Apart From Juju, What Better Role Can You Play? – Ghanaian Director Blasts Kanayo

According to a report by Ghana web on Tuesday October 6, 2026, Tensions appear to be brewing in the Ghanaian and Nigerian film communities after Ghanaian film director Jones Agyemang launched a strong verbal response to veteran Nigerian actor Kanayo O. Kanayo over comments the actor recently made about Ghanaian actors and the local film industry.

Agyemang has accused Kanayo of making remarks that he believes unnecessarily portray Nigerian actors as superior to their Ghanaian counterparts, insisting that the veteran actor should be more measured in his public statements while working in Ghana.

The director’s reaction follows comments attributed to Kanayo concerning the issue of remuneration in Ghana-Nigeria film collaborations.

Kanayo had reportedly criticised what he considered a sense of entitlement among some Ghanaian actors who expect to receive fees comparable to those commanded by established Nigerian stars when the two industries collaborate.

However, Agyemang believes the discussion should not be framed around nationality or financial status. He argued that actors have different strengths and that popularity in one market does not automatically make an actor superior to professionals in another.

Taking particular exception to Kanayo’s comments, Agyemang questioned what he described as the actor’s tendency to make statements that could create unnecessary tension between the two film industries.

The Ghanaian director also took a direct swipe at Kanayo’s acting career, particularly his frequent portrayal of characters associated with rituals and occult practices.

“Apart from juju, what better role can you play again?” Agyemang asked.

He continued: “What other character has he portrayed in his acting which has elicited emotions of viewers? Coming here doesn’t make you any superior. Focus on the job for which you were brought here. Acting comes in dimension, so he should stick to his niche of ritualistic roles.”

Agyemang’s remarks represent a sharp escalation in the ongoing conversation about the relationship between Ghana’s movie industry and Nollywood, particularly as actors and filmmakers from both countries increasingly work together on productions.

The director further questioned why Kanayo would choose to take up film opportunities in Ghana if, as he suggested, Nigeria has a large number of wealthy individuals and abundant opportunities for actors.

“If there are many rich men in Nigeria, why didn’t he accept their jobs and come to Ghana?” Agyemang asked.

He also accused some Nigerian actors of repeatedly comparing themselves with Ghanaian performers, arguing that such comparisons could undermine efforts to strengthen cooperation between the two entertainment industries.

According to Agyemang, Kanayo’s status as a veteran actor should require him to exercise greater restraint when speaking publicly about Ghanaian entertainers and the country’s creative industry.

The director believes that rather than criticising the people and industry hosting him, Kanayo should concentrate on the project that brought him to Ghana and acknowledge the opportunities created through the collaboration.

Agyemang was particularly blunt in his assessment of Kanayo’s recent remarks, stating: “A man of your calibre shouldn’t talk anyhow. It’s wrong.”

The controversy highlights a long-running conversation surrounding the relationship between Ghana’s movie industry and Nigeria’s Nollywood.

Although the two industries have collaborated on numerous productions and have shared actors, audiences and commercial opportunities over the years, differences over remuneration, visibility and perceived dominance have occasionally generated public debate.

Nigerian actors often enjoy significant recognition across Africa because of Nollywood’s extensive reach, while Ghanaian actors and filmmakers have continued to build their own influence through local productions and international collaborations.

For Agyemang, however, the success of either industry should not become a reason for one side to look down on the other.

His comments have consequently reignited discussions among entertainment followers about whether Ghanaian and Nigerian filmmakers should focus more on collaboration than competition.

Kanayo, who has enjoyed a lengthy career in Nollywood, is widely recognised for playing a broad range of characters, although his portrayals of ritualistic and occult-related figures have become particularly prominent in the public imagination.

Agyemang’s criticism has now placed those roles at the centre of the latest dispute, with the director questioning whether Kanayo has demonstrated enough versatility beyond the characters for which he is most popularly known.

The comments are expected to generate further reactions from fans and industry stakeholders in both Ghana and Nigeria, particularly because of the sensitive nature of discussions surrounding the treatment of actors from the two countries.

For now, the disagreement remains centred on statements made about the film industries and the responsibilities of prominent actors when discussing their colleagues.

But Agyemang’s unusually direct challenge to Kanayo has ensured that the debate over Ghana-Nigeria film relations is once again firmly in the spotlight.

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