A heated exchange ensued on United Showbiz on June 17, 2023, as film producer and director Ola Michael engaged in a verbal confrontation with artist manager Lawrence Nana Asiamah popularly known as Bullgod over the exclusion of Kumawood actor Agya Koo from the movie industry.
The clash occurred when Ola Michael provided an explanation for Agya Koo’s absence from the movie industry, which did not sit well with Bullgod.
During the show, Ola Michael clarified that Agya Koo’s popularity and the energy he brought to the industry resulted in numerous producers wanting to feature him prominently, however, they soon realized the need to showcase the talents of other skilled actors in order to create opportunities for the upcoming generation.
This decision, according to Ola Michael, allowed actors such as Lilwin, Akrobeto, Big Akwess, and Christiana Awuni to gain recognition and contributed to the growth of the movie industry.
Furthermore, Ola Michael revealed that Agya Koo had personally chosen to work exclusively with some selected group of producers and directors. He then emphasized that this situation led to the misconception that Agya Koo had been blacklisted.
Artist manager Bullgod strongly disagreed with Ola Michael’s explanation, describing him as a wicked individual for allegedly playing a part in orchestrating Agya Koo’s downfall. Bullgod questioned Ola Michael’s motives, expressing his belief that the actor had every right to choose whom he wanted to work with.
The debate was intensified as Bullgod challenged Ola Michael’s decision-making process, drawing a comparison to employment situations in which an individual receives written notice if their services are no longer required.
Read excerpts of their conversation below:
Ola Michael: It is not true that Agya Koo was blacklisted in the industry. The whole idea was, we got to a point where everything was about one person [Agya Koo]. We can’t sit in Ghana and just one person’s face keeps on appearing in movies. So, the idea was we should train and put some of the other actors in the industry up so that when that person is unable to work effectively, it wouldn’t affect the industry and that the other people can also take over.
“It got to a time, he selected some producers and directors he would work with but unfortunately for him, the young producers and directors were becoming more than the ones he selected. Also, these young producers were rather working with Akrobeto and Lilwin so, they began to produce more with these people and less with Agya; that is why you people thought he was being blacklisted.
Bullgod: Let me ask you, the meeting that you went to, was he (Agya Koo) part of the meeting?
Ola: He wasn’t supposed to be.
Bullgod: Good, so after saying those things behind him, like a coup.
Ola: It wasn’t a coup It was a plan.
Bull: Whichever way, call it whatever you want to call it, you went to plan that you people are tired so you want to add up, now what did you expect him to do? …I am sure that before you were casting him, you go to him to ask him to come and cast for you, so if you have decided that you cannot work with him again, what do you have to do?
Ola: So, we should tell him we cannot work with him?
Bullgod: Obviously
Ola: Why should we tell him we cannot work with him?
Bull: You have employment with Okay FM right
Ola: Despite media
Bull: Hope they wrote you a letter that they want to work with you?
Ola: Yes
Bull: If tomorrow they don’t want to work with you anymore, they will write you a letter.
Ola: That is not how the movie industry works.
Bull: No, no, No I was just citing an example.
Ola: Then your example is a stupid example, use the proper example.
Bull: You see, you are a wicked person, and that is why you are saying the example is stupid…all I am trying to say is that Agya Koo didn’t do wrong by choosing the people he wanted to work with…What you people did was wrong.
Source: www.ghanaweb.com