Derrick Manny Calls for Better Support for Ghanaian Creatives Following Dede Padiki’s Death

Entertainment pundit Derrick Manny has called for urgent reforms in Ghana’s creative industry, saying the late artist Dede Padiki’s experience reflects the challenges many creatives face in accessing opportunities and institutional support.

Speaking on Kessben Entertainment with Kojo Preko Dankwa, Derrick Manny said Dede Padiki’s death should prompt a national conversation about how Ghana treats its creative talents.

According to him, despite achieving international recognition through Guinness World Records, the late artist struggled to receive meaningful support from institutions responsible for promoting the creative arts.

He claimed that Padiki personally financed most of her artistic tours, receiving assistance mainly from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs rather than the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts.

As an example, Derrick Manny said Padiki was excluded from the official list of creatives selected to exhibit during the UN Reparations Day activities. He alleged that Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa intervened by inviting her to design an artwork that was eventually displayed before five visiting heads of state.

He also recounted how Padiki allegedly had to take the initiative to participate in the Black Star Experience launch after receiving no official invitation despite being verbally encouraged by Tourism Minister Abla Dzifa Gomashie.

According to Derrick Manny, the artist approached the organisers herself and successfully secured a place to paint at the event.

He further alleged that Padiki had earlier been promised a leadership role at the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park if Abla Dzifa Gomashie became a minister. However, he claimed the appointment never materialised after the minister assumed office.

Derrick Manny also revealed that Padiki later met Chief of Staff Julius Debrah to discuss her contributions to Ghana’s creative industry and her lack of recognition despite earning international honours.

According to him, when the Chief of Staff sought clarification from the Tourism Minister, he was allegedly informed that the earlier promise had merely been “political talk.”

The entertainment pundit said these repeated disappointments left Padiki feeling rejected within the creative industry.

He recalled meeting the late artist about three weeks before her death during a movie premiere, where she repeatedly questioned why Ghanaian creatives were not doing enough to support and promote one another.

“We are hurting our own creatives,” Derrick Manny said, warning that inadequate appreciation and investment would discourage talented artists from pursuing their craft.

He concluded by urging government institutions and stakeholders to provide stronger financial support, appointments based on merit, and greater recognition for creatives whose work promotes Ghana on the international stage.