Fame is a lonely road - Benard Amankwah

When Gospel artiste, Bernard Amankwah tells you fame is a lonely road, you had better believe it.

This is someone who has been part of the music scene for 10 years and has experienced the highs and lows so he really does know what he is talking about.

In an interview with Graphic Showbiz on Monday, Bernard said society must appreciate the challenges popular figures go through and support them in tough times.

“Most people see celebrities as demi-gods and think they don’t have any problems but that isn’t true. The reality is that many celebrities go through a lot but fame is a lonely path because you don’t have people around who really appreciate you.

“There are many sycophants around who get close to you and pretend to seek your interest but frankly, they are just in to enjoy the goodies. They will desert you immediately things fall apart,” he stated.

As Bernard puts it, entertainers put smiles on the faces of people but they are starved of the same and cites suicides by celebrities especially in the West as evidence.

The I am Redeemed artiste said it behooves on people to appreciate celebrities because they sacrifice their happiness for the society. “You will be cheered in public but in your closet, you know all isn’t well. Even when you are bold to voice it out, little or no attention is paid to it”.

Despite the setbacks he has experienced in his career, Bernard is still determined to praise God for how far he’s come and will hold a concert on Sunday, September 24, to mark his 10 years in the music business.

The event dubbed, “Celebration of His Grace,” will be held at the National Theatre and will feature some renowned Gospel artistes including Pastor Joe Beecham and Rev Helen Yawson.

Raised by a single mother, Bernard Amankwah had his primary and secondary education in Sunyani, after which he moved to Accra to finish up at the Kludjeson Institute of Technology at Osu.

After school, he joined his uncle to manage a chain of businesses but while doing that and training to be a footballer, Bernard said God called him into Ministry in 1994.

Even though the yearning to serve God was there, the road to setting up his ministry was rough until six years later when he enrolled at the Living Word Bible School in 2000, under the International Central Gospel Church (ICGC).

While serving as a choir leader, he used the opportunity to groom himself.  After gaining enough knowledge, Bernard says he entered the studio, started recording and in 2007 his debut Your Presence was birthed.

Today, he has several songs to his credit including Presence, The Glory Has Come, Mercy Rescues Me and I Am Redeemed.

He believes every Christian must seek the welfare of the less privileged, hence his annual donation to various orphanages in the country.

“It is humbling to use the gift which has been bestowed freely to support the needy in the society and to continually impact people in and outside the church,” he added.