An Interview with a 17 year old who makes between 650 cedis to 1000 cedis out of make-up artistry

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A determined mind is never disturbed.

“Leaders are made, they are not born. They are made by hard effort, which is the price which all of us must pay to achieve any goal that is worthwhile”. -Vince Lombard

I met this young ambitious lady some few years back and I just fell in love with  her line of thinking. I have no doubts at all where she is now.

I have the singular honour to introduce to you Miss Amtus-Sabooh Wahab Akumfi-Ameyaw, a 17 year make-up artist for our interview.

Pobsonline: Good evening Miss.

Amtu: Good evening sweetheart.

Pobsonline: How are u doing and how is life?

Amtu: Very well by His Grace, Life is fair enough can’t complain yourself?

Pobsonline: I am fine, you can’t really complain, yours is to live it.

Amtu: Exactly!

Pobsonline: Can you tell us about yourself?

Amtu: About myself… hmm….Where do I start from?

Pobsonline: lauging….
Pobsonline: Start from your name.
Amtu: Ok. I’m Amtus-Sabooh Wahab Akumfi-Ameyaw.
Pobsonline: Ow ok.
Amtu: You know what I’d preferably you ask the questions because I don’t know where to continue from and where to end.
Pobsonline: laughing… ow ok…Then tell me about your childhood days? Your place of birth. Name of parents and schools attended if any.                                                                  Amtu: I’m Ghanaian. Born here in Ghana, Accra specifically but moved to Germany with my mum. Later live in Germany for about 5-6 years until 2007. I was partially staying there.
Pobsonline: Ow ok
Amtu: My mum is Ayesha Wahab daughter of the late Ameer of Ghana (AHMADIYYA Muslim head ) Dr.Maulvi Wahab bin Adam and an Asanti royal from her mum’s side
Pobsonline: Wow.. That is nice
Amtu: My dad is Abubakar Akumfi-Ameyaw Prince of Techiman and little brother to the former Minister of Education, and Minister for Ports and habours, Prof. Christopher Ameyaw Akumfi.
Pobsonline: Interesting.
Pobsonline:You are really  from a Great family.                                                                          Amtu: Great you say, we’re just in our little world.

Amtu: Erm… I school here just did a little bit of schooling in Germany but I was at Dolly Memorial creche and nursery school, Labone now Dolly International School. Then I started Grade one in Soul Clinic International School, East Cantonments I didn’t finish there anyways, moved to St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church School, Kanda and finished there writing B.E.C.E. If I had finished in Soul Clinic I would have done O levels. I think I moved to St. Paul’s in grade 4.
Pobsonline: Laughing… That is wonderful.
Amtu: Then did SHS at T.I.AHMADIYYA Senior High School and finished last year May.
Pobsonline: That good to know.
Pobsonline: What program did you read at T. I.  AHMADIYYA?
Amtu: General Arts with electives of Literature, History, Government, French.
Pobsonline: That is good.
Amtu: Yes.
Pobsonline: Are u in Tertiary now?
Amtu: No hopefully getting into school this year September or February but in the same academic year.
Pobsonline: Can you come again please?
Amtu: Going to school this year. You know private universities do two time entries so any of them, but I’m looking at getting in UG hopefully.
Pobsonline: Ow ok.
Pobsonline: That awesome.
Amtu: Yes
Pobsonline: As the granddaughter of the late Ameer of Ghana (AHMADIYYA Muslim head ) Dr.Maulvi Wahab bin Adam, means you are a Muslim.
Amtu: Yes… I’m Muslim.
Pobsonline: Great.
Pobsonline: Now let’s talk a bit about the work you do as a make-up artist.
Amtu: Ok
Pobsonline: How did you start it?
Amtu: Ok… when I finished in May last year I just wanted to take training in Make-up artistry for personal use and probably close friends and family. Because it’s something I just loved doing
Pobsonline: Ow ok… And what happened
Amtu: Then I kept reading more and more on it and I said fine it’s a great thing to do because I felt really pissed off at the way people made it business based and took away the fun and love for the art….I mean make-up is like sculpting where you’re trying to get everything to be just right I mean on point as possible…. Artists don’t do great works because of money they do great works because of the passion they have for it and for that reason they put in their all; exactly how it’s supposed to be on a person’s face because what you make out of it is your artifact you can’t afford making useless and un-nice artifacts. And another thing that disturbed me was a lot of people in Ghana love make-up but never to do it right or always go wrong because they don’t have enough money to get an artist to crown them with a little bit of enhancement so that’s what I’m for.
Pobsonline: What then drove u into this business?
Amtu: Exactly what I said earlier the love for the art and delivering the best of service  (quality) service at relatively cheaper or affordable prices.
Pobsonline: Wow
Pobsonline Let me be strict small on u ok.
Amtu: I’m ok
Amtu: Sure
Pobsonline: How Much do you charge per face?
Amtu: Laughing
Pobsonline: Yea… laughing…
Amtu: Ok it actually depends on what I’m doing. For example if I’m Doing a person for an event like the person is a guest at a wedding and I’m making her up from her home to attend the wedding I’ll take 50 cedis and if it’s close to my vicinity I don’t charge for transportation and feeding besides that’s like a return job.
But if I’m rendering the same service to someone in Kumasi or elsewhere aside Accra, I would have to charge for transportation, and that’s ok
Pobsonline: Wow… That is the passion for work. I can see your passion for this work is so great.
Amtu: If I’m doing for bridals it’s a whole day thing so it ranges from 650-1000. This is transportation inclusive most of the time they’ll take care of the feeding since there’s already a lot of food at the place and where I’m going to do it. Also how many people I’m doing for, that’s all inclusive because with weddings it’s her biggest day she can’t go wrong anywhere
Pobsonline: Wow
Amtu: So with weddings like the Islamic weddings where they change into different outfits a lot they’ll be more touching up to do, changing the lips and probably adding a little bit of colour to her eyes when it’s getting darker in the day.
Amtu: I mean I don’t know if you have fair ideas of make-up artistry charges but believe me when you compare, you will see I actually do this for free.
Pobsonline: That is quit tedious.
Amtu: Laughing… I know right… But I mean if you have passion for what you’re doing you don’t get tired.
Pobsonline: Yea…  That is why I said that.
I can see ur passion for this work is so great.
Amtu: I mean you know that about me based on how I served ARSRC.
Pobsonline: Yea
Amtu: And I mean everyone around me has encouraged me whenever I felt like it’s getting out of hand, Family and friends.
Pobsonline: That means you have thought of leaving this work, right?
Amtu: I mean I’m grateful and God keeps blessing me with more energy.
Pobsonline: We thank God for that.
Amtu: Not leaving but I mean taking a break…. thinking of it further than the passion and all but how would you want to leave when you have all the encouragement in the world and you’re lovely, I mean. It’s lovely.
Pobsonline: That is nice to know.
Amtu: I always get to work with amazing people, so yes I keep wanting to stay.
Pobsonline: Now tell me, aside these encouragements from family,  what are the challenges you face as a young make-up artist? From family and friends I mean
Amtu: I’m still underage at the moment, I mean I’ll be legal this year September though but I mean sometimes the pressure from my mum, She has a problem with how late some of my offers are and safety and all.
Pobsonline: And dad?
Amtu: Erm… we don’t live with him he’s moved down though but he lives in his village, Techiman
Pobsonline: Ow ok
Pobsonline: How does any normal day starts for Amtu?
Amtu: Wake up at dawn to say prayers after sleep for an hour and wake up to do all the things I’m expected to do after get into the bathroom finish everything I’m supposed to do in there I’m ready for the day… I mean after bathing I get some food either mum’s made something or I’ll put something together and my day begins.
Pobsonline: That is wonderful.
Amtu: I should think so.
Pobsonline: laughing…. Do you model as well?
Amtu: Laughing… Well… Yea… Being doing that for 12-13years now.
But I’m on lil a break.
Pobsonline: Ow Ok…
Amtu: When I got into SHS, I took a break off to be able to concentrate on school and exams. I will be getting back hopefully late this year or early next year when I get into school.
Pobsonline: Ow ok
Amtu: Yes
Pobsonline: Were u modeling for an agency or how did you do it when you were doing active modeling?
Amtu: I started from Soul Clinic. I was in the modelling club…
Pobsonline: Ok… That is nice to know
Amtu: So I started doing shows in school was taking intensive training and all of a sunden I got into my first international Show in 2007. And that’s where it begun.
Pobsonline: Nice
Amtu: Got into the EXOPA a few months after and it was fun because at that young age I was being paid and we had our hair and make-up done and all that I mean so chic and fabulous. But aside that I did anything’s that I earned from.
Pobsonline: Wow… That was amazing.
Amtu: It sure was and I was modelling with some of the best models across Africa and a lot of rich kids like Imani Ayew, the little sister of Dede and Jordan Ayew and all of the other girls.
Pobsonline: Wow
Amtu: It was fun
Pobsonline: That was nice, just to say the least
Amtu: I know right.
Pobsonline: Miss Amtu.
Amtu: Yes love
Pobsonline: Are you dating or you are single?
Amtu: Laughing… It’s complicated. I’m not searching though. But it’s complicated.
Pobsonline: laughing…
Pobsonline: What makes it complicated?
Amtu: I mean I’m not searching and I’m not so single ….I’m just hanging in there.
Pobsonline: Hanging in between?
Amtu: I mean, I’m still allowed to crush on people.
Pobsonline: laughing… ow ok.
Amtu: And have people crush back and admire me and come in but please I’m assuring no one of positive answers.
Pobsonline: laughing… Interesting
We have heard u Miss
Amtu: Thanks for understanding.
Pobsonline: Any advice to the youth, especially the young girls who aspire to get to your heights?
Amtu: Strive for what you want, go through any means morally appropriate to get there, ladies don’t be a slut just because you want a position or some support we’re valuable so value yourself first, don’t always want to be someone you’re not. Boys don’t go through inappropriate moral ways just because you want to be some boy you’re not strive hard for your dream…don’t loose hope and don’t forget who you are. Everything you’re doing in life believe in yourself, have faith in God and call unto him with your request and he’ll gladly help you.
Pobsonline: That was awesome
Now if anyone wishes to follow you on the social media handles where does he go?
Amtu: My blog: is aswaartistry.wordpress.com
Facebook page: amtu’s artistry
Ig:@ aswaa
Twitter:amie__babe
Pobsonline :That is fine
Amtu: The rest of my handles for tumbler and YouTube I’d get it right and let you communicate it later, ok?
Pobsonline: Ow… Ok.
Amtu: Or just send me an on amtuakumfiameyaw@gmail.com
Pobsonline: That is fine. Miss Amtu Akumfi-Amyew.
Amtu: AKWASI DARLING.
Pobsonline: We are grateful for your time and patience.
Pobsonline: Your last words…
Amtu: Aww it’s a pleasure.
Pobsonline: Pleasure is ours.
Amtu: God first, passion & family, then friends money and whatever come after that the youth is the future of the world let’s make use of our talents you could do that even aside school, make God, yourself, family and your society at large proud of you.
Pobsonline: Awesome
Pobsonline: That is beautiful
Amtu: God bless you all and I love every one of you putting in your efforts to make sure I’m climbing higher. God bless you all.
Pobsonline: God bless you too
Amtu: Thanks AKWASI for the opportunity I’m most grateful.
Pobsonline: You are always welcome my damsel. Have a nice day.


Interview was done and compiled by Akwasi Boakye.

Our next interview will be between Lamine of Ghana Most Beautiful fame. Watch out!!!

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13 COMMENTS

  1. Amtu- keep it up kk..Allah is in control…u ll mk ways out of rocks..
    stay bless…

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