Odoi Mensah’s death is a shock — Actors Guild

The Ghana Actors Guild (GAG) has expressed shock and sadness at the death of veteran actor and former president of the Guild, Samuel Nii Odoi Mensah, which occurred in the late hours of Monday at Shijiazhuang Kidney Disease Hospital in China. 

In an interview with Showbiz on Tuesday, the Treasurer of the GAG, Francis Dogbey, who spoke on behalf of the organisation said, the death of the former GAG president was a very big shock not only to the family and members of the Ghana Actors Guild, but to Ghanaians as a whole. 

“I got the message around 4am on Tuesday. In fact, it came as a very big shock not only to the family but also to the entire executives and members of GAG and also Ghanaians as a whole. 

“He has been suffering from kidney problems and he was undergoing dialysis treatment at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital.  

“Since the treatment in Ghana was very expensive, we thought is wise to fly him outside the country. It was a challenge, but with God’s intervention, some individuals and group of people contributed to take him to China and he was there for a month until today when we got the sad news that he is dead,” he said. 

“The body is still in China, but some of the GAG executives have met with the family to express our condolences and lend support. Discussions are still ongoing on how to bring the body down to Ghana and then commence with the funeral arrangements,” he continued.

On his part, movie producer Socrate Safo said he was still in shock at the news of the death of his close friend, “it’s not been easy since the time I heard the news. I still won’t believe it till I see the body, it’s not an easy thing.”

 The renowned actor and former boss of Ghana Actors Guild is well known on Ghanaian screens and in movies in the 90s and early 2000s. He starred in movies such as Deadly Decision, By Force Marriage among others.

 It was reported last year that Mr Samuel Odoi Mensah was spending an estimated $300 weekly on dialysis treatment to stay alive after doctors declared his two kidneys incapable of performing their key functions effectively.

He later publicly asked for financial aid to enable him to undergo medical treatment in China, after which he was assisted by some benevolent individuals and organisations.