Ghanaian actor Bernard Aduse Poku has revealed how a mysterious leg injury abruptly halted his rising career at its peak.
The accident occurred during a student trip to Kintampo Falls, leaving him in a cast for seven months and off the screen for years.
Speaking on The Delay Show, Bernard said the injury struck just as he was gaining fame and had decided to pursue further education.
“At a point when I became very popular, I decided to further my education because, while shooting, I was just a Senior Secondary School graduate,” Bernard said. “I was working as both a production manager and an actor, and juggling the two was taking a toll on me.”
He said he was advised by Samuel Nyamekye, famed movie producer widely known as Miracle Films, to focus on acting and drop his behind-the-scenes responsibilities. But shortly after he began university and embarked on an academic field trip, tragedy struck.
“I went to Techiman for urban study as part of my course requirements. We went to Kintampo Falls on a normal day trip and I broke my leg,” he recalled. “Till now, I don’t know how it happened. I was in POP for about seven months.”
Bernard described the incident as bizarre and still unexplained. The injury forced him to take a break from acting and step away from the limelight for a long period.
His journey in film began shortly after secondary school. He gained recognition through Kumawood’s vibrant film scene, standing out for his powerful screen presence. His breakout role came in Asem, where he played the villainous ‘Koo Musuo’—a chilling performance that earned him nationwide attention, amplified by radio presenter Andy Dosty, who frequently referred to him by the character’s name on air.
Meanwhile, in 2000, he returned and starred in the biopic Tetteh Quarshie, a role that won him several awards.
Now more reflective and selective, Bernard says he only returns to set when passion, not money, drives him.
“At this stage, if I shoot, it’s not for money—it’s just a feeling for it. So now, if I don’t have that feeling, I won’t shoot a film.”
Watch Bernard’s interview on The Delay Show below
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