SPOKEN word artist and arts advocate, Oswald Okaitei, believes Ghana’s creative industry has become a place where success depends more on “who knows you” than raw talent or hard work.According to him, many talented creatives struggle for years without support. They often have to pay for their own projects and even offer free services just to get noticed. Ironically, they only receive recognition after they have passed on.Entertainment Industry.
In an interview with Graphic Showbiz on Tuesday, July 7, Oswald said the biggest problem facing the creative industry is not lack of talent but a system that favours connections instead of merit.
There is no support in the creative space. It’s not even about whom you know anymore; it’s about who knows you.”
“If you approach institutions for support, it often feels like they are doing you a favour because they know you. It shouldn’t be that way. Once you qualify, you should be able to access support without begging,” he said.
To explain his point, Oswald shared the story of well-known visual artist Sharon Padiki, a Guinness World Record title holder, who died a few hours before this interview.
He said she struggled for years because no one paid attention to her work and there were times she attended events without the basic tools she needed because she had no support. She even offered free services just to build a name for herself.
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