Thronging Afia Schwarzenegger’s event to desert Gloria Sarfo: A sad scene to behold

When death lays its icy hands on relatives, people send messages of condolences to the bereaved to commiserate with them. Others, through tributes, eulogise and mourn the departed soul amidst prayer that the vacuum which may have been created following the exit, would be filled sooner than later for the advancement of the family left behind.

It is imperative to state that while some may not mean well, the family takes solace in the fact that they are comforted at the time they needed it most.

The death of Afia Schwarzenegger’s father, Augustine Agyei, who succumbed to cancer, left her devastated, courting sympathy from friends, social media followers, colleagues in the industry, the clergy, and other prominent Ghanaian personalities.

The controversial comedienne, through social media posts, detailed the extent of the damage her father’s demise has caused her as she shared fondest memories of ‘Kwaagyei’ as she affectionately called him. A one-week memorial service held at Achimota, Accra, on January 26, 2022, saw a big crowd throng the venue – some in exotic vehicles and fashionable funeral apparels – to console the showbiz personality.

From famous filmmakers to pastors, musicians, broadcasters, to bloggers, the event recorded massive attendance with many musicians taking turns to perform dirges and inspirational songs. It is safe to say that some musicians did not get the opportunity to perform considering the tall list of personalities who had shown interest in consoling the family through their crafts.

The successful event birthed the popular phrase ‘dada da mo ase’ – to wit ‘daddy is thankful’ – from Afia Schwarzenegger as she acknowledged the immense support from her colleagues.

The narrative was, however, different when Gloria Sarfo held a one-week memorial for her late mother on February 25, 2022, at Haatso in Accra. Prior to the event, the broken actress, like Afia Schwarzenegger, ‘painted’ her social media pages with grief, lamenting the toll her mother’s demise had had on her. The shock of losing a mother, the sleepless nights, uncontrollable tears were not hidden from the public.

Although some of her colleagues joined the chorus of tributes, they were conspicuously missing during the one-week event. GhanaWeb’s Elsie Lamar who covered both events, was shocked to the marrow by the fact that she could easily do a headcount of celebrities who turned up for the one-week observation of the passing of Gloria Sarfo’s mother, Ophelia Yeboah, who was 66. But for Kobi Rana and Emelia Brobbey, there would not have been any musical performance by a celebrity.

Making a mountain out of a molehill?

The widespread apathy among celebrities has over the years been criticized by pundits and some celebrities. The narrative has always been that the relatively young celebrities fail to show up for the funerals of veterans, probably because of the lack of connection between them.

On countless occasions, showbiz personalities have been urged to be present and provide emotional support for bereaved colleagues, and although it is not compulsory for them to heed, the woeful attendance recorded at Gloria Sarfo’s event is worth highlighting.

Not to exaggerate, the utter abandonment of Gloria Sarfo is astonishing especially when she appeals to a greater section of the showbiz fraternity. For people who have followed the Ghanaian showbiz industry, the actress is one of the personalities without ‘blemish’. Put differently, she does not injure the brands of others; not even in her quest to soar. Her elevation has been as a result of how she executes her movie roles, the ambassadorial deals she has secured, the likeable personality she’s got and the numerous generous gestures towards showbiz veterans.

Considering the aforementioned qualities and the fact that Gloria Sarfo’s event was well publicized, it is bewildering, to say the least, how her mother’s one-week memorial saw in attendance a handful of celebrities.

“I’m really disappointed in the industry, especially the film industry where our sister Gloria belongs. Looking at the turn-up, it’s very bad,” said Sammy Rasta, a film producer and director in an interview with the media.

“We should turn up and show love. Gloria attends all events; she supports everyone, so, why do we have to treat our sister this way? Wherever you invite her to, she shows up so, why do we have to do this to our sister? It’s very bad; let’s stop this hypocritical attitude,” he added.

Remedy 

The absence of celebrities from Gloria Sarfo’s event, although may not hurt as much as she has lost her mother, is a conduct that needs to be rectified, at least, to put a smile on the face of the bereaved actress and assure her that there will always be a shoulder to cry on.

The final funeral rites are scheduled for 26th – 28th April, 2022, at Osiem, Eastern Region. While some may sound the ‘nobody owes anybody’ cliché, it would not be misplaced to trumpet the Akan adage ‘wo yonko da ne wo da’ – to wit, ‘a friend in need is a friend indeed’.

Author: Abrantepa Benefo Buabeng