Love him or hate him, there is no denying the fact that for some years now, Agya Koo has become the most popular comedy actor in Ghana.

 In fact, in the opinion of most movie lovers, he is responsible for the rejuvenation Ghanaian movies are enjoying now. With his biting comments, hilarious gestures and very inventive language, Agya Koo (whose real name is Adu Kofi) has warmed his way into the hearts of most movie lovers who cannot get enough of him.  

 However, in recent times new faces have emerged who seem to be challenging Agya Koo for his crown, the stiffest competition coming in the person of Clement Bonney, aka Mr Beautiful.

 Since he emerged on the movie scene about a year or so ago, Mr Beautiful has steadily won fans from all areas with his antics and exaggerated acting skills and for now seems to be the only one who could usurp Agya Koo’s comfortable position.

 But in a chat with Showbiz, Agya Koo said he was not bothered because Mr Beautiful was no threat to him at all.  "I do not believe that Beautiful or any other person is a threat to me because I have established myself very well. I started acting in 1994 with the Concert Party circuit at the National Theatre. I made my name there as the best comedian in the country at that time and since then I have not looked back. Mr Beautiful  has not been on the scene for long.

 "I can tell you emphatically that I am reigning now on the market. Ghanaians have accepted me. I am well known everywhere I go and my movies sell. When you compare the sales I make from my movies to that of Beautiful or any other comic actor, you will realise that I am far ahead. I am not telling lies, you can go to the movie sellers and find out the truth for yourself.

 "I came to meet people in the business who have left the scene and now I am the one in charge. I have worked very hard to get to this level and I will not allow anyone to come and move me from my position.

It has been a lot of hard work and it still is. I admit Beautiful is a good actor but I am sure if you ask him, he will tell you he is nowhere near the standards that I have set. He knows that I am miles ahead of him.

 “It is not for nothing that I was awarded by former president Kufuor at the National Awards ceremony last year, I was given my award because the former president realised that I am good at what I do and he also realised how popular I am everywhere in and outside the country”, he said.

According to Agya Koo, it will be quite difficult to say Mr Beautiful is a threat because he (Agya Koo) has many talents. "I am not only an actor, I am a comedian, a musician among others. Beautiful has only his acting skills so how can he be a threat to me?

There are so many things I can do that he cannot do and so that negates the idea of him being a danger to me,” he added.

  Mr Beautiful on the other hand says he will not call himself a threat or a challenge to Agya Koo, “ but I know that by next year I would be ruling the market. I don’t want to use the word threat because we are not in competition but I can promise you that I will take over the market from Agya Koo. Show business is seasonal—people come and go and so Agya Koo’s time will pass and it will be my turn.

 “ Look at the short period it has taken me to gain popularity. It takes some  people a long time to become popular. Some people feature in a lot of movies before they are even noticed but it took only two movies for me to gain the recognition that I have now so if I tell you that next year I will rule, you have to understand.

I have the skills, the style, and my Fante which appeals to a lot of people.  Fante is a very romantic dialect which a lot of people love and I believe with these I will conquer.

 “ Agya Koo is on top because some of us ignored the business in its initial stages. It was not paying enough at that time. Also, people are used to him so it will take some time for them to accept someone else but even then, look at how popular I have become in a short span of time.

Besides I also have my own market. I am reigning in the Central and Western regions. Even in Kumasi and Accra, I have my following”, he said.

According to Mr Beautiful, Agya Koo will not monopolise the industry forever. “It will get to a point when people will get tired of him and they will want other options and I believe that I will be the people’s choice.

Several people have already come and gone. You can talk of the Santos, Judases among others.
“Whoever thought that people like Fred Amugi and others will lose their positions.

This should tell you that our job is not permanent. One day, the Nana Ama McBrowns, Jackie Appiahs and Nadia Buaris will all fade out for new faces to emerge and so will Agya Koo. But believe me when I tell you that next year, I will rule”, he added.

 Clement Bonney earned the name Mr Beautiful from the movie Sika Anibre in which he starred along Nana Ama McBrown and Agya Koo.

The film was his launching pad onto the movie industry. Before then, he had been noticed for his role in a hilarious Kinapharma APC TV commercial.