My financial breakthrough came from acting in Nigeria- Yvonne Nelson 

The book of the moment “I am not Yvonne Nelson” which was launched yesterday has divulged lots of personal issues about the actress and various chapters of the book has been the topic of discussion on various social media platforms. 

Section of the book which disclosed how the banned of the actress by Film Producers Association of Ghana occurred has unveiled that it was rather a blessing in disguise. 

The actress described the banned as the most hostile obstacle she faced at that time. And this is how she described what happened “It happened i n 2010 when the Film Producers Association of Ghana, a bunch of men whose behaviour I found to be disgraceful, decided to ban me from acting for one year. It all started with my altercation with Abdul Salam Mumuni, the man who gave me my breakthrough.

The misunderstanding between us did not warrant a ban. I saw it more as someone who felt entitled to me and wanted to show me where power lay. It was no doubt that he gave me the opportunity to shine when no one else believed in me. I was, and still am, eter nally grateful to Abdul Salam. But what I could not do was lose my voice to fight for my right because he had helped me.

I had always stood up for myself and others in situations of injustice and didn’t think I should not complain about unfair treatment ju st because he had helped me. My fight with Abdul Salam — if I can call it a fight — happened when we were acting ⁴Play I was in my final year at Central University when Abul Salam called me to join the cast. He was well aware of my commitment to academic res ponsibilities and that I didn’t have much time to spare. I was not ready to defer my programme, and leaving CUC without a degree would leave me in despair. But he still acted in a way that was totally unfair. 

I had sacrificed a quiz and answered an urgen t call to go on set for the shoot when he called me. I left campus and went to sit the whole day, but there was no show. One of the lead characters did not show up.

The following day, I again abandoned class and went for the shoot, but nothing happened. On e of the lead actors, we were told, was a judge in the Miss Malaika beauty pageant. Those responsibilities had kept her away and kept me at bay from academic work. When I was leaving that day, I told Abdul Salam that I had already missed two days of clas s and a quiz, so I wasn’t coming the following day. What I said was as if I had struck a match stick and dropped it in fuel. He flared up and started a condescending attack on me. I have never seen him angrier. Roger Quartey, one of the crew members, kept fueling his ego and stoking the fire that raged until I left that day. I didn’t receive any call to go back on set for the shoot.

The next time I heard from or about him was a week later when I heard in the media that FIPAG had banned me from acting for a year. It was the top story on every entertainment show. Social media and newspapers used it as the cud they ruminated on from time to time. When I had an opportunity, I told my side of the story, but the popular narrative was that I was a young “disrespe ctful and ungrateful actress fighting those who had made her who she is”.

I must admit it was a tough year. I was in my final year at the university. I was banned from acting. I was pregnant and definitely was not prepared to host another human being.” 

That same year the ban rather propelled her to greater heights. She had multiple movie shoots  in single Nigeria trips before returning to Ghana. 

Yvonne disclosed that “If Ghana gave me a professional breakthrough in acting, my financial breakthrough came from acting in Nigeria. This is a fact many Ghanaian actors who have featured in Nigerian movies will not dare contest. Nigeria has a bigger market and an even bigger budget for movies”. 

The book is currently available at University of Ghana Bookshop.