Nkonkonsa Celebrity Gossip From Africa
Hollywood actor and martial artist, Michael Jai White, has been enstooled as chief in Akwamu in the Eastern Region of Ghana.
This was at a traditional ceremony held on Wednesday at Akwamufie, where the stool name— Odupong— literally meaning ‘a tree firmly rooted’ was conferred on him.
Michael, a versatile actor, is the first black to portray a major comic book superhero in a major motion picture, having starred as Al Simmons, the protagonist in the 1997 film ‘Spawn’.
As a black belt in eight different karate styles, he has been able to leverage his deep connection to martial arts and emerge as a multi-faceted talent that possesses comedic chops while being one of the most recognizable action movie actors around.
In Ghana, he is popular for his role in ‘Undisputed II: The Last Man Standing’. He has been in the West African country since Christmas as part of a tour programme dubbed ‘Full Circle Festival’ (FCF).
The FCF was established to honour the ancestry who died during the slave trade by celebrating African heritage and generational legacy.
This is chaired by the Office of His Excellency President Nana Akufo-Addo and presented by the Ministry of Tourism, the Ministry of Business Development and the Office of Diaspora Affairs. The year 2019 marks the 400thanniversary of the start of the West African slave trade.
Between 1619 and 1860, 12 million Africans were forcefully loaded on ships and transported to the Americas. The new world brought them unimaginable pain, suffering, and death, far away from their families, their culture, their ancestors.
Hence the FCF was established to honour the ancestry.
The FCF team comprised a long list of some Hollywood actors, musicians, models and business executives. Among them are Anthony Anderson, Boris Kodjo, Michael Jai White, Gillian White, Nicole Ari Parker and Bozoma Saint John. The team has been touring Ghana since.
Photos of Michael’s enstoolment have been in the social media trends in Ghana since Wednesday. Other members of the team, including Boris and Bozoma, also got titles.
