The year 2017 has been very eventful with a lot of song releases and hits, few movies and for the other recherché arts forms, the story has not been different; not too much attention has been given them.

I have therefore put together the top 10 entertainment issues that got a lot of people talking – stories that travelled beyond the core people of entertainment. They have been arranged in descending order.

• Afia Schwarzenegger’s ‘cheating’ video

In September, 2017 a video which suggested that comedienne and actress Valentina Nana Agyeiwaa aka Afia Schwarzenegger had been caught in bed with another man went viral. This video which was purportedly recorded by Lawrence Abrokwah, her husband, captures Afia in a headscarf, trying to cover her nakedness with a white towel.

In the video, the ‘husband’ Lawrence threatens to pour something in a bottle he claims is acid on her face. Afia is heard crying and begging Lawrence not to pour the acid on her.

It was later reported that Lawrence Abrokwah, husband of Afia had been charged by the police for recording and circulating the video that captures Afia’s nakedness, and threatened to harm her.

The issue has since been in court and reports have it that new charges have been added to the initial charges.

However, sources say the marriage had collapsed about months before the video went viral.

• Rashida ‘Housefly’

Rashida Black Beauty, an 18-year-old Berekum native girl known for her notoriety for insulting her ‘Malafaka’ ex-boyfriend last year, was seen in a 2 minutes video where she can be seen in some provocative poses.

Rashida’s nude video leaked on the internet was described as the most disgusting nude video to be ever leaked in Ghana.

Later, the social media sensation-turned-actress was invited by the Berekum police for interrogations over why and how her nude video leaked.

• Jennifer Lomotey and the Krobo tussle

Kurl Songx, winner of MTN Hit maker 2016 released a single titled ‘Jennifer Lomotey’ this year. The song which features Sarkodie came under serious criticism by a section of the public who believed a portion of Sarkodie’s rap was demeaning to Krobos.

In the song, Sarkodie raps: “Krobo nii baa papa a ahwenie da ne sisi. Okomfo Anokye de adwaman no abo ne dua.” This literally translates as “A good Krobo lady with beads around her waist. Okomfo Anokye has cursed her with promiscuity.”

Okomfo Anokye is great priest of the Ashanti Kingdom who is believed to have cursed Krobo women with promiscuity.

‘History’ has it that some Krobo girls got cursed by Okomfo Anokye with promiscuity because they had seen his nakedness when he was bathing by the riverside.

The song irked the Krobo community so they requested it was edited and apology was rendered to the entire Krobo community.

The Krobo youth group Kloma Hengme, through their lawyers also asked that an amount of GHc 2m was paid to the community as recompense for impugning their image.

Even though Kurl Songx and his management did not budge to the requests of the Krobos, they did not sue them as they had earlier threatened.

• Stonebwoy’s marriage

Just a day after being signed on to the Zylofon Media record label, dancehall artiste Stonebwoy got married to Louisa Ansong.

The wedding which has generated buzz on social media was strictly by invitation. Report had it that there was high security presence at the Unique Floral at the Trade Fair Centre in Accra.

Earlier on, the traditional marriage had been held at Louisa’s family house in Tema.

Louisa Ansong is a dentist who graduated from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Ghana in 2016. She won a lot of academic awards when she graduated.

• Christabel Ekeh’s nude photos 

Another scandal that broke in 2017 was when actress Christabel Ekeh splashed on her Instagram page, nude photos of herself in a yoga sitting position and in an almost backflip position.

However, she said the nude pictures were the new image she was carving. When asked who this ‘new Christabel’ was, the actress who has starred in popular movies like ‘potomanto’, and ‘sweet mistake’ answered, “it is whoever you can imagine.” “That’s why I’m not wearing anything. So whatever you want to wear on me, that’s your imagination”.

Contrary to speculations that the actresses’ account may have been hacked into and the pictures posted by someone else, the actress took responsibility for the act.

Some even questioned why the police did not arrest her for putting her naked pictures out there.

• Joe Mettle wins VGMA Artiste of the Year

The 2017 edition of the annual Vodafone Ghana Music Awards (VGMAs) ended on a high-note with gospel artiste, Joe Mettle setting a record of being the first non-secular artiste to win the most coveted “Artiste of the Year” award.

He beat competition from five (5) other contenders in that category including the reigning Artiste of the Year, EL to win the award.

Joe Mettle won two other awards; Male Vocalist of the year and Gospel artiste of the year.

Kofi Kinaata also took home three (3) different awards. Music producer and singer, Nacee also won two awards.

Manifest, Stonebwoy and VVIP also took home two awards each in various categories.

Hiplife sensation, Medikal, who earned the most nomination in this year’s award, failed to win any award at the event.

Joe Mettle earned a lot of commendation and respect from people who had thought it was impossible for a gospel artiste to win the overall artiste of the year award in the VGMAs.

Some have even suggested that he stands a good chance to win the same award in 2018 for his works in the year 2017.

• VGMA Bribery allegations 

Prior to the Vodafone Ghana Music Awards, George Quaye, Head of Communications for Charterhouse, the organisers of Ghana Music Awards, was reported to have said on his entertainment television show, Pundits on GH One TV that the most offers of bribe that had come to him as an executive of the VGMA scheme were from gospel artistes.

Days after the alleged bribery scandal broke, George Quaye took a u-turn to apologise.

He added that his motive for expressing regret for his derogatory comments was because he wasn’t ready to mention those artistes involved in the scandalous acts.

Some Gospel musicians including Ohemaa Mercy and Minster OJ, vowed never to be part of the awards if George Quaye failed to mention names of which gospel artistes tried to bride the award organisers.

Consequently, Peace FM’s Kwaso Aboagye alluded that if George Quaye was not ready to mention names of Gospel artistes that tried to bribe their ways through the VGMAs, then he was the one that took the bribe.

This resulted in George reporting Kwasi Aboagye to the National Communications Authority; the result of which was an apology Kwasi Aboagye rendered to George Quaye.

• Ghana @ 60 concerts and matters arising

The controversy of the Ghana 60 Years On celebration started with news that Don Moen was headlining the gospel concert for the anniversary.

Most people said it was wrong for a foreign gospel artiste to headline a concert that was meant to celebrate the nation’s independence.

During the anniversary parade, Agya Koo and some Kumawood actors put up a sketch about girl child education but most people criticised the act, saying it was not well staged.

Months later, Ghanaian poet and playwright, Chief Moomen, said he was facing the most difficult times of his career as government’s huge indebtedness to his company has put it on a verge of collapse.

The situation has put his upcoming stage production in jeopardy as he has to deal with the huge debt he incurred producing a play at the behest of the government.

In an emotional appeal published on Facebook on Thursday, the famed poet lamented that government had contracted him to show his ‘Wogbejeke’ theatre as part of activities to make Ghana’s 60th anniversary celebrations in March, and had since paid only half of the bill.

According to Chief Moomen, several attempts to get government to pay the other half of the bill has proven futile, forcing him into a terrible financial situation.

He said he has had to put his car on sale to help raise money to sustain his business.

The Chairman of the Ghana 60 Years On Planning Committee, Mr Ken Amankwah, however said they did not owe Chief Moomen any money and that, the playwright did not even make time to sign a contract with them. Even though Moomen insisted that what he said was true and would make sure he retrieved his money, it appears the issue has been dead and forgotten.

• The ‘One Corner’ dance craze

The year 2017 birthed Patapaa, an Agona Swedru-based artistes whose song ‘One Corner’ became a hit after the performing it at the Akwambo Festival at Agona Swedru.

The song came with a crazy dance accompanied with extra energy that requires one secludes oneself in a corner amidst gyrations.

Even though dance had been touted as demonic and a few people had been involved in accidents while performing it, it has travelled beyond the boundaries of Ghana.

• Miss Ghana brouhaha

Few days ago, UK-based Ghanaian blogger Chris-Vincent Agyapong of GhanaCelebrities.com published some audios of conversations with three former Miss Ghana winners which suggested that they had been unfairly treated by the organisers of the beauty pageant.

They alleged that the Chief Executive Officer of the company, Inna Mariam Patty exploited, verbally and sometimes physically assaulted them.

The three, Stephanie Karikari (Miss Ghana 2010), Antoinette Delali Kemavor (Miss Ghana 2015) and Giuseppina Nana Akua Baafi (Miss Ghana 2013) also narrated to the portal they were sometime pimped to raise money to support the pageant.

This has opened up the conversation of what young women go through in beauty pageants as more people come out to give accounts of their experiences with these pageants.

Meanwhile, the organisers are yet to respond to the specific allegations raised by the former beauty queens.

Conclusion

All these issues and many others have happened in 2017. Unfortunately, the negative stories made the bigger headlines. This reflects what the media feeds the people or what the people are interested in.

Let’s see what 2018 brings the arts and entertainment industry.

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By: Kwame Dadzie/citifmonline.com/Ghana

([email protected])

The post Top 10 entertainment stories that got everybody talking in 2017 appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Mr. Abrokwa, who appeared in court for the first time today [Monday], is facing five charges including domestic violence with emotional, verbal and psychological abuse, publication of obscene material, assault and threat of harm.

[contextly_sidebar id=”j552GpbN2UuRSrA3D536IEHuMDwL0OLk”]The court granted the bail to the tune of twenty thousand cedis with three sureties.

Mr. Abrokwa was arrested on August 30, 2017, when an official complaint of an alleged assault was received from the wife, known in private life as Valentina Nana Agyeiwaa.

He was cautioned and discharged as investigations continued into the case.

Police also had information of a video showing Afia’s nudity which had gone viral on social media, and they suspect Abrokwa is the source of the leaked video.

In that video, Abrokwah threatened to pour something in a bottle he claimed to be acid on her face. Afia was heard crying and begging Abrokwah not to pour the acid on her.

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By: Fred Tettey Djabanor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Afia Schwarzenegger’s ‘husband’ granted bail in nude video case appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.