David Dontoh

David Kwame Dontoh (ba dɔgɛ e la 1964) ti ba yi'ira e ti Ãseba David, " Ghanaman" n la Kofi Abranteɛ" ( Kofi Gentleman), de sini ita bɔna Ghana gee kelum dɛna TV zuo nɔtɔgesa mina n lagum pa'asɛ yese sini duma zo'e zo'e bɔna Ghana la slomitisi basɛba dɛna de'endɛ'ɛna. A de la mina n lagum n suŋɛ ti TV  zuo la de'endɛ'ɛneba nyɛ maalegɔ sansɛka ti ba yuun na ko pɔsɛ sini itegɔ Ghana dɛna la 80s la 90s yuuma la. A yuun pɔsɛ sini itegɔ was la 1980 yuunɛ la puan yesera iŋa n yuum nyɛ gɔŋɔ ze'eta National Film and Television Institute (NAFTI) duma zi'an yi'ira nɛreba ti ba lagum wa'ana ti ba kumese ba yesera sini itegɔ puan. A yia sini yu'urɛ de la The Way To Shame, a yuun de la mita ayopɔi sini ti mina n yuun suŋɛ ba de la Alex Bannerman ti la yuun lagum pa'asɛ la ba zamesegɔ yɛla puan. Bannerman mina mi n yuun lagum dɛna sukuu bia sankaŋa bɔna NAFTI wa la yuun ta nyɛ Dontoh mɛ gee doose a poorin ti lagum wa'ana ti ba yese sinii dɔla la nɛra n ka wa'ana ti ba ko dikɛ a fole la bo Dontoh ti ba lagum yese. Sini gakeriba yele yele woo Mike Hagan yuun nyɛ Dontoh n tã sɛla ita me bɔna sinii yire la puan la de'eŋɔ gee yuun yele Alex Bannerman wa. Dontoh bo'olum wa nyaa yuun ta nɛɛ peelum la iŋa n yuun pa'asɛ sinii sɛla yu'urɛ n de Gus wa puan: dɛna The Theater  Cat, a yunn de la sniigeriga ba yuun dikɛ ka yese la dakerɛ puan yesera T. S. Eliot zi'an. Mina n yuun bɔna ba nɛŋa pa'ala ba de la George Andoh Wilson n ze'ele Wilson of Wilson Acting Academy fame.

 Obra Drama Group 
Tu mi Dontoh la a san ita sinii folesɛka ti a ba ita de la "Ghanaman" ni dɛna bubibepaalega bɔna yelu'urɔ de'eŋɔ  puan ti de yu'urɛ dɛna Ɔbra ("Santɛɛnɛ puan") vom ti de yu'urɛ yuun yese me bɔna 80s la 90s yuuma puan. Ɔbra yuun pɔse dɛna Keteke sinii yire pika n yuun pɔsɛ bɔna Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) yuun kɛleŋera la Osofo Dadzie.

Ɔbra puan, Dontoh yuun lagum me la Ghana sinii itiba n de Grace Omaboe ( Maame Dokono), Joe Eyison ( Station Master),  Amankwaa Ampofo, Esi Kom, Belinda Oku ( Adwoa Smart) n la basɛba. Sankaŋa la, Ɔbra wa yuun kɛleŋere me la Osofo Dadzie sinii yire sɛka me n yuun ko lagum tuna ti Alaserɛ daarɛ yu'uŋɔ woo bama n da ni yesera ba sinii ba san ni ta ba'asɛ Talking Point. Poorin, Dontoh yuun naa me la Grace Omaboe (Maame Dokono) ti ba bɔna nɛŋa zala TV zuo de'eŋɔ yu'urɛ n yuun de By The Fire Side n boi santɛɛnɛ puan dɛna solema soleŋɔ ba yu'urɛ yuun yese me bɔna 90s yuuma la puan. A me yuun lagum bisa de'eŋɔ kayima n yuun boi TV zuo n de buuri de'eŋɔ ti ka yu'urɛ yuun dɛna la Agoro bɔna Santɛɛnɛ puan ti iŋa n yuun de de'eŋɔ kɛ'ɛma "Agoro Master" ti iŋa la Adwoa Yeboah Adje ( Naporso Hemaa) i n yuun lagum ita. Ba yuun yese de'eŋɔ ganɛ yuun pia. De'eŋɔ wa puan, nɛreba bala yuun lebeseri sokereduma yesera Gaana buuri yɛla la malema. Ba yuun iti la sokere la lebesegɔ lagena la yuuma la wa'a. Dontoh wa yuun lagum me la nɛreba basɛba ti malegum tee de'eŋɔ wa yu'urɛ kiŋɛ Agoro Fie n de De'eŋɔ Yire (Play House) bɔna 2011 ba nyaa yuun nyɛ ba pɔsega n basɛ ti ba yese se'em.    

 Games Shows and Quizzes 

 Agoro (1998 - 2008)
 Agoro Fie (2011)
 By The Fire Side

 Sinii Duma( Films) 
Sinii sɛba ti Dontoh lagum iŋɛ ti ba ba'amina de la

 Iŋɛ n iŋɛ sɛla ti ba yi'ira ti Beasts of No Nation ( bɔna 2015 yuunɛ la puan) as Linguist
 Iŋɛ n iŋɛ sɛla ti ba yi'ira ti The Dead ( bɔna 2010 yuunɛ la puan) as The Chief
 Iŋɛ n iŋɛ sɛla ti ba yi'ira ti The Cursed Ones ( bɔna 2015 yuunɛ la puan ) as Bar Tender.

 Notable Projects 
Dontoh yuun lagum pa'asɛ nɛresɛba n yuun biseri Ghana National Theater management wa me la paɛ yuuma ti yuun to'e a vo'osegɔ sore bɔna tigere wa puan la 2000 yuunɛla puan. A lagum pa'asɛ me ti ba yu'ɛ tigere sɛla n de Ghana Union Of Theatre Societies la me la sunkpe'ene Effah Nkrabea Darteh. A lagum pa'asɛ sɛba n tari Ghana Actors Guild tigere la wa'a mi na ti n iŋa n yuun de bayia gungulesa bɔ'ɔra tigere la. Ti iŋɛ nɔɔ n yuun la kelum dɛna Ghana de'endɛ'ɛneba tigere la zuodaana n de Ghana Concert Parties Union la. Dontoh mi tabele dɛna kokazudaana bɔ'ɔra bɔ'ɔra Ghana Music Award duma tigere la me yuuma n zo'e.

Fu san yese ba koosegɔ de'eŋɔ duma la, Dontoh tara a miŋa tuuma zi'an mɛ, Golden Kauri, n la suŋɛ meŋa tigere n de Kaurifire Arts Foundation. A le kelum suŋɛ tigera atã mɛ n de sinii yɛ mɛ ti ba suŋɛ sɛba n na isegeri la. KOZIKOZI Theatre Company, Edzikanfo Concert Party n la David Dontoh Cultural Ensemble ( DADON CULEN).

Nanana a de la nɛŋadaana bɔna tigere paalega sɛka n de Gaana sinii itiba Yɛleŋɔ la Ghana National Film  Auyhority ( NFA) sɛka ti ba yuun yu'uka la Sapɔlegɔ ŋmarega 2019. Ti Ghana National Film Authority tuunɛ de la ba bisera gee suŋera sinii duma was yire la ba suŋa. Ti tigere wa bo la Bureau Of Ghana Languages gee nan gura ti ba maalɛ ba'asɛ.https://mobile.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/entertainment/Akufo-Addo-appoints-David-Dontoh-as-NFA-chair-Juliet-Asante-as-Executive-Secretary-820144 2015 yuunɛ la puan la, a yuun pɔsɛ la  a DAS Professional Acting Institute bɔna Zenith University College la puan.https://www.graphic.com.gh/entertainment/showbiz-news/david-dontoh-opens-acting-school.html 

 Pɔsega vom Yɛla 
Ba yuun dugɛ David Dontoh la Gyegyeano, tiŋa n boi  Central Region ti ba yi'ira ti Cape Coast tiŋa bɔna Ghana. Asɔ yuun de la pa'ala, gɔngulesa dee dɛna kariba nɛŋadaana yele yele bɔna zɛma'asa yɛleŋɔ n la dusi gu'ulegɔ. Ama Elizabeth Victoria Ackon Green (Efua Beduwa), yuun de la mina n sɛ'ɛri zim. A dɔgeriba yuun ka di taaba. A sɔ sɔ ( Humphrey Kweku Dontoh) yuun de la zinyɔgera n yese Gomoa Fete gee ti a yaabduma yese Saltpond. A yuun zo la Cape Coast tiŋa, Abrakrampa n la Winneba- zinyɔreba la ku'a tiŋa bɔna Ghana Central Coast sa. A zo'ore vom puan, a yuun bo la yikatɛ puan ti a ãseduma la a mabisi n boi tuuma yima yima n kaa e mum. A yuun dikɛ a sinii yesega  bo'olum bo la yɛlesia n boi buuri yelesia woo ti a yuun dɔla tola a vom puan. A zo'ore vom puan a suure yuun bo la Science, geography, History , zaaleŋa, poetry, Philosophy n la zamesegɔ duma zo'e zo'e.A yuun de la mina n mi gɔŋɔ yele woo Geography bɔna 1975 yuunɛ la puan gee wa nyaŋɛ dɔreŋɛ dunia was gee kan bisɛ gɔŋɔ puan. A kaalɛ gɔsɛba n tari suŋerɛ mɛ bɔna dunia was yese Socrates , Plato n la Aristotle ba daa san bo ba fole ti ba kule ta vo'ose. Dontoh yuun boti a zamesɛ lebege dɔgeta bee Mɔntɔsele tukera amaa n gɔnɔ yuun ka paɛ to a wan kiŋɛ bini. E yuun isegeri na za'a ti a puti'irɛ yuun bɔna dɔgeta tuuma puan. A yuun pɛ la azɔ nɔtɛ yesera la ba yuun kiŋɛ ayima yire ta zu kubɛ. Kɔleberɛ n wɔregɛ n yuun ŋmaa a zɔ la nuo ba nyaa yuun yeti ba ba'a lalega zɔ la.. Dontoh n suŋɛ a zɔ was mɛ pɛ azɔ was nuo wa la yire lɔgerɔ n de fupiim la guŋɔ gee ka kiŋɛ dɔgeta. Yelepakerɛ la de la, dɔgeta duma n yuun ta nyɛ nɔtɛ la, pɛ'a la yunn iŋɛ la suŋa ti ba yuun basɛ gunu la bini gurɛ nɔti la bi'irɛ. Yele wa n bo e la yu'urɛ n de "Doctor David"nyaa yuun ko basɛ ti a suure bɔna tuunɛ la puan.

La  iŋa n yuun nyɛ sɛla za'a wa la, ligesɛka ti a wa dikɛ yɔ gee kiŋɛ sukuu wa la yuun basɛ ti Dontoh maalum ti'ise a puti'irɛ la n de a kiŋɛ dɔgeta sukuu la. Ayuun na tuni me la asɔ yuuma anii  bɔna AAPLE ( Association of People for Practical Life Education), sɛba n lagum tuna la USAID bɔna Atebubu bɔna Brong Ahafo Region Ghana tiŋa wa puan. Sansɛka, AAPLE yuun bɔna la yɔ'ɔ ti ba maalɛ logo bɔ ba tuuma la ti Dontoh wa dinɛ n loo ana suŋa gana ba za'a. Ti bala la, a yuun tum mi la Ghana Center for National Culture (Ghana Art Center)

Poorin ti a yuun naɛ la a asɔbila bɔna sinii itegɔ la puan mina n bo sinii itegɔ wa puan. A yireduma yuun na ka sakɛ  yesera la ba fakeri nɛreba zuto se'em ti ligeri me yuun ka boi bini sankaŋa la. Gee la bala la, adɔgeriba yuun bo e fole me ti a gee kamaalɛ e, tɛ'ɛla e sansɛka ti ba yuun nyaa nyɛta a tuuma n tari suŋerɛ se'em.

La iŋa n yuun de budibepaalega la, David Dontoh yuun tari puti'ira la bo'olum yesera la iŋa n tari bo'olum sebo taaba. Hali la a yu'urɛ n yuun yese se'em sinii itegɔ wa puan la, a yuun de la mina n zuti gee ŋmɛ'ɛra bɔgesin bɔna a sukuu kinɛ dabesa la puan. A yuun de la mina n ŋmɛ'ɛri bɔgesin wa yuuma ayoobi gee yuun ita a iŋkpesegɔ la Kaneshie Boxing Complex bɔna vo'osegɔ dabesa puan gee me yuun nɔŋɛ Azuma Nelson Kpakpo Allotey, Adama Mensah la basɛba bo sa pa'asɛ. Dontoh tabele zamesa mɛ la Azuma Nelson wa gee yeti iŋa yuun nyaŋɛ e mɛ ba zamesegɔ puan. A sɔ n yuun de mina n go'o e ti a da ŋmɛ bɔgesin wa sɛla n sɔi la a yuun bisɛ ti a bia mi gɔŋɔ gana ti a wa'ana ŋmɛ'ɛra bɔgesin la. Ti ɔfisi puan tuuma sankaŋa yuun de la yu'urɛ ti yele'ana n yuun lagum pa'asɛ. La bala la, Dontoh puti'irɛ la a nɔŋerɛ bɔ'ɔra bɔgesin la zu'a tuuma yuun bɔ mɛ sansɛka ti a nyaa yuun pɔsɛ kaara tiŋa wa la ba sinii la Tv zuo de'eŋɔ tuuma wa la.

Dontoh yuun kɛ'ɛri me la apɔgera bɔna Dansoman gee pɔsɛ a sinii tuuma. Ti USAID zuodaana Olean Hess mina n tabele tum la Dontoh pɔgera wa yuun wa'am me na sankaŋa nɔɔ gee nyɛ budibela la n tari bo'olum sɛbo la durɔŋɔ tuuma wa.. Ti budibepaalega Dontoh yuun sakɛ mi ti a durɔŋɛ footɛ duma 70 bo e Olean Hess bɔna a gɔpaalega bɔna kua bɔna sɛka puan "Agriculture InThe Tropic"s, gee toe lagefo fii.

 Asukuu Zamesegɔ Yɛla 
David Dontoh n yuun pɔsɛ a sukuu kinɛ, a yuun kiŋɛ sukuya duma paa se'em ma'am bɔna Cape Coast, Winneba la Abakrampa ti bana za'a bo la Central Region bɔna Ghana wa. A sukuu kinɛ puan, a tum tuuma  zo'e zo'e mɛ a sɛkondere sukuu saŋa mɛ. A kiŋɛ a Sekondere sukuu bɔna Apam Senior High School la puan. A yuun zamesɛ la Science, English n la Poetry. Poorin ti a yuun nyaa ta nyɛta yu'urɛ gee me zɔna saazuo bɔna sinii tuuma wa puan la, atadaana n de Grace Omaboe ( Maame Dokono) bɔna Ɔbra fame -yuun ka'am e mɛ ti a mɔ gee lebe sukuu ta toe  gɔnkatɛ bɔna Sinii yire la de'eŋɔ tuuma yesera la iŋa n yuun di mi'a dɛna mina n ta ita sinii duma gana za'a la nyɔɔrɛ la bɔna 1984. Bala la, Dontoh yuun kiŋɛ ta zamesɛ la De'eŋɔ la sinii maalegɔ gɔŋɔ bɔna sukuu sɛka n iti sinii duma wa bɔna Performing Arts University Of Ghana bɔna 1985 n la 1988 ti a zamesegɔ zuo yele de la Playwriting gee yuun ba'asɛ to'e a gɔŋɔ.  

 Amiŋa Vom Yɛla 
David Dontoh di la Rebecca Dontoh. Ba tari la kɔma batã, bayi de la Jojo la Ewurama. Yelebibisi boi yeti a yuun sɔsɛ Grace Omaboe (Maame Dokono) yuuma anaasi n de sansɛka ti ba yuun lagum tuna bɔna Ɔbra de'eŋɔ tigere la puan. Ba sinii itegɔ woo ba ni dɛna la budaa la ka pɔga bɔna Ɔbra de'eŋɔ la puan. Ti budaa la pɔga nɔŋerɛ ni de la sɛla ti biseriba ni nyɛta  ba bayi la tiŋasuka gana sinii la ma'a. Viisegɔ sɔsega zo'e zo'e, Dontoh ni ka yeti ɛɛ bee ayi ba boti taaba bee ka bɔta gee a ni togum yeti ba de la zɔduman ba'a lem taaba paa sansɛka ti Grace Omaboe yuun na yese ayia sira la zi'an. Grace Omaboe yuun ni tɔgɛ yelemiŋerɛ ba nɔŋɛ taaba se'em. A basɛ ti la nɛɛ peelum puan yeti ba yuun boti taaba mɛ  ti la yuu fii. Grace zi'an, a yuun ko nɔŋɛ taaba mɛ hali ba yuun tari puti'irɛ ti ba di taaba gee yuun lebe bisɛ yeti aayi yesera la ba puti'ira n yuun ka dɔla taaba iŋa. Dontoh yuun bisɛ ti na narɛ ti ba dɔgɛ kɔma gee Grace yuun ka sakɛ dɔla la iŋa n pugum diŋɛ tara kɔma bayoobi gee gaŋɛ 40 la yuu iŋɛ a puti'irɛ ti iŋa ka le dɔgɛ dɔla daaŋɔ ta'am ta bɔna a poore nyɔkerɛ pain yesera a yuuma la n de se'em. Sankaŋa la Dontoh yuun nan de la budibepaalega ba bayi la tinsuka gee bɔta ti a dɔgɛ a ma'a kɔma. Ti ba yuun yelege taaba la suyinɛ puan la, ba kelum dɛna la zɔtɔ.  

La pa'asɛ sinii itegɔ la puan, Dontoh de la mina n guleseri, ita de'eŋɔ duma,yuun yuuna, yuugulsera, mina n wa nyaŋɛ pentɛ n la tuuma zo'e zo'e. A naam yuuma zoe mɛ gee mi kelum tara 300 dakerɛ duma Fanti, Santɛɛnɛ la solemiine. Iŋa n kelum dɛna tigere paalega ti ba yuɛ n de Ghana National Film Authority. A me kelum dɛna la gãkera bɔna Ghana 48 hour film production la puan.  

 Filmography 

 Film 

YearFilmRoleNotes1983 yuunɛ la puanKukurantumi: Road to AccraBob1989 yuunɛ la puanHeritage Africa1991yuunɛ la puan Sika SunsumJimmy CashDirect-to-video1993 yuunɛ la puanConfessionsPaa KwesiDirect-to-video1996 yuunɛ la puanDeadly VoyageBob1998 yuunɛ la puanVictim of LoveDirect-to-video2004 yuunɛ la puanWelcome Home'''
|Taxi Driver
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|2006 yuunɛ la puan
|No Time to Die|Asante
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|2010 yuunɛ la puan
|The Dead|The Chief
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|2011 yuunɛ la puan
|Ties That Bind|Koo
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|2012 yuunɛ la puan
|Kweiba|Father
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|2013 yuunɛ la puan
|The Dead 2: India|The Chief
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| rowspan="4" |2015 yuunɛ la puan
|Pieces of Me|Board Member
|Direct-to-video
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|Beasts of No Nation|Linguist
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|Chronicles of Odumkrom: The Headmaster|Mr. Brown
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|The Cursed Ones|Bar Tender
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|2016 yuunɛ la puan
|Like Cotton Twines|Father Baani
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|2019 yuunɛ la puan
|Smoke Screen|Uncle Debrah
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| rowspan="2" |2020 yuunɛ la puan
|Coming to Africa|Monte
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|Lagos to Oslo|Professor Obiora
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|2021 yuunɛ la puan
|Freedom and Justice|President
|Drama
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|2023 yuunɛ la puan
|Coming to Africa: Welcome to Ghana|
|Comedy / Drama / Romance
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|2024 yuunɛ la puan
|The Groomsmen''Drama

 Television 
YearFilmRoleNotes1996Screen TwoBobEpisode: "Deadly Voyage"2017BeatMr. Ntim

 Awards and Recognition 

 Iŋɛ n yuum de Best Actor ECRAG Award 1984,1989 and 1992 yuuma la puan.
 Iŋɛ n yuum de Best Supporting and World Centenary of Film, Ghana Film Award 1999 yuunɛ la puan.
 Iŋɛ n yuum de PAM African Film Festivalhttps://web.archive.org/web/20150905051416/http://content.ghananation.com/articles/David-Dontoh.aspx
 Iŋɛ n yuum de Ghana Peace Award (2017 yuunɛ la puan)  
 Viisegɔ Gɔnɔ Tuseto