It has been said that, “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much”. This is especially true of film or media content production. That is why the coming together of AI Media (https://aimediaconsult.com) and Lemontree Publishing, the film unit of the Antique Lemonade Art Space, to produce Omo Ghana, a documentary feature film is opportune.
The idea was birthed in November 2023, when the Antique Lemonade Art Space was commissioned to curate a host of creative activities, including interviews, talks, podcasts, art exhibitions and art competitions to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the expulsion of over 1 million Ghanaians from Nigeria, in 1983.
The commemorative project, which was to convert academic work into creative activities, was commissioned by Professor Akosua Darkwah, Dr Geraldine Asiwome Ampah, from the University of Ghana, and Dr Faisal Gariba, from the University of Cape Town and The African University, Sharjah.
Creatives who contributed their work included Victor Kafui Amediku, Elorm Gh and the Ha Orchestra, made up of migrants, based in Scotland.
The aha moment, to develop a commemorative documentary feature, occurred during the launch of the creative activities(links), which was an interactive conversation between guests and academics.
Work started on the documentary project in January 2024. The idea behind this documentary is not only about remembering and documenting the tumultuous events which unfolded in 1983 for future generations, but also, to throw light on the topical subject of migration in general.
Currently, locally and globally, both young and old people are making perilous crossings through desserts, the high seas and over all manner of rough terrain, for the same reasons, millions of Ghanaians left Ghana in the eighties.
The title of the documentary says it all. Omo Ghana – Man for Chop. Indeed, truly, man for chop. People have migrated for a myriad of reasons, but the key one has always been to seek greener pastures and to thrive.
This signing of the final co-production contract is a culmination of over 3 months of pre-production work and recordings. The expected completion of the documentary will be in April 2024. It will subsequently do the festival rounds, before the grand premiere in Accra, Ghana.
The signing was done by Kwame Boadi and Oliver Safo, representing AI Media, while the team from Lemontree Publishing, included Franka-Maria Andoh and Aloysius Kweku Acquah.