explains that the choice of the West African country is because of “originality, authenticity and the vibrancy of the culture.”

Award winning Media personality Elinam Amenyo (Eli Kharis) , the movie has an unconventional cast of both local and international actors with the female lead role (Benyiwa) played by Princess Fathia Nkrumah, the granddaughter of Ghana’s first president, Dr Kwame Nkrumah.

It took us about five months to finally settle on the final cast, with the Benyiwa character being the hardest to find. We finally found the spirit of that character in Princess Fathia Nkrumah and it was a perfect fit, considering who she is and what the story hopes to inspire,” says Mclistowel.

The male lead role was played by seasoned Ghanaian movie director Pascal Aka, while the role of the tourist (Logan) was played by first-time Lebanese actor, Shadi Byrouthy.

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“With the Logan character, the casting process started from the Cape Coast. We were there for location scouting and I remember we will literally stop and ask any white guy we think fits the role if they will like to try their hands on acting. We even went to the international students’ department at the University of Ghana to audition a few of them but had no luck there as well.

“We finally met Shaidi at Osu Republic [A bar in Accra], and the moment the producer saw him, she screamed after him, Logan! So he turned and said ‘my name is not Logan’ and the rest is history,” the director told Face2Face Africa.

Other casts include Congolese-British actor and BBC producer, Emeline Nsingi Nkosi, Ghanaian veteran actors Adjetey Annan, Dzifa Glipkoe, Emmanuel France, PY Addo and many other young actors.

The film comes at a time when Ghana is commemorating the 400th anniversary of the arrival of the first enslaved Africans in America. The “Year of Return, Ghana 2019” was launched in a quest to encourage African Americans and the black diaspora to return to the country where their ancestors were kidnapped and enslaved.

Mclistowel believes the movie will enlighten the black diaspora about African culture and traditions which have been labelled negative for far too long. “I think with this year declared as the year of return, our brothers and sisters in the diaspora, when they return, should know just like anywhere else, the continent has it’s good and defective side.

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“It is not enough to just rant about it, but that we should all strive to be a part of the solution and also know that changing the narrative is not about embellishment but by acknowledging and taking responsibility for our shortcomings and ensuring that all sectors get equal representation,” he said.

The Curfew is a co-production project of Blackmore Studios and Adfocus with support from London-based organisation, Sabre Education. It will be released by the end of the year.

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Lagos police arrest gay gang of criminals, who raped their male victims

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The police in Lagos have recorded a breakthrough by arresting eight members of a vicious gang of criminals that specialize in subjecting their victims to several hours of anal sex after dispossessing them of their properties and cash.

The arrest, said to be one of the biggest successes of detectives recently, under the watchful eyes of Commissioner of Police, Adegoke Fayoade so far, was made in the highbrow areas of Lekki, Ajah and Ikoyi areas of the state and efforts are in top gear to round up fleeing members of the dreaded gang made up of young men between the ages of 23 and 40.

Giving details of the operational strategies of the gang, police sources said the young men usually perpetrate their evil acts by renting living apartments in the highbrow areas of the city after which they embark on search for their victims.

It was learned that they normally place notices in strategic areas of the city, advertising job vacancies and acting as estate agents.

Sources said desperate job and accommodation seekers who respond to their adverts would be taken to their apartments usually situated in one of the booming estates where they are subjected to all kinds of torture with a view to forcing them release their account details after which they would be forced into several hours of anal sex by members of the gang.

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According to sources, their operational method is to roam around with exotic cars including high flying SUV’s. They place fake advertisements in strategic areas of Lekki, Ajah, Banana Island and even Ikoyi after which they also scout around, looking for fine and healthy-looking men.

As soon as they succeed in getting a victim, they drive the person to their apartment where they torture him for hours. While torturing their victim, they would extract all information about him including his financial status.

“As soon as they are in possession of those personal facts, they swing into action by proceeding to his house or banks to empty his money and other valuables. The second round of their operation is to subject their victim to hours of anal sex which they take turns to have their fill. They usually record their exploits on video and later relax to view it while enjoying their loot.”

It was gathered that their criminal exploits were blown open after they succeeded in cornering and maltreating a relation of a mobile police officer. The enraged officer was said to have gone to one of the police stations at Lekki to lodge the report.

Based on this development, the Commissioner of Police, Adegoke Fayoade gave marching orders to his special squad to round up the criminals without delay.

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The Special Squad, it was learned, succeeded in penetrating the gang and rounded up seven of their members including their oldest member said to be a lawyer.

Crime Guard learned that during interrogations, members of the gang who were looking unruffled stated boldly that their victims were healthy looking young and old men that will satisfy their sexual urge through the anus.

“They reportedly shocked detectives when they confessed that they had been operating for over three years and that they choose highbrow areas where they could easily track well nourished and endowed men.

Police sources said: “They were boasting to us about how many healthy looking men they have abused through the anus. They said they reject men that are not looking health, stating emphatically that they have no business with women. After their arrest, we confined them in separate cells so that they would not descend on our male suspects inside the cell.

“However, few days later, one of them raised alarm that the oldest member of the gang who claimed to be a lawyer was having same affair with a member of the gang. When we accosted him, he said the relationship had been going on since they have been operating as a gang.

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“Our greatest problem now is that some members of the devilish gang have escaped and we strongly suspect that they must be carrying on with their devilish criminal acts wherever they are.

“We are spreading our dragnets and we are sure that very soon, we will round all of them up. I must state that if not for the swiftness with which our Commissioner directed the operation, many men in Lagos state would have been endangered species by now.”

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Joyce Dzidzor to release Tatata featuring Freddy Meiway

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Joyce Dzidzor to release Tatata featuring Freddy Meiway

Former Aids Ambassador and actress Joyce Dzidzor is gearing up for the release of her latest single Tatata featuring Ivorian Legendary musician Freddy Meiway.

Scheduled for release on April 10 the song recorded by King Dee, mixed by Donguy and mastered by Franz talks about broken heart and how to come out of it. Speaking in an interview with Joyce she said Freddy will not just jump on any song if he is not okay with it “How many musicians have been able to feature him on a song. It was not easy getting him on the song but finally we did and I am so grateful for that.

Asked why she went in for Meiway she said she has so much respect for him and even got a tattoo of him at her back said that her latest tattoo at her back.

“Meiway songs helped me her come out from depression. His music was a therapy for me when I was going through severe depression in 2019 in Hamburg and I tattoo him at my back to celebrate his achievements as an artiste for the past 35 years” she said Asked about her next project and collaboration with other Ghanaian musicians Joyce said that will only depend if this project goes well.

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“ I have a lot of plans for my music career but that will depend on how my latest single goes. If it goes well and accepted by Ghanaians it will give me the energy to continue my music career and feature other musicians” she said. Joyce has been doing music for more 15 years now and has backed musicians like Highlife musician Gyedu- Blay Ambolley and singer Sherifa Gunu.

She was also a member of Dela Hayes Women of Colour band. She pleaded with musicians in Ghana to acknowledge backup singers for their contributions they play. “It is only few musicians who come out to acknowledge who backed them in a studio but I have backed a lot of musicians in the past and they know it. It is just right that they acknowledge our contribution we play so that we can do fill happy for a good work done. When that is done, other musicians who probably liked what we did on other songs can employ us on their projects. That has been my worry for sometime and I wish it could be addressed” she said

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Henry Fitz and 2 others being sued over Serwaa Amihere video

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Serwaa Amihere has filed a suit at the Dansoman circuit court against Henry Amponsah popularly known as Henry Fitz, Edem Saviour Ketti and Candylove Kwaykewaa Ababio. (more…)

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‘Jenifa’s Diary’ actress Aderounmu Adejumoke is dead

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Nigerian actress, Adejumoke Oreoluwa Aderounmu, popularly known for her role as ‘Esther’ in popular TV series Jenifa’s Diary, is dead. (more…)

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Nyantakyi admits $100,000 payment to Anas to suppress corruption documentary

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Former Ghana Football Association (GFA) president Kwesi Nyantakyi has confessed to paying a hefty sum of $100,000 to journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas in an effort to halt the release of the Number 12 documentary. (more…)

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‘7 armed men invaded our residence, demanding proceeds from Efya’s UK show’ – Sleeky Promotions

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Sleeky Promotions, the organizers of Efya’s recent show in the UK, has issued a press release addressing a distressing incident. (more…)

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