Enoch triumphs in movie reality show

Page 3 (Showbiz), Nov 8-14 edition, 2007
By Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
NIGERIA has always been considered as Ghana’s rival in various fields of endeavour.In sports, particularly football, the two countries have struggled over the years to prove which of them is better.
The rivalry between the two West African countries has now spilled onto the movie scene with the flooding of Nigerian films on the Ghanaian market to the displeasure of Ghanaian actors. Many Ghanaians actors are gradually being pushed to the background while popular Nigerian actors have become household names in Ghana. In fact, certain Nigerian words, such as “tofiakwa”, among others are currently being used in Ghana.
That is why when nine Nigerian and seven Ghanaians amateur actors were camped in a house in Nigeria to partake in the Next Movie Star Television Reality Show, the contest was keen.
For one month, the seven Ghanaians battled their Nigerian counterparts to show the stuff that they were made up of in a bid to erase the perception that Nigerian actors are better than Ghanaians counterparts.
In the end, it was Ghana which triumphed. Twenty-year old Enoch Hammond, who hold a diploma in Graphic Designing battled tooth and nail to land the grand prize of a brand new saloon car, three movie contracts and other prizes in a grand style against the expectation of all.
According to organisers of the show, Enoch was very impressive with his performances in the house and became a strong contender in the latter stages of the show winning for himself scores of votes within Ghana and Nigeria.
Enoch told the Graphic Showbiz after paying courtesy call on the Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Alhaji Malik Alhassan Yakubu, last Tuesday that he aimed at becoming a professional actor of repute in the not-too-distant future.
He appealed to Ghanaian authorities to assist the movie industry in Ghana to enable it catch up with that of Nigeria saying that the industry would be able to provide job opportunities to Ghanaian youth.
He was accompanied by another Ghanaian, 21-year old Martha Ankomah, who emerged as the second runner-up of the show.
Martha told Showbiz that she did not feel disappointed about not winning the ultimate crown because her initial aim in the house was to win a movie role and she eventually got two adding that “there are even more in the offing”.
The victorious Ghanaian duo were accompanied by their Nigerian counterpart Uti Nwachuku, who was the first runner-up of the show.
Welcoming the actors, Alhaji Yakubu called for a collaboration between Nigerian and Ghanaian actors adding that such a collaboration would yield positive results for the two countries.
He commended Enoch and Martha for making Ghana proud and expressed the hope that they would not be complacent but work hard to achieve their cherished dreams.
Although the show has been taking place in Nigeria over the last three years, this is the first time that amateur Ghanaian actors have been roped in.
Mr Ahmed Boulor, the Project Manager (Media) disclosed that amateur actors from Anglophone West African countries, Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Gambia would take part in the 2008 edition of the show.