Veteran Actor Mawuli Semevo Passes Away After Fire Accident

Mawuli Semevo, a seasoned Ghanaian actor, passed away, according to sources BigFamily News received. He passed away at Ridge Hospital on Thursday, February 20, 2025, reportedly while undergoing treatment from serious burns that he sustained in a fire incident around a week ago.

According to Judith Addison of Beyond Burns International, a nonprofit group that supports burn survivors, Semevo suffered catastrophic injuries in a fire on February 8, 2025.

“An SOS was sent to Beyond Burns International informing them of an unpleasant incident. When we arrived today, we discovered that Mawuli Semevo, a veteran actress, had suffered severe burns in a fire,” Addison said in a video that circulated online. “I went to see him, and his life is in jeopardy,” Addison added.

She reported that the 63-year-old actor was asleep in his Accra residence when the fire broke out. The cause is suspected to be electrical faults, a common issue in older Ghanaian neighborhoods.

“He has suffered burns on up to 44% of his body. He has respiratory injuries and cannot breathe properly.

“This is very serious. From his head to his legs, everywhere was burned, and he has lost all his hair,” she further stated, describing the severity of his condition.

A Gifted Actor In Ghanaian Theater

Semevo was a gifted actor, celebrated for his compelling performances in both film and theater. He appeared in movies such as A Stab in the Dark, Harvest at 17, Escape of Love, The Good Old Days: The Love of AA, and Like Cotton Twines.

The fire, erupting while he slept, trapped Semevo without escape, leaving 44% of his body severely burned. The blaze caused extensive damage to his respiratory system, silencing his celebrated baritone voice.

Despite the best efforts of medical staff at Ridge Hospital and financial support from colleagues and fans, Semevo succumbed to his injuries twelve days after the accident.

About Mawuli Semevo

Mawuli Semevo was born and raised in Chorkor, a Ga community in Accra, and his journey into acting began modestly. He attended Cambridge Preparatory School before moving to Presbyterian Training College, where he discovered his passion for drama.

In an interview, Semevo admitted to being a mischievous youth but credited his first drama rehearsal as a transformative experience. “I was carried shoulder-high after playing the role of a bad boy,” he once recalled, marking the beginning of his lifelong dedication to acting.

In 1980, while still in training college, Semevo performed in his first stage play. This led him to join the Ghana Theatre Club at the Arts Centre in 1981 and later enroll at the School of Performing Arts in 1984. These formative years laid the foundation for a career that would see him become one of Ghana’s most respected actors.

Semevo’s work redefined indigenous storytelling, synthesizing Ewe oral techniques with Brechtian alienation. His 1994 role in Rejected pioneered the “broken protagonist” archetype, now common in West African cinema, portraying flawed heroes embodying national contradictions.