‘She shaped my life’ – John Dumelo recalls film experience with Grace Nortey since 1991

John Dumelo, a prominent Ghanaian actor and politician, paid a poignant tribute to the late Grace Naa Kwarley Nortey, a revered actress who played a pivotal role in his early career in the film industry. The actor and his fellow mourners, including family members and industry colleagues, gathered at the State House forecourt in Accra on Saturday, October 31, 2026, to honor Nortey's legacy.

In a heartfelt message shared on social media, Dumelo reminisced about his collaboration with Nortey in the 1991 Ghanaian film "Baby Thief." He described the experience as transformative, recalling their journeys to various locations across the country, such as Afienya, Mayra, and Koforidua, to bring the film to life. Dumelo emphasized Nortey's unwavering inspiration, saying, "This morning I pay tribute to a great woman that shaped my life. From the first day I set foot on the film set of 'Baby Thief', she's always been an inspiration."

Nortey, a celebrated figure in Ghanaian cinema, passed away on August 26, 2026, at the age of 89, after receiving medical care at the University of Ghana Medical Centre. Her funeral rites, held on the same day as Dumelo's tribute, were attended by a notable gathering of prominent figures from Ghana's entertainment industry, including fellow actress Grace Omaboe, affectionately known as Maame Dokono, and members of the Ghana Actors Guild.

The mourners, dressed in white, gathered to celebrate Nortey's life and contributions to Ghana's film and television landscape before her remains were interred in a private burial ceremony.