Renowned Ghanaian actor David Dontoh has shed light on the fascinating history behind his surname.
During an insightful interview with Samuel Attah-Mensah on Channel One TV‘s Footprints, the veteran actor explained that “Dontoh” is actually a corrupted version of a Fante phrase that means “you can’t buy love.”
David Dontoh elaborated that the original phrase in Fante is “Odo w)n t),” which directly translates to “you can’t buy love.”
According to him, the name was adopted during his grandfather’s time in school when European teachers unable to correctly pronounce the Fante phrase modified it to “Dontoh.” Over time, the altered version became the family’s official surname.
“It was my grandfather’s name when he was in school. The white teachers couldn’t pronounce ‘Odo w)n t),’ so they ended up calling him Dontoh, and that’s how the name stuck,” David Dontoh shared.
The actor, affectionately known as the “Ghana Man,” is celebrated for his immense contributions to Ghanaian theatre, film, and television.
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