Give us equal treatment — Foster Romanus
Ghanaian comedian, Foster Romanus is demanding answers from event organisers why Nigerian comedians are paid far higher than their Ghanaian counterparts even at shows held in Ghana.
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Romanus, who is making a case for equal treatment for both local and foreign artistes, contends that Ghanaian comedians have cheapened themselves and are, therefore, given the short end of the stick by those who hire their services.
“I feel comedians in Ghana are taken for granted by event organisers. An event is hosted in our own country and it is sad that event organisers pay Nigerian comedians better than their own comedians. I don’t really see the impact the Nigerian comedians make when they come down here to perform,” he told Showbiz in an interview.
Romanus claims Ghanaian comedians have made great strides in recent times and ensured a levelling of the market, hence their Nigerian counterparts are no longer the dominant figures they were in times past.
He cited the recent Night Of 1000 Laughs and Lord Of the Ribs in Accra at which Ghanaian comedians gave a good account of themselves to the delight of patrons.
Nonetheless, he claims Nigerian comedians were still handed a bigger slice of the cake to the detriment of their Ghanaian counterparts.
“Everyone at the Accra International Conference Centre(AICC) would bear with me that the Ghanaian comedians did better than their colleagues from Nigeria and I wonder why any event organiser will see this and still pay us less.
“I refused to perform at the Lord of the Ribs event because I realised the Nigerian comedians were paid more than the Ghanaian comedians which was a big insult to me,” he revealed.
Romanus maintains that although these platforms provide exposure for Ghanaian comedians, it does not mean local comedians should cheapen themselves.
“I will call on my fellow comedians to position themselves in a way that no event organiser can take us for cheap. It is better for a comedian to price himself high than to think of breaking through because an event organiser has given him the platform.
“I was very happy when I heard Shatta Wale demanded a huge sum of money from Charterhouse before performing at the VGMA some time ago. That was a very good move”, he added.