Akosua Busia
Encyclopedia
Akosua Busia is a Ghana
ian actress who now lives in the U.S.
.
The daughter of Kofi Abrefa Busia
, the ex-prime minister of the Republic of Ghana, Akosua is the daughter of a prince of the royal family of Wenchi
, a subgroup of the Ashanti. She herself is not a princess, since the Akans of Ghana trace their ancestry through the female-line. To be a princess therefore, one's mother should be a royal. When the father is a royal, one is referred to as 'Odehyeba' to wit child of a royal. Children and Grandchildren of either gender of royals who become Kings/Chieves or Queens are referred to as 'Oheneba/Ohemaaba' and 'Ohenenana/Ohemaanana, to wit son/daughter of a King/Queen and Grandson/Granddaughter of a King/Queen. Those descended in a pure female-line besides this names, are 'Adehye (plural)' 'Odehye (singular)' to wit royal, themselves. There is no direct translation for the words, 'Prince/Princess.' One is either a royal or not or a child of a royal or not. Since it is his father who is a royal and not her mother, she can never ascend the female throne of Wenchi
. Her father's sister's son or full-blooded brother/sister and maternal half-brother/half-sister can. Even if her father had become the Chief of Wenchi
, she would have been referred to as 'Oheneba' to wit daughter of a King/Chief. There is always a male stool and a female stool. In few rare instances, females have ascended male stools, with another female on the female stool. Females also serve as regents when there are no eligible males to ascend, and also from the death of the Chief to the enstoolment of a new one. She actually has the mandate to nominate a candidate for the consideration of the King-makers. She has three chances to do this, failure of which the King-makers take on the responsibility. Akosua Busia's sister is the poet and academic Abena Busia.
Her film roles include a notable performance as Bessie in Richard Wright
's Native Son
, Nettie in Steven Spielberg
's The Color Purple
(1985), as Jewel in John Singleton's Rosewood
(1997), and as Patience in Antoine Fuqua
's Tears of the Sun
(2003). She has also appeared on television in the series ER
. In 1994 she married the American film-maker John Singleton, with whom she has a daughter Hadar; the couple are now divorced.
Busia has written The Seasons of Beento Blackbird: A Novel (Washington Square Press, 1997).
She was one of three co-writers for the screenplay
adaptation of Toni Morrison
's novel Beloved
for the 1998 film version
of the same name directed by Jonathan Demme
.
Busia also co-wrote the song "Moon Blue" with Stevie Wonder
for his album A Time 2 Love.
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
ian actress who now lives in the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
The daughter of Kofi Abrefa Busia
Kofi Abrefa Busia
Kofi Abrefa Busia was Prime Minister of Ghana from 1969–72. He was born in Wenchi, in the then British colony of Gold Coast . He was educated at Methodist School, Wenchi, Mfantsipim School, Cape Coast, then at Wesley College, Kumasi from 1931–32. He later became a teacher at Achimota Secondary...
, the ex-prime minister of the Republic of Ghana, Akosua is the daughter of a prince of the royal family of Wenchi
Wenchi
Wenchi is a town in Ghana located at 7.73333 [latitude in decimal degrees], -2.1 [longitude in decimal degrees] at an elevation/altitude of meters. The average elevation of Wenchi, Ghana is 304 meters. The town is approximately 30 km north of Techiman on the Wa road and about 50 km east...
, a subgroup of the Ashanti. She herself is not a princess, since the Akans of Ghana trace their ancestry through the female-line. To be a princess therefore, one's mother should be a royal. When the father is a royal, one is referred to as 'Odehyeba' to wit child of a royal. Children and Grandchildren of either gender of royals who become Kings/Chieves or Queens are referred to as 'Oheneba/Ohemaaba' and 'Ohenenana/Ohemaanana, to wit son/daughter of a King/Queen and Grandson/Granddaughter of a King/Queen. Those descended in a pure female-line besides this names, are 'Adehye (plural)' 'Odehye (singular)' to wit royal, themselves. There is no direct translation for the words, 'Prince/Princess.' One is either a royal or not or a child of a royal or not. Since it is his father who is a royal and not her mother, she can never ascend the female throne of Wenchi
Wenchi
Wenchi is a town in Ghana located at 7.73333 [latitude in decimal degrees], -2.1 [longitude in decimal degrees] at an elevation/altitude of meters. The average elevation of Wenchi, Ghana is 304 meters. The town is approximately 30 km north of Techiman on the Wa road and about 50 km east...
. Her father's sister's son or full-blooded brother/sister and maternal half-brother/half-sister can. Even if her father had become the Chief of Wenchi
Wenchi
Wenchi is a town in Ghana located at 7.73333 [latitude in decimal degrees], -2.1 [longitude in decimal degrees] at an elevation/altitude of meters. The average elevation of Wenchi, Ghana is 304 meters. The town is approximately 30 km north of Techiman on the Wa road and about 50 km east...
, she would have been referred to as 'Oheneba' to wit daughter of a King/Chief. There is always a male stool and a female stool. In few rare instances, females have ascended male stools, with another female on the female stool. Females also serve as regents when there are no eligible males to ascend, and also from the death of the Chief to the enstoolment of a new one. She actually has the mandate to nominate a candidate for the consideration of the King-makers. She has three chances to do this, failure of which the King-makers take on the responsibility. Akosua Busia's sister is the poet and academic Abena Busia.
Her film roles include a notable performance as Bessie in Richard Wright
Richard Wright (author)
Richard Nathaniel Wright was an African-American author of sometimes controversial novels, short stories, poems, and non-fiction. Much of his literature concerns racial themes, especially those involving the plight of African-Americans during the late 19th to mid 20th centuries...
's Native Son
Native Son
Native Son is a novel by American author Richard Wright. The novel tells the story of 20-year-old Bigger Thomas, an African American living in utter poverty. Bigger lived in Chicago's South Side ghetto in the 1930s...
, Nettie in Steven Spielberg
Steven Spielberg
Steven Allan Spielberg KBE is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, video game designer, and studio entrepreneur. In a career of more than four decades, Spielberg's films have covered many themes and genres. Spielberg's early science-fiction and adventure films were seen as an...
's The Color Purple
The Color Purple (film)
The Color Purple is a 1985 American period drama film directed by Steven Spielberg, based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name by Alice Walker. It was Spielberg's eighth film as a director , and was a change from the summer blockbusters for which he had become famous...
(1985), as Jewel in John Singleton's Rosewood
Rosewood (film)
Rosewood is a 1997 feature film, directed by John Singleton. While based on historic events of the 1923 Rosewood massacre in Florida, the film introduces fictional characters and changes from historic accounts. It stars Ving Rhames as a man who travels to the town and becomes a witness...
(1997), and as Patience in Antoine Fuqua
Antoine Fuqua
Antoine Fuqua is an American film director. He directed the film Training Day as well as Tears of the Sun, King Arthur, Shooter and Brooklyn's Finest...
's Tears of the Sun
Tears of the Sun
Tears of the Sun is a 2003 American war film, depicting a United States Navy SEAL team rescue mission amidst a civil war in the West African country of Nigeria. Lt. A.K. Waters commands the team sent to rescue U.S. citizen Dr. Lena Fiore Kendricks from the civil war en route to her jungle hospital...
(2003). She has also appeared on television in the series ER
ER (TV series)
ER is an American medical drama television series created by novelist Michael Crichton that aired on NBC from September 19, 1994 to April 2, 2009. It was produced by Constant c Productions and Amblin Entertainment, in association with Warner Bros. Television...
. In 1994 she married the American film-maker John Singleton, with whom she has a daughter Hadar; the couple are now divorced.
Busia has written The Seasons of Beento Blackbird: A Novel (Washington Square Press, 1997).
She was one of three co-writers for the screenplay
Screenplay
A screenplay or script is a written work that is made especially for a film or television program. Screenplays can be original works or adaptations from existing pieces of writing. In them, the movement, actions, expression, and dialogues of the characters are also narrated...
adaptation of Toni Morrison
Toni Morrison
Toni Morrison is a Nobel Prize and Pulitzer Prize-winning American novelist, editor, and professor. Her novels are known for their epic themes, vivid dialogue, and richly detailed characters. Among her best known novels are The Bluest Eye, Song of Solomon and Beloved...
's novel Beloved
Beloved (novel)
Beloved is a novel by the American writer Toni Morrison, published in 1987. Set in 1873 just after the American Civil War , it is based on the story of the African-American slave, Margaret Garner, who escaped slavery in 1856 in Kentucky by fleeing to Ohio, a free state...
for the 1998 film version
Beloved (film)
Beloved is a 1998 film based on Toni Morrison's 1987 novel of the same name. It was directed by Jonathan Demme, and was produced by Oprah Winfrey's Harpo Productions. The film stars Oprah Winfrey and Danny Glover.-Plot:...
of the same name directed by Jonathan Demme
Jonathan Demme
Robert Jonathan Demme is an American filmmaker, producer and screenwriter. Best known for directing The Silence of the Lambs, which won him the Academy Award for Best Director, he has also directed the acclaimed movies Philadelphia, Rachel Getting Married, the Talking Heads concert movie Stop...
.
Busia also co-wrote the song "Moon Blue" with Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
for his album A Time 2 Love.