 |
| Joselyn Dumas and the GDA in the heart of the matter |
In this second part of our memoir
like series with Ghanaian Television host and Actress, Joselyn Canfor Dumas, we
present you another interesting episode, which is her stint with the legal profession
where she practiced as a para-legal on her return from the United States of
America.
It is another episode of her life that you will find very interesting
and cheering only on your number 1 African Celebrity encounter blog asabeafrika. Enjoy the excerpts with your
favorite snack and drink as you glance through your I-pone or blackberry.
Joeslyn Dumas goes to school….
In this
second edition of the exclusive interview with the Ghanaian TV star Joselyn
Dumas we started the chat with her educational career which we found so revealing
as she reeled it to us in a no hold barred encounter “I attended Morning Star
School Accra and I went to Arch Bishop Potter Girls’ Secondary School in Takoradi and from there I travelled to
London and later moved on to Washington D.C before I returned to Ghana to work
in a law firm due to the fact that I have a Para-legal background and I
supposed to go to law school but I decided not to go; it is really not something I wanted to do at
the time; maybe I might go back to be a lawyer who knows? The sky is the
limit; I mean there is no end to
education, you can get it anytime even when you are 60 But this is really my
passion, this is really what I have always wanted to do (Television hosting) and
everything that I know now I learnt on the job, I never went to school for it”.
second edition of the exclusive interview with the Ghanaian TV star Joselyn
Dumas we started the chat with her educational career which we found so revealing
as she reeled it to us in a no hold barred encounter “I attended Morning Star
School Accra and I went to Arch Bishop Potter Girls’ Secondary School in Takoradi and from there I travelled to
London and later moved on to Washington D.C before I returned to Ghana to work
in a law firm due to the fact that I have a Para-legal background and I
supposed to go to law school but I decided not to go; it is really not something I wanted to do at
the time; maybe I might go back to be a lawyer who knows? The sky is the
limit; I mean there is no end to
education, you can get it anytime even when you are 60 But this is really my
passion, this is really what I have always wanted to do (Television hosting) and
everything that I know now I learnt on the job, I never went to school for it”.
“Iyiola (Ayoade) is one
person who allows you to express yourself, express your talent, and express
your content because he doesn’t stifle or kill your dream. And to me, Africa is
lacking a lot of people like that because a lot of people will suppress you,
like ‘when did you come in, you haven’t pay your dues, please go and stay
somewhere’ Iyiola would not do that, he says ‘no matter how young you are if
you have the idea, let’s build it’ and to me, we need a lot more people like
him because we are lacking mentors in Africa”.
Life as a Para-Legal expert
Ms. Josely Dumas opens another chapter of her life to asabeafrika
that is never known to many of her fans across the world, her Para-legal
profession that she never made a success of “Like I told you earlier, I like
talking a lot as a young girl and I used to be told that I will make a very
good lawyer and I was very proud of that. When I came to back to Ghana after my
sojourn in the USA, I worked in a law firm because I had a degree in
Para-Legal; I also used to work in that field before I diverted into
entertainment while I was in America. I was a legal administrator for the law
firm because you have to be called to the bar to really participate and stand
in a court room to represent a client before you can become a legal counsel.
So, I did all the administrative work for the firm I wrote the writs and
everything but I was bored at a time. Not because I hate books or texts but I think at a certain time I
wanted to litigate, I wanted to argue on someone’s behalf but I couldn’t do
that but I was always in the office doing other things for the lawyers. I mean
I was just tucked in the office doing all the bits for the lawyers to go and
argue and I was just tired about the whole experience.
that is never known to many of her fans across the world, her Para-legal
profession that she never made a success of “Like I told you earlier, I like
talking a lot as a young girl and I used to be told that I will make a very
good lawyer and I was very proud of that. When I came to back to Ghana after my
sojourn in the USA, I worked in a law firm because I had a degree in
Para-Legal; I also used to work in that field before I diverted into
entertainment while I was in America. I was a legal administrator for the law
firm because you have to be called to the bar to really participate and stand
in a court room to represent a client before you can become a legal counsel.
So, I did all the administrative work for the firm I wrote the writs and
everything but I was bored at a time. Not because I hate books or texts but I think at a certain time I
wanted to litigate, I wanted to argue on someone’s behalf but I couldn’t do
that but I was always in the office doing other things for the lawyers. I mean
I was just tucked in the office doing all the bits for the lawyers to go and
argue and I was just tired about the whole experience.
 |
| Joselyn Dumas…..’Being a Para-Legal Officer was a bit boring |
 |
| Joselyn Dumas….’KOD invited me for my first Television job’ |
So, one day a friend of
mine came to me and said ‘look, I noticed you have always wanted to do TV
because ever since I was young I have always aimed high. When I was in school I
was an exam prefect, I was organizing fun fair for my school. I was MC for our
record nights, I used to mime and dance. I don’t know why I can’t dance
anymore, it is all gone. So, it is funny; you know the guy just came to me, he
is called KOD, he is one of our renowned broadcasters in Ghana and he has been
a very good friend of mine; he is actually married to my cousin and he said to
me ‘look, I am going to take you somewhere and I will just see if you can be
doing something’ and I said ‘Ok, I will do that as part time, who cares? Because
I was just really bored in this law office; not that lawyers are boring but I
got bored sitting and writing writs and summons. So, we hit the screen and kept
producing and I was told that I was natural in front of the camera and the
producer asked me after a certain production, “what you do?’ I said ‘ but I am
a Para-legal officer’ and he said ‘Why don’t you come and do this full time
because once you own the show, it shows on the screen but once you are being
given or you are being fed information, it also shows. So, you don’t want to
look like you don’t know what you are talking about; so why don’t you own it,
produce it and present it and you can learn from there, so Chatter House gave me a
big break. Yes, Iyiola Ayoade, ( A prince from Ile-Ife, Osun state South West
Nigeria married to a Ghanaian and founder of Chatter House an entertainment
concept and PR management company in Ghana)
mine came to me and said ‘look, I noticed you have always wanted to do TV
because ever since I was young I have always aimed high. When I was in school I
was an exam prefect, I was organizing fun fair for my school. I was MC for our
record nights, I used to mime and dance. I don’t know why I can’t dance
anymore, it is all gone. So, it is funny; you know the guy just came to me, he
is called KOD, he is one of our renowned broadcasters in Ghana and he has been
a very good friend of mine; he is actually married to my cousin and he said to
me ‘look, I am going to take you somewhere and I will just see if you can be
doing something’ and I said ‘Ok, I will do that as part time, who cares? Because
I was just really bored in this law office; not that lawyers are boring but I
got bored sitting and writing writs and summons. So, we hit the screen and kept
producing and I was told that I was natural in front of the camera and the
producer asked me after a certain production, “what you do?’ I said ‘ but I am
a Para-legal officer’ and he said ‘Why don’t you come and do this full time
because once you own the show, it shows on the screen but once you are being
given or you are being fed information, it also shows. So, you don’t want to
look like you don’t know what you are talking about; so why don’t you own it,
produce it and present it and you can learn from there, so Chatter House gave me a
big break. Yes, Iyiola Ayoade, ( A prince from Ile-Ife, Osun state South West
Nigeria married to a Ghanaian and founder of Chatter House an entertainment
concept and PR management company in Ghana)
 |
| The GDA in a rare pose with the adorable woman of the tube, Joselyn Dumas |
 |
| Joselyn Dumas….’My first attempt at acting was a flop’ |
What Ayoade saw in me
Joselyn Dumas recalled how the
MD/CEO of Chatter House, Ghana, Prince Iyiola Ayoade saw what
she couldn’t see in herself and brought it out “I think he saw something in me
that I didn’t even know I had. I just wanted to go in for the fun of it; for me
it was going to be once in a time beat, that I will do it and still continue
with my law practice till I find a way to the top and maybe go to law school or
whatever. So, he said to me, look, I think you have the talent, I think it will
be the biggest thing that it ever has to be if you put your mind to it and I
want you to give me a little time to train you and he said ‘what do you say?’.
I was like ‘ok, let’s just try it; so I quit my law firm because they were not
really paying me any much anyway. So, I quit my law firm and I started working
full time in Chatter House. I was hosting a show called Rhythm and
I was producing it. Iyiola Ayoade was the
executive producer, so we used to stay together and develop contents and
concepts and he was like “Your mind is just crazy, I mean you are so creative”
because I will always argue until we arrive at the final decision and he will
say ‘Ok, let’s do it this way’ and it was too much fun working in Chatter
House and I learnt so much. I can say everything I know now on TV, I
learnt on the job. I never went to school for it and like I said it is a God given
talent and I am grateful to God for that because it took a few people so many
years for them to put in their work but by His grace God brought me out the way
I came out and I still have a long way to go”
MD/CEO of Chatter House, Ghana, Prince Iyiola Ayoade saw what
she couldn’t see in herself and brought it out “I think he saw something in me
that I didn’t even know I had. I just wanted to go in for the fun of it; for me
it was going to be once in a time beat, that I will do it and still continue
with my law practice till I find a way to the top and maybe go to law school or
whatever. So, he said to me, look, I think you have the talent, I think it will
be the biggest thing that it ever has to be if you put your mind to it and I
want you to give me a little time to train you and he said ‘what do you say?’.
I was like ‘ok, let’s just try it; so I quit my law firm because they were not
really paying me any much anyway. So, I quit my law firm and I started working
full time in Chatter House. I was hosting a show called Rhythm and
I was producing it. Iyiola Ayoade was the
executive producer, so we used to stay together and develop contents and
concepts and he was like “Your mind is just crazy, I mean you are so creative”
because I will always argue until we arrive at the final decision and he will
say ‘Ok, let’s do it this way’ and it was too much fun working in Chatter
House and I learnt so much. I can say everything I know now on TV, I
learnt on the job. I never went to school for it and like I said it is a God given
talent and I am grateful to God for that because it took a few people so many
years for them to put in their work but by His grace God brought me out the way
I came out and I still have a long way to go”
 |
| Joselyn Dumas in her make up war house for asabeafrika |
 |
| Joselyn Dumas…..’Mrs. Range Rover E-Vogue, Ghana West Africa |
Africa need leaders like Ayoade who
don’t suppress creativity
don’t suppress creativity
Asking Joselyn
Dumas to describe Chatter House
where she started her television career and Prince Iyiola
Ayoade the founder is like telling a keyboardist to play his favorite
tune as you will find out now “Wao! I think Chatter House is like a
family, it doesn’t belong to an individual it belong to a family; working there
you feel like you are a part of a great family. And everybody looks out for
everybody, we all have each other’s back and it is a training ground if you ask
me because ‘look, you are put in a big end, when I was auditioned for Rhythm,
I was put in a big end. I was training today and the next day I was on the show
shooting, recording for Rhythm and it went on air. And the funny
thing is that it was two people hosting the show at that time but the girl Pamela
at that time was going to school and Chris Arthur had moved to Nigeria to do Tinsel.
So, really I didn’t even have anyone to lean on, it was just me. So, I had to
sit up and keep the ball rolling and learn and I am so grateful to God for that
because He gave me that zeal, that passion, that tenacity to want to be the
best because I felt that the people before me were amazing because afterwards Chris
Arthur was so phenomenal and fitting into his shoe, I could never do
below. I could only strive to be better or be at his level. Iyiola
(Ayoade) is one person who allows you to express yourself, express your talent,
and express your content because he doesn’t stifle or kill your dream. And to
me, Africa is lacking a lot of people like that because a lot of people will
suppress you, like ‘when did you come in, you haven’t pay your dues, please go
and stay somewhere’ Iyiola would not do that, he says ‘no matter how young you are
if you have the idea, let’s build it’ and to me, we need a lot more people like
him because we are lacking mentors in Africa.
Dumas to describe Chatter House
where she started her television career and Prince Iyiola
Ayoade the founder is like telling a keyboardist to play his favorite
tune as you will find out now “Wao! I think Chatter House is like a
family, it doesn’t belong to an individual it belong to a family; working there
you feel like you are a part of a great family. And everybody looks out for
everybody, we all have each other’s back and it is a training ground if you ask
me because ‘look, you are put in a big end, when I was auditioned for Rhythm,
I was put in a big end. I was training today and the next day I was on the show
shooting, recording for Rhythm and it went on air. And the funny
thing is that it was two people hosting the show at that time but the girl Pamela
at that time was going to school and Chris Arthur had moved to Nigeria to do Tinsel.
So, really I didn’t even have anyone to lean on, it was just me. So, I had to
sit up and keep the ball rolling and learn and I am so grateful to God for that
because He gave me that zeal, that passion, that tenacity to want to be the
best because I felt that the people before me were amazing because afterwards Chris
Arthur was so phenomenal and fitting into his shoe, I could never do
below. I could only strive to be better or be at his level. Iyiola
(Ayoade) is one person who allows you to express yourself, express your talent,
and express your content because he doesn’t stifle or kill your dream. And to
me, Africa is lacking a lot of people like that because a lot of people will
suppress you, like ‘when did you come in, you haven’t pay your dues, please go
and stay somewhere’ Iyiola would not do that, he says ‘no matter how young you are
if you have the idea, let’s build it’ and to me, we need a lot more people like
him because we are lacking mentors in Africa.
“The fact that I didn’t
make it doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t make it, no. If I didn’t make it, the
experiences I had I can teach you so you don’t make the mistake I made. That is
the thing we need to instill in all of us even our leaders, we don’t need to kill
joy and that was one thing Iyiola never did and he will never do”
 |
| Joselyn Dumas….’The art of reflecting great beauty’ |
Nobody wants you to get ahead,
nobody want you to get to where they are, it is about time we change our
mentality and mentor this young up and coming people; it could be anybody,
lawyers, doctors, and entertainers, journalists whatever. Mentor them into
being better than even we were or they were, you know what I mean. The fact
that I didn’t make it doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t make it, no. If I didn’t
make it, the experiences I had I can teach you so you don’t make the mistake I
made. That is the thing we need to instill in all of us even our leaders, we
don’t need to kill joy and that was one thing Iyiola never did and he
will never do. Chatter House is one place you can go and express yourself and
you will be allowed to surpass your little intention. If your idea is good
enough for TV even if it is not even good enough for TV they will modify it to
be good enough for TV and to me I think it is an amazing place. Iyiola
is an amazing person and it is an amazing thing that his wife is
equally phenomenal. I mean behind every successful man is a woman and that is
what she truly is because every body who works there are all happy there. But
unfortunately, we can’t be together forever, in life you have to move on. I
think I moved on from there”.
nobody want you to get to where they are, it is about time we change our
mentality and mentor this young up and coming people; it could be anybody,
lawyers, doctors, and entertainers, journalists whatever. Mentor them into
being better than even we were or they were, you know what I mean. The fact
that I didn’t make it doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t make it, no. If I didn’t
make it, the experiences I had I can teach you so you don’t make the mistake I
made. That is the thing we need to instill in all of us even our leaders, we
don’t need to kill joy and that was one thing Iyiola never did and he
will never do. Chatter House is one place you can go and express yourself and
you will be allowed to surpass your little intention. If your idea is good
enough for TV even if it is not even good enough for TV they will modify it to
be good enough for TV and to me I think it is an amazing place. Iyiola
is an amazing person and it is an amazing thing that his wife is
equally phenomenal. I mean behind every successful man is a woman and that is
what she truly is because every body who works there are all happy there. But
unfortunately, we can’t be together forever, in life you have to move on. I
think I moved on from there”.
 |
| reflection |
From Television to the movies
Revealing
the story of her Television-to-movie breakthrough, Joselyn Dumas narrated
her tube-to-cinema encounter “Chris Arthur actually gave me a call
and said Shirley Frimpong Manso of R-production
was doing an auditioning for a role for Perfect Picture at that time and I
just moved back from America and I was trying to find my ground in
entertainment; I had just started Rhythm. And I said ‘Yeah, no
problem’ and I went for the audition and ‘ah, I totally sank (Laughter), she
was like ‘ah, what is this? This girl, leave my office (Laughs heartily) it was
just a blast and actually i didn’t really do well, I was like this woman, what
is your problem. I didn’t do well but they actually called me back for some
unknown reasons. And like I said earlier, it is amazing how people always see
something I don’t always see, I don’t even realize. Shirley called me back
and said ‘Look, I am going to give you another chance. I am going to give you a
small role in the movie and it depends on how well you do it, you will come
back and work with me again. So, I was like ‘ok’. So, she gave me a small role
in Perfect
Picture and according to her, I did well. And she was about to shoot Bring
in a tale and she called me for an audition. Initially she didn’t want
to call me but Chris Arthur called me and said “Look, Joselyn, Shirley doesn’t
think you can do it but I think you can’.
the story of her Television-to-movie breakthrough, Joselyn Dumas narrated
her tube-to-cinema encounter “Chris Arthur actually gave me a call
and said Shirley Frimpong Manso of R-production
was doing an auditioning for a role for Perfect Picture at that time and I
just moved back from America and I was trying to find my ground in
entertainment; I had just started Rhythm. And I said ‘Yeah, no
problem’ and I went for the audition and ‘ah, I totally sank (Laughter), she
was like ‘ah, what is this? This girl, leave my office (Laughs heartily) it was
just a blast and actually i didn’t really do well, I was like this woman, what
is your problem. I didn’t do well but they actually called me back for some
unknown reasons. And like I said earlier, it is amazing how people always see
something I don’t always see, I don’t even realize. Shirley called me back
and said ‘Look, I am going to give you another chance. I am going to give you a
small role in the movie and it depends on how well you do it, you will come
back and work with me again. So, I was like ‘ok’. So, she gave me a small role
in Perfect
Picture and according to her, I did well. And she was about to shoot Bring
in a tale and she called me for an audition. Initially she didn’t want
to call me but Chris Arthur called me and said “Look, Joselyn, Shirley doesn’t
think you can do it but I think you can’.
So, let’s go on audition but make
sure you don’t let me down and I said “Chris, I won’t let you down”.
sure you don’t let me down and I said “Chris, I won’t let you down”.
 |
| Joselyn Dumas…..’Africa lacks people who are genuine mentors’ |
 |
| Joselyn Dumas…..’I dumped my Para-Legal job for TV because the job was boring’ |
So, I went for her audition and people don’t
even remember me in that movie because that one yet again, I flopped. I flopped
totally and I think Shirley mix-casted, thinking that as a good TV actor, you
should be able to do anything. So, I decided to work on myself and I started
taking the jobs home because I realized that the only way I can be the best or
that I can achieve greatness is if I take it home and work on myself. So, now I
started using the mirror a lot, I started learning my lines in front of the
mirror, I started making things in front of the mirror and that allowed me to
re-invent myself. She called me again for another movie, Adam’s apple, I was
auditioned seven times, and she didn’t know where to put me. She used me to
interpret so many roles and then finally she said “Look, I will just give you Jennifer
Adams”. And because of the fact that she didn’t think I could do it and
I didn’t even believe in myself, I had to work extra hard to make her proud, to
make me proud, to make my mum proud and all my fans proud. And I thank God that
Adams’
Apple has been a successful movie and it is a kind of franchise if you
ask me now, because they are still recording at TV3 and it has continued to show on DSTV.”
even remember me in that movie because that one yet again, I flopped. I flopped
totally and I think Shirley mix-casted, thinking that as a good TV actor, you
should be able to do anything. So, I decided to work on myself and I started
taking the jobs home because I realized that the only way I can be the best or
that I can achieve greatness is if I take it home and work on myself. So, now I
started using the mirror a lot, I started learning my lines in front of the
mirror, I started making things in front of the mirror and that allowed me to
re-invent myself. She called me again for another movie, Adam’s apple, I was
auditioned seven times, and she didn’t know where to put me. She used me to
interpret so many roles and then finally she said “Look, I will just give you Jennifer
Adams”. And because of the fact that she didn’t think I could do it and
I didn’t even believe in myself, I had to work extra hard to make her proud, to
make me proud, to make my mum proud and all my fans proud. And I thank God that
Adams’
Apple has been a successful movie and it is a kind of franchise if you
ask me now, because they are still recording at TV3 and it has continued to show on DSTV.”
 |
| Joselyn Dumas……’Working with Chatter House was one of the best things that happened to my career’ |
 |
| Joselyn Dumas…’In Africa, we have people who just want to sweet creativity undergrand |
My Most challenging movie
Revealing her most challenging experience to
us as an actress didn’t come hard but the memory seems to haunt Joselyn
Dumas as she recollects “I think the most challenging movie for me was Sin
in the club, it was the most challenging movie for me because I think I
didn’t take the job home; Adam’s Apple is also challenging but
I like the challenge because I love Jenifer Adams; so I had to get into
her character to play so well. And to me leaving Justice Dumango and
becoming Jenifer Adams is quite challenging. But, it is fun, it is fun. Shirley
is one director who will make you do the impossible and equally get the best
out of you no matter the attitudinal odds. I thank God that I have met amazing
people in my life and I have been able to measure up when it comes to this
industry (Movie) and I can also attach it to the favor of God. I won’t really
call it “luck” but God’s favor because Shirley is one person who will
nurture your talent if you allow her do and that is exactly what helped me. And
she is one person who craves for details. Before you go on a set, you need to
dot your ‘Is’ and dot your ‘Ts’ because she knows what she wants and she wants
exactly that. So, you can’t go and do anything anyhow and feel that ‘it is
okay’ no way. So, to me, that also gave me my training as an actress because Shirley
is an amazing director and she brings out the best in people”.
us as an actress didn’t come hard but the memory seems to haunt Joselyn
Dumas as she recollects “I think the most challenging movie for me was Sin
in the club, it was the most challenging movie for me because I think I
didn’t take the job home; Adam’s Apple is also challenging but
I like the challenge because I love Jenifer Adams; so I had to get into
her character to play so well. And to me leaving Justice Dumango and
becoming Jenifer Adams is quite challenging. But, it is fun, it is fun. Shirley
is one director who will make you do the impossible and equally get the best
out of you no matter the attitudinal odds. I thank God that I have met amazing
people in my life and I have been able to measure up when it comes to this
industry (Movie) and I can also attach it to the favor of God. I won’t really
call it “luck” but God’s favor because Shirley is one person who will
nurture your talent if you allow her do and that is exactly what helped me. And
she is one person who craves for details. Before you go on a set, you need to
dot your ‘Is’ and dot your ‘Ts’ because she knows what she wants and she wants
exactly that. So, you can’t go and do anything anyhow and feel that ‘it is
okay’ no way. So, to me, that also gave me my training as an actress because Shirley
is an amazing director and she brings out the best in people”.
 |
| Joselyn Dumas…’Iyiola Ayoade of Chatter House is a rare African leader’ |
 |
| Joselyn Dumas…..’Shirley Frimpong Manso is the woman who moulded my film character |
(Watch out for the
concluding part of the Joselyn Dumas exclusive titled “How I became the Face of Range Rover E-Vogue” on this blog in 24 hours time)
concluding part of the Joselyn Dumas exclusive titled “How I became the Face of Range Rover E-Vogue” on this blog in 24 hours time)
