Stop Venus Films Production from misinforming the world about Dagbon Culture - Prof. Anamzoya to the Minister of Tourism, Art and Culture

By Abdul-Latif Ahmed - December 23, 2021

Dr. Alhassan Sulemana Anamzoya, a senior lecturer at the Sociology Department of the University of Ghana, Legon, has written to the Minister of Tourism, Art and Culture, protesting and requiring the Honourable Minister to stop the premiering of a film, titled "SAVANNAH".

In a letter, with the heading, "DAGBON WOULD NOT SIT DOWN FOR THE WORLD TO BE MISINFORMED BY VENUS FILMS Production", Mr. Anamzoya wrote, "My attention, and that of numerous Dagombas, has been drawn to an excerpt of a movie (yet to be premiered) entitled, "SAVANNAH" being circulated in the social media... The production house is Venus Films Production. As a responsible Dagomba, it would be a disservice to my kingdom, and to audience globally if I do not add my voice to protest this attempt at misinforming the public, Ghana and beyond."

He added,"From the excerpts in the movie "SAVANNAH", three things stand out. The first is the title of the movie, "SAVANNAH" clearly indicating that it is about the north of Ghana. Second, the architectural and geographical images in the excerpt depicts the Northern part of the country. Lastly, and this is where my concern is, THE INTERPERSING OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE WITH THE DAGBANI LANGUAGE by characters in the movie is to link FGM with the Dagomba people in Northern Ghana. However, FGM HAS NEVER BEEN THE PRACTICE OF DAGOMBAS, wherever they find themselves; north or elsewhere. So, what is the use and purpose of the Dagbani language by the characters in the movie?"

Mr. Anamzoya demanded the stoppage of the premiering of the film. He said, "I am therefore calling on your good office as the Minister of Tourism Arts and Culture, to call Venus Films Production to order by STOPPING THEM FROM USING VENUS FILMS PRODUCTION TO MISINFORM THE PUBLIC.

He warned the producer," Engaging in armchair behaviour could only bring them trouble that they never imagined. A word to the wise, is in the Northern Savannah"!

Read the full letter below:

"SAVANNAH", according to the producer, is "a fictional film embedded with facts touches on the effects of the societal issue of FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION (FGM; a societal menace which is supposed to be an outlawed practice of the past but which some people will rather perish than completely erase the memory of."

The movie was filmed in the Northern Region (Tamale) and witnessed the introduction of great performances from both northern regional actors and seasonal actors from the capital, Accra

Watch the trailer of the film below:

A Facebooker, Alhaj Rafiu Darajaati Chalpang, writes the following on SAVANNAH, "A seasoned actors like bihi bapara Ahmed Saani ( minister) and bihi piriba Sherifatu Issah who are I believed are Dagombas or Dagbaŋ alali should know very well that Female Genital Mutilation is alien to our customs and practices even before it was outlawed in Ghana in the year 1994, indeed there were ethnic groups that practices it largely among the krobos and the southern part of Ghana but as for us Gbewaa Yaansi and Ndewura Jakpa grandchildren never was done. Why would in the name of money will you choose to destroy and dent the image of the Great lion of Africa? Kobby Rana and Abdul Salam Mumin could have saved themselves this embarrassment if they had done little research on it about the north. I there call on all well meaning Dagombas on Facebook to as matter of fact tell anyone to boycott this movie."