Veteran playwright and media personality, George Quaye, has called for an end to the constant comparisons between Ghana’s film industry and Nollywood, Nigeria’s internationally acclaimed movie powerhouse.
Quaye acknowledged Nigeria’s dominance and large-scale output, attributing their success to their aggressive approach and sheer population size.
“Nigerians have a certain level of aggressiveness, and their numbers are larger; they would definitely have a larger demand than Ghana. We can never match them in terms of numbers and market demand.”
George Quaye
Despite these differences, Quaye identified a unique competitive advantage for Ghanaian creatives.
“Nigerians are still booking Ghanaian actors to star in their movies. It’s not like Nigerians don’t have actors. That means we have something that they do not have.”
George Quaye
He urged industry stakeholders and the public to recognize the value of the Ghanaian film sector and to refrain from viewing it as inferior or a ‘waste of time’. “Let’s stop the comparisons with Nigerians. The Ghana movie industry is never a waste of time,” Quaye emphasized.
While he conceded that Ghana cannot compete with Nigeria based on market size or output volume, he underscored the potential for excellence through talent and quality.
He encouraged Ghanaian actors and filmmakers to focus on their unique strengths and to adapt their craft to local and regional market demands.
“It is up to you as an actor to look at yourself and the market and what works for you. I started as an actor. Some people started as actors but are now show hosts and influencers.”
George Quaye
Quaye’s remarks echo a broader call for Ghana’s creative industry to embrace its distinctiveness, prioritize talent development, and stop benchmarking its success solely against the Nigerian model.
In shutting down these constant comparisons, George Quaye is not dismissing the successes of Nollywood — rather, he is demanding the same respect and patience for Ghana’s industry to flourish.
His voice adds to a growing movement that encourages stakeholders to look inward, invest locally, and support authentic Ghanaian storytelling without the pressure to mimic or outdo others.
George Quaye Crowns Shatta Wale, Stonebwoy Kings
The media personality and former PRO of Charterhouse shed light on why the 2019 Vodafone Ghana Music Awards (VGMA) ultimate category, Artiste of the Year, was never announced.
George Quaye revealed that the top prize for that year was tightly contested between two of Ghana’s biggest music icons, Shatta Wale and Stonebwoy.
As one of the key producers of the awards that night, he hinted that the organisers felt announcing a winner under the circumstances could have worsened tensions following the onstage altercation between the two artists. “That night could have been one of the best ever in the history of the Ghana Music Awards,” George recalled.
“Both Shatta Wale and Stonebwoy had top-notch, rehearsed performances. If Shatta Wale had mounted the stage, people would have understood the level of preparation he had brought.”
George Quaye
Unfortunately, the night was marred by chaos when a scuffle broke out between the two camps, leading to both artists being escorted out of the venue and later stripped of their awards that evening.
According to George, the decision not to announce the winner was deliberate and strategic.
“Had it been any other artistes, the announcement would have been made. But considering it was between Stonebwoy and Shatta Wale, and with the tension and massive presence of their fanbases at the venue, it was safest not to proceed.”
George Quaye
He emphasized that the interest of public safety overruled the desire to crown a winner that night, adding that it still pains him anytime he remembers how the situation robbed Ghana of what could have been a historic musical moment.
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