Ghanaian actress Adwina has opened up about her decision to leave Ghana’s movie industry and relocate to the United States, saying the move was necessary for her to take care of her children and pursue new opportunities.
Speaking in an interview with Abena Ghana on Adom TV’s The Journey programme, Adwina said she had to take a major risk by leaving Ghana, despite advice from the late Apostle Safo against the decision.
According to her, she told the late Apostle Safo that she had to leave Ghana because of her children and the responsibilities she had towards them.
Adwina said her early years in America were not easy, but she remained determined to overcome the challenges that came with starting life in a foreign country.
“I don’t give up in life. I am a fighter,” she said, explaining that the challenges she encountered over the years made her stronger and more confident.
The actress revealed that she has lived in America for about 20 years and usually returns to Ghana every three or four years, mainly for work-related activities, relaxation and family matters.
She said although she loves acting, she had to put her acting career on hold to focus on raising and supporting her children.
Adwina, who began her acting journey alongside some of Ghana’s well-known actresses, said she is happy to see how far her former colleagues have come in the industry.
She mentioned actresses such as Vivian Jill Lawrence and Nana Ama McBrown among those she started with, saying it brings her joy to see the doors God has opened for them.
“I love acting, but I had to leave to take care of my children,” she explained.
Adwina also spoke about losing both parents in Ghana. She said her father passed away first, followed years later by her mother, forcing her to return to Ghana to make arrangements for both funerals.
She admitted that the experiences sometimes become overwhelming and cause her to break down emotionally, but said growing up and overcoming numerous challenges has strengthened her.
Despite the difficulties, Adwina expressed gratitude to God for seeing her through the various stages of her life.
The actress also disclosed that her time abroad has not been limited to work. She has pursued education and continues to further her studies.
She said she studied for a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice with a focus on Forensic Science and also pursued a bachelor’s degree in Digital Cinematography.
Adwina believes the Ghanaian movie industry has changed significantly since she left, with improvements that have made some aspects of filmmaking easier compared to the past.
She recalled that before she became an actress, Nana Ama McBrown was a family member, while she herself worked for a security company.
According to her, filmmaker Michael Afranie later discovered her and introduced her to acting.
Adwina said the films she featured in performed well on the market, but because she was balancing acting with other responsibilities, she treated filmmaking largely as a part-time activity.
She further explained that although her father had only daughters, she grew up around men and developed a strong interest in security and officer-related jobs.
She said this background contributed to her love for security work, which remains one of the areas she has always been passionate about.