Tension Mounts Over Jackie's Award

THE JUST-ENDED 6th edition of the African Movies Academy Awards (AMAA), held in Bayelsa State in Nigeria, has  created quite stir back in Ghana, following the way some co-winners are reportedly conducting (or mis-conducting) themselves back home over the awards.

A large number of Ghanaians expressed displeasure about the impression being created in the local media that the three-tiered Best Actress In Lead Role Award, which was jointly won by Lydia Forson, Jackie Appiah and Naa Ashorkor Doku, is the bonafide prize of Jackie Appiah.

Information however reaching BEATWAVES revealed that the organizers of the AMAA Awards, during the presentation, stressed that three people were recognized for the award.

In a chat with Ms. Judith Oluwole Kuwornu, AMAA local Coordinating Officer, she stated that her attention had been drawn to the plot that one of the winners wanted to hijack the award and admitted it was a very worrying development.

According to her only one plaque was presented that day at the event because the jury released the names of the winners to the committee just twenty minutes to the commencement of the event, making it impossible to instantly reproduce other plaques.

BEATWAVES also learnt that the development has generated a lot of controversy in the entertainment industry, to the extent that some of the co-winners are contemplating making a formal complain to the organizers of the award.

According to the concerned source, the future and image of the entire awards could be threatened if such diabolical plots are not stopped.

BEATWAVES was reliably informed that soon after their arrival at the Kotoka International Airport from Nigeria, a particular co-award-winner hurriedly organized some selected media personnel, many of who were not in Nigeria, and churned out information that Jackie Appiah was adjudged the main winner.

Closer associates of the other winners of the award (Lydia and Naa Ashorkor), who would not like to be named, fumed at what they described as 'the greedy and shameful attitude' of those behind the publications, saying the orchestrators must bow their heads in shame.

It is on record that a few days after the event, some Ghanaian tabloids, including a state owned newspaper, came out with screaming headlines claiming that Jackie single-handedly won the award.

Shockingly, Ms. Appiah was quoted as having expressed joy at being adjudged the best on the African Continent.

“Indeed, I have to work harder than ever before to prove to all and sundry that I really deserve to be Best Actress In Africa”, she was quoted by one of the tabloids, adding that the award was dedicated to her husband (Peter), son (Damien) and her fans.

The state entertainment paper, which also failed to mention any of the other co-winners in the full page dedicated to the actress, did not only say she was adjudged the best, but also juxtaposed it with a picture of a smiling Ms. Appiah holding the plaque and Lydia standing beside her, with a description implying that she was just accompanying Jackie on stage.

The picture was captioned: “Jackie Appiah and co-star Lydia Forson share the joy of the award.”

This did not only provoke the displeasure of observers, but also prompted the Ghana office of AMAA to respond in order to clear the air.

In a related development, Ms. Oluwole Kuwornu issued a press statement in which she set the record straight and debunked other equally embarrassing allegations concerning the trip to Nigeria.

The release, dated 20th April, 2010, categorically gave out Ghana's six award specifications as follows:

AMAA achievement in sound- I sing of a well
AMAA achievement in costume- I sing of a well (Mabel Germain)

Best original soundtrack - (Adablah)
Best performance by an actor in a supporting role- Adjetey Annang

Best performance by an actress in a leading role –  Naa Ashorkor Mensah Doku, Lydia Forson and Jackie Appiah

Best director – Shirley Frimpong Manso
Ghana also got the most coveted awards of the jury award for Best Movie by 'I sing of a well' and a lifetime achievement award to king Ampaw. Interestingly, apart from News-one and Hitz Fm, no other Ghanaian media house was represented at the Bayelsa State event.