King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II, the Ga Mantse, has called on the government to produce films showcasing Ghana’s untold stories, particularly the life of legendary boxer Azumah Nelson.
At the second edition of the Africa Cinema Summit, held at the Mövenpick Hotel in Accra, the Ga Mantse’s speech was read by Joy FM sports journalist Nathaniel Attoh. The King emphasized cinema’s role in preserving cultural heritage and urged the government to produce a film on Azumah Nelson, a celebrated Ghanaian boxer.
“Considering we are on the Ga Adamgbe land… there is a story of one of the most achieved athletes from the African continent: Barima Professor Azumah Zumzum Nelson, who is a son of the Ga soil,” King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II said. “The story [of Azumah Nelson] has that of culture, inspiration and has that of projection for the future, the African way.”
Azumah Nelson, a two-weight world champion, held the WBC featherweight title from 1984 to 1987 and the WBC super featherweight title twice between 1988 and 1997.
The King also addressed the negative portrayal of Africa in foreign media, highlighting the importance of Africans telling their own stories through film. “We also remember with a lot of pain the images that have been projected in the foreign media… Those unfortunate images of people who are distressed… were in actual fact the people in Rwanda and their leadership under His Excellency President Kagame, were looking at a future.”
King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II emphasized the potential of cinema for social change. “As we embark on this journey at the Africa Cinema Summit, let us reaffirm our commitment to cinema as a vital tool for cultural preservation, economic empowerment and social transformation.”
The four-day summit, which began on October 7, 2024, focuses on enhancing local content production and consumption, driving investment in cinema. This year’s event has drawn international film professionals, including Idris Elba.
A Legacy Award ceremony will be held on October 9, 2024, at the Mövenpick Hotel, as part of the summit’s activities. The Africa Cinema Summit is organized by the National Film Authority, in partnership with Filmhouse Group (Nigeria), Silverbird Cinema (Ghana), and other prominent film organizations.
