Ghana’s playwright Uncle Ebo Whyte has revealed that he once sold bread on the streets of Kumasi to survive.
Speaking in an interview with NEWS-ONE, he said he rose from a humble beginning to become one of the most celebrated playwrights on the African continent today.
Even though he believes it is God’s favour which elevates people to greater heights in life, he urged young people to keep working harder for their breakthrough.
“I used to sell bread on my head. These days, people who sell bread sell it with a bit of swag. But in my time it was that round wooden thing and you stuck the bread on one after the other and you tied with flour sack to hold it. I did that for three years to help take care of myself in secondary school,” he revealed.
“God has been good to me. I don’t think anybody gave me a chance that I will be where I am today. And that is why I am happy to tell my story. Ghana is hard for particularly if you are a young person looking to the future. You can easily get discouraged but then there are stories like mine where without any big man to help me and connection but with faith in God and dependence on God, somehow opens the door here and there. I don’t come from a rich home,” he added.
Uncle Ebo, a Fante, was born and raised in Kumasi. He had his basic education in Kumasi and continued his secondary education in Accra at the Osu Presbyterian Senior High School. After that, he worked for six years before he got admission into the university to read statistics. Whilst working, he joined the theatre industry and has since not looked back.
Over the years, he has helped in the team-building efforts and rebranding processes for many companies and is known to have helped numerous people in all walks of life through his hard-hitting, inspirational and realistic presentations.
“Don’t give up. Just continue working hard and serve well. Also, continue having integrity and being humble. Your time will come. It is God who raises people. I know boys in Nima who train harder than Lionel Messi, but they will never come near him. So, if Messi says he trains hard, I say he should come to Nima. It is God’s favour. It’s God who decides that for whatever reason, He has decided to pick you and make you a big name. That is why we should be humble no matter where God has put us because yes you work hard but He gave you the grace to work hard,” he advised young people who are struggling to make it in life.