Leave government alone and do what you can do - Richie Mensah
Ghanaian music producer and Chief Executive Officer of Lynx Group, Richie Mensah, has sent a strong message to players in the country’s entertainment industry: stop depending on government support and start building your own success.
Richie explained that the government is unlikely to invest in the creative industry simply because, at its current state, it doesn’t seem worth their time. According to him, creatives have become too entitled always asking for help without doing the groundwork needed to earn that help.
“Leave everybody alone and do what you can do. It’s as simple as that. Every support I have received in my life has been earned… I was given the support because I proved that if you support me, it’s worth your time and money”, he said.
He stressed that many artistes are making money in some areas of their careers, yet expect the government to support them in areas they’ve made no effort to structure properly. Meanwhile, there are people in rural Ghana struggling to afford food or education.
“Let’s be honest. Someone in Navrongo can’t afford school fees. Someone in a village hasn’t eaten in three days. And here we are, complaining about money when we haven’t even built a working system for ourselves”, he said.
To support his argument, Richie used the example of the United States. He pointed out that California, driven by the entertainment industry, has a higher GDP than Texas, which is powered by oil. Because of that, the U.S. government sees entertainment as a smart investment not because of love for music, but because it generates real economic value.
He questioned how Ghana’s creative space can demand support when it’s full of division and disorganization. Even small events or collaborations are often interrupted by disagreements, egos, and unnecessary “beef” among artistes, vendors, and even media houses.
Richie believes the power creatives hold popularity and platforms to speak can sometimes cloud judgment, making some feel more important than the real work they’re supposed to do.
He admitted that when he first entered the industry, he wanted to fix everything copyright issues, industry codes, structures but soon realized most people didn’t want real change. So, he shifted his focus.
“I decided to fix my corner, so I could at least say I’ve done something for myself. Then I found like-minded people. And we kept growing”, he shared.
