Oguaa Fetu Afahye launched in glitz

The chiefs and people of Oguaa Traditional Area on Tuesday launched the 2022 Oguaa Fetu Afahye in glitz and splendour.

Amidst pomp and pageantry, the launch was spearheaded by scintillating cultural performances from the seven Asafo companies and many other cultural troupes in the ancient city of Cape Coast.

The ceremony, sponsored by Mamdev Ghana Limited, a Ghanaian civil engineering and building construction company, was interspersed with rich traditional performances to herald the activities, aimed at restoring the past glory of the ancient city’s cultural heritage for peace and development.

This year’s festival is on the theme: “Making Cape Coast Great Again; Through Education, Tourism and Development.”

Mr Perry Mensah, the Chairman of the Afahye Planning Committee, said the festival had become a conduit for reviving and redeveloping the once socio-economically vibrant and culturally rich Metropolis.

Mr Mensah was optimistic that the celebration would live up to its expectations, having lined up series of activities to ensure that Cape Coast took its rightful place in the Ghanaian Society.

The activities would include a vigil at the Bakaano, which would also host a regatta for the Asafo companies, a youth colloquium, and children and gender activism day.

He reminded all residents to religiously obey the ban on drumming and noise making, particularly religious organisations to ensure peace.

The ban affects noisemaking, including the use of loudspeakers, drums, tambourines, clapping of hands and the use of any form of musical instruments during the period.

During the period, the Oguaa Traditional Council would pray for the country and the citizens to continue to keep the flame of peace, love, tranquillity, and good brotherliness.

“We also entreat all persons in Oguaa to comply with the ban on drumming and noisemaking and refrain from making derogatory remarks about the rites, customs, practices and beliefs of the people,” he cautioned.

Mr Mensah urged residents to work together towards keeping the Metropolis clean and healthy by participating in the monthly clean-up exercise.

He said residents could, on their own, get together to clean their immediate environs without necessarily waiting on the community leaders to organise a clean-up and urged the media to project the festival and all its related activities.

Reverend Dorcas Annam, the Superintendent Minister, Evangelical Methodist Church of Christ, Cape Coast, asked Ghanaians not to allow the rapid socio- economic changes to result in the adulteration of the country’s traditional values, customs, and cultural practices.

She observed that adulteration of the values and practices had been a major contributing factor to the high rate of indiscipline among the youth.

Rev. Annam asked parents to speak their mother tongue with their children to maintain their traditional identity and make them proud as Ghanaians and Africans.

Osabarima Kwesi Atta II, the Omanhen of Oguaa Traditional Area, called on corporate bodies and philanthropists to support the festival.

He urged his people to obey the customs and practices and keep their surroundings clean.

Source: GNA