Young 'Witch' On The Loose

What would attract a 14 year-old child actress to consistently take up movie roles that even adults would not touch?

For her age, Maame Yaa, a Form Two JHS student, has appeared in a large number of movies such as Ntafuo Tumi, Efie Mponi, Yene woserekwa, Mogya Kawa, Nsuo Ba, Tumi, Otan Ne Bayie, Osaman Ba, Who Killed Lucy , in all of which she plays the role of a witch.

One would have thought that seeing the kind of negative public perception that elder actress, Kyeiwaa, aka Rose Mensah, has earned for herself playing such horror roles, Maame Yaa would have stayed clear. Rather, she says she has been inspired to play such roles and has even signaled that she would soon be challenging Kyewaa over who is better in playing withches roles.

“Me a witch? Absolutely not!”, she says. Some people think I am a real witch because of how well I play the roles. But playing the role of a witch does not make me a witch, I am a good actress thats all.

“I believe I’m blessed with the talent and I’m just using it well. The fact that some people take it for real shows that I’m doing something right” Maame Yaa, who attends school at Tanoso in Kumasi told Showbiz.

Asked if she was not taking up roles above her age, that is, if she was not being “mpanyinsem”, Maame Yaa said she did not believe so. “How come when young actors inother countries feature in scary movies like Harry Potter and others they are not tagged as witches and wizards? Why is it so in our country?

“Having been involved in movies for so long, perhaps, it’s about time people accepted that playing characters in movies are just make-believe and nothing more,” Maame Yaa said.

Born to Mr. and Mrs. Benson, Clara Amoateng Benson better known as Maame Yaa revealed that her mother Madam Rose Benson who is also her manager got her into movies.

According to her, her mum took her to see a friend on location and Jackson Bentum who was then the director asked around if anyone knew of a kid who could play the role of a witch. She responded she could try and when Justice Bentum told her verbally what she was do, she managed to deliver as expected of her and that was the beginning.

Ever since appearing on Justice Bentum first movie six years ago, Maame Yaa has worked with different movie producers.

In 10 years time, Maame Yaa wants to be seen as the best actress in Ghana and beyond. The young actress says she is grateful to Ghanaians for accepting her by patronising her movies.

"Where a man is coming from is not of much importance as what he is made up of..."
By: Felix Frimpong