I didn’t see Ghanaian celebrities at AMAAs – Ama K Abebrese clears the air

Ghanaian actress Ama K Abebrese, co-host of the 2013 Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAAs) which came off in Nigeria, has parried criticisms that she deliberately failed to recognize Ghanaian celebrities at the event.

Ghanaian movie personalities who attended the awards held at the Glory Hall Cultural Centre, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, Nigeria Saturday night have slammed the actress for not acknowledging them.

The Ghanaian personalities including Kofi Adjorlolo, Prince David Osei and Eddie Nartey, criticized Ama K Abebrese for failing to take a cue from Nigerian comedian AY, who was also a host on the night.

According to them, AY gave acknowledgement to the Nigerian celebrities at the venue to the disadvantage of the Ghanaian celebrities who are at par with the Nigerians.

The 2011 AMAA Best Actress in a Leading Role told Myjoyonline.com in an interview Tuesday that her failure to acknowledge the Ghanaian delegation was not deliberate.

She stated that: “I didn’t know they were there. I didn’t know who came. Why would I purposely do that?” Ama quizzed and added that, her voice suffered several challenges on the night which hampered her output.

She reveled that: “The only person I knew off was Lydia Forson because she was there to present an award. I later also saw Yvonne Okoro when I was leaving the stage.”

Quizzed why she gave recognition to non-Ghanaian celebrities at the event, the bubbly actress revealed that she acknowledged Hollywood actor and director Mario Van Peebles because it was part of the show itinerary.

“I mentioned Zack Orji’s name because he was just right in front of me,” Ama K Abebrese added.

“I don’t want anybody to fell I purposely ignored anyone,” she stressed and added that the organizers “didn’t give me any names” to mention at the event.

Ama lamented that, “It is unfair to say I purposely ignore people,” urging that “before you [journalists] pick on somebody, know the facts.”

Veteran actor Kofi Adjorlolo, who had expressed disappointments about the incident, told Myjoyonline.com in an interview that Ama K Abebrese has called him to explain her side of the story.

According to Kofi, the actress explained to him that, she did not see the Ghanaian delegation at the awards and therefore could not acknowledge them accordingly.

“From the beginning, I said for her not seeing us means there must be some problem. She said she didn’t know that somebody like me was there,” he noted.

“She has given her excuse [but] it did happen that we were not acknowledged and we won’t shut up about it,” considering the fact that he, together with other Ghanaian celebrities, was invited to the awards, Kofi added.

He said while he has not intentions of pressing the matter further, he “wouldn’t be too stiff on an apology from AMAA,” but it is key to note that “they overlooked our presence which is bad.”

myjoyonline