Entertainment
Sarkodie left me to my fate in the most difficult period, he did not call to check up on me- Yvonne Nelson
Ghanaian actress, Yvonne Nelson has revealed that, Sarkodie left her to her fate in the most difficult period of her life.
Recounting this in her memoir, she revealed that “I was given an injection that was supposed to numb the pain, but I could still feel it. I could feel the screwing inside me. I even thought my entire womb was being removed. Whatever it was, my only prayer was for a successful outcome.”
According to Yvonne Nelson in her book, from the health facility, she went back to her friend’s hostel.
“As had happened with my Nov-Dec exams after school, I hoped and prayed that I would be lucky with this second attempt. The pain, again, was intense and I bled profusely. I felt worse because Sarkodie left me to my fate in the most difficult period. He did not call to check up on me or find out how the procedure had gone,” she revealed.
She noted that having an abortion is one of the most regrettable mistakes in her life.
” If the clock of life could be rewound to my younger self, I would keep it. But the benefit of hindsight is sometimes not useful because the lessons learned cannot be applied retrospectively,” she emotionally revealed.
She went futher to reveal that “I don’t know how others who have been through it feel, but my abortion haunted me for years. For instance, whenever I visited the gynaecologist and had to fill out a form, there was a place on the form that asked whether I had had an abortion before.”
“Knowing that it was important to be truthful in my disclosure to health professionals, I had to tick the abortion box. It was not just a tick, but the disclosure of my moment of shame in a judgmental society, sharing a dreaded piece of secret with people whose perception of me might never be the same,” she noted in the chapter eight of her book, I AM NOT YVONNE NELSON.
To be continued
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
Entertainment
‘Artivism’ at TGMA27: Okyeame Kwame uses gold-themed Red Carpet look to wage war against galamsey
Renowned musician and “Rap Dacta” Okyeame Kwame transformed the 2026 Telecel Ghana Music Awards (TGMA) red carpet into a platform for environmental activism, making a bold visual statement against the devastating effects of illegal mining, affectionately called galamsey.
Arriving in a striking ensemble, the artiste was draped in gold colours from head to toe, complete with a matching gold-plated sword.
However, the glamour carried a somber message. Flanked by two bodybuilders who performed as figures suffering from the physical and environmental “cancers” of illegal mining, Okyeame Kwame’s appearance served as a stark contrast between the beauty of Ghana’s gold and the destruction caused by its extraction.
Speaking to host Giovanni Caleb, the musician explained that his “glittering” look was a deliberate irony intended to spark a national conversation.
“I wanted to look like gold to remind Ghanaians that while gold glitters, galamsey destroys our rivers, our rocks, our air, and our nature,” Okyeame Kwame stated.
He further emphasised that the fight against environmental degradation transcends partisan lines.
“If we glitter like this once every year and forget that it is not the responsibility of the NPP or NDC, but the collective responsibility of all Ghanaians to stop this galamsey cancer, then we have failed,” he added.
Long recognized as an ‘Artivist,’ Okyeame Kwame has a storied history of using his public platform to champion social and environmental causes.
The 2026 TGMA, while a night of musical celebration, was momentarily refocused by the Rap Dacta’s plea for the protection of Ghana’s natural heritage, proving once again that art remains one of the most powerful tools for social change.
Okyeame Kwame is currently out with new single dubbed, “Clap,” a song encouraging communal support and celebration of others’ successes.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
The biggest event on Ghana’s entertainment calendar is set for a night of honours, pomp, and pageantry.
It is a night where musicians who excelled during the year under review will be rewarded through the endorsement of the Telecel Ghana Music Awards Board, the Academy, and the general public.
The Grand Arena, the ideal venue for the 27th TGMA, will host a star-studded audience of musicians, media personalities, businessmen, politicians, actors, and footballers among others.
On this night, the most coveted prize is the Artiste of the Year (AOTY) category, which will see the crowning of a new king or queen of Ghana music.
Two heavyweights in the category, Stonebwoy and Sarkodie, have the opportunity to set an enviable record as the only artistes to win the coveted title for a third time.
Should they fall short, the opportunity shifts to Black Sherif and Diana Hamilton to equal the record of two wins, joining the elite ranks of past double-winners like VIP.
A win for Diana Hamilton, will set her up in a lonely journey at the top as the only gospel musician, to win the Artiste of the Year for the second time.
Alternatively, Wendy Shay could make her debut by winning the award for the first time. This would make her team up with Diana Hamilton as the only female artistes alive to hold the title. The late Ebony, won it posthumously in 2018.
If the title slips past them and falls to Medikal, he will also become a first-time winner, etching his name into the annals of Ghana music history.
Patrons can look forward to electrifying performances from a long list of confirmed artistes, including Black Sherif, Diana Hamilton, Piesie Esther, R2Bees, Medikal, Wendy Shay, Lasmid, Kofi Kinaata, Samini, and Fido, among others.
Beyond the ultimate prize, several other major categories are up for grabs, including Music Video of the Year, New Artiste of the Year, Gospel Artiste of the Year, Most Popular Song of the Year, and Songwriter of the Year.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
