Entertainment
Sparrow Studios, OldFilm unveil ‘The 70 Slate’ for Ghana’s 70th Independence anniversary
In a historic move for Ghanaian cinema, premier production houses Sparrow Studios and OldFilm Productions have joined forces to unveil the largest film slate in the country’s history.
Dubbed ‘The 70 Slate’, the groundbreaking initiative by acclaimed filmmakers Shirley Frimpong-Manso and Peter Sedufia is in celebration of Ghana’s 70th Independence Anniversary.
The slate will see the release of three major films celebrating Ghana’s heritage and future through world-class storytelling. They include ‘The Return of Makunse’, slated for release in December, ‘Nkrumah’s Red’, Gold and Green, penciled for July 2027, and ‘I Told You So’, set for December 2027.
This marks the first time two major Ghanaian production houses have collaborated at such a scale a bold statement of unity, creative excellence, and intent to position Ghana as the epicentre of African cinema.
The initiative is being executed in strategic partnership with the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, the Diaspora Affairs Office of the President, and the National Film Authority (NFA).
Speaking at a press conference held on Tuesday, September 8, at the Omanye Hall, Labadi Beach Hotel in Accra, Shirley Frimpong-Manso, Director and Producer of Sparrow Studios, said the films will celebrate Ghana’s cultural heritage, examine who we have become as a society, inspire pride, unity and self-reflection, and revive cinema culture across all regions.
She added that the project also seeks to attract diaspora engagement and tourism, position Ghana as a creative leader in Africa’s new cinematic era, and entertain Ghanaians both at home and around the world in commemoration of Ghana’s 70th anniversary.
On his part, Peter Sedufia of OldFilm Productions expressed appreciation to Shirley Frimpong-Manso for accepting his proposal to collaborate on the historic project.
He promised patrons of a quality and timeless production considering the investment and attention to details.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
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Okyeame Kwame’s long-held dream and advocacy for the honouring of Ghanaian heroes has come to pass following the Bank of Ghana’s unveiling of new cedi notes honouring some of the country’s outstanding heroines.
The rapper has consistently argued that a nation that does not honour her heroes will have no, or few, young heroes.
The new notes, which feature prominent men and women, honour three distinguished Ghanaian women:
Agnes Oforiwa Tagoe-Quarcoopome (GH¢1 Note), a pioneering textile trader and market queen from Makola Market who inspired generations of women entrepreneurs and built early confidence in formal banking.
Justice Annie Ruth Jiagge (GH¢10 Note), Ghana’s first female High Court judge in 1961, former President of the Court of Appeal, and a global human rights campaigner who helped draft the UN Declaration on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women.
Theodosia Okoh (GH¢50 Note), The iconic designer of Ghana’s national flag.
Seeing the honour done to the heroines, Okyeame Kwame said he felt fulfilled with his advocacy.
The musician appears to be on a trajectory to show gratitude to others through his music. Earlier this year, he released “Clap,” a family-friendly reggae song with the chorus, “learn to clap for others, Pa Pa Pa.”
He followed it with a new song, “Ayekoo (Big Up),” released on September 21, which also marked Kwame Nkrumah’s birthday.
Ayekoo in the Akan language means congratulations. On the song, Okyeame Kwame rides a dancehall beat with lyrics and cadence that eulogise great men and women who have contributed to Ghana’s national development.
The personalities celebrated are drawn from politics, sports, entertainment and traditional leadership, among others.
The combination of wordplay and metaphoric delivery shows how seasoned the rapper is without having to say it. The song was produced by legendary producer Gomez Beats.
The chorus is a smooth yet attention-grabbing melody that drives home the message through repetition: “big up, big up, big up, bibibibi, big up, big up, big up,” calling on the listener to reply, “Ayekooo.”
Jah Lead, the Afro-dancehall artiste who captured the hearts of Ghanaians with his hit song “Lonely,” was carefully picked to deliver the chorus, as Okyeame Kwame explained in an interview.
The song goes beyond entertainment. It is a culturally relevant audio-visual piece that is expected to capture many hearts.
Okyeame Kwame’s values are drawn from the ethos of his environment, but what stood out in the song was the recognition of five women who contributed to Ghana’s fight during the struggle for independence and others who became formidable leaders post-independence.
Names like Naa Dedei Aryeetey, Mabel Dove Danquah, Susanna Al-Hassan, Ama Nkrumah and Theodosia Okoh were mentioned and praised appropriately.
He has also released a video which serves as an augmented reality of the whole experience, with colourful culture on full display.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
Ghana’s singing prophet, Joseph Atarah, has released his much-anticipated gospel single titled ‘Formula’ to motivate believers not to give up on God regardless of their circumstances in life.
The song was produced by Dan Bassey, while the music video was directed and shot by Skyweb.
Speaking on the message behind the song, Prophet Atarah, who is the leader of Believers Grace Crown Ministry International said life’s circumstances can sometimes make a person question God’s plan for their life.
He said, however, that in God’s own time, He makes all things beautiful, often beyond human imagination.
“God’s blessings don’t follow a formula,” he said.
“You can’t copy someone else’s prayer, someone else’s fasting, someone else’s giving, someone else’s timeline, and expect the same result. What worked for them was for them,” he added.
Prophet Atarah noted that God deals with each person individually, knowing their story, struggles, timing and heart.
“Sometimes He blesses you through hard work. Sometimes through a closed door. Sometimes through waiting. Sometimes through a person you least expected. Sometimes He blesses you when you did everything right. Sometimes He blesses you even when you did everything wrong, just because of grace,” he said.
He urged believers not to compare their journeys with others, stressing that God’s blessings do not follow any formula and are often unpredictable.
“His plan for you is not a copy of another man’s plan. It is tailor-made. And when it comes, it will make sense why it didn’t come earlier, why it didn’t come like theirs, and why it had to come like this,” he said.
‘Formula’ is available on all digital music stores.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
