Yamoransa (C/R), June 24, GNA-The Nkusukum Traditional Council in the Mfantseman Municipality is set to host this year’s Odambea Festival in Yamoransa, the native community of the Council to reinstate its original venue.
The week-long festival will be celebrated by about 20 communities and villages of Nkusukum from Sunday, August 22 to Sunday, 26 this year.
Briefing the media at a short engagement, Nana Kwesi Beenyi III, the Acting President of the Council said the festival was for some time, celebrated in Saltpond due to some long chieftaincy issues concerning the rightful person at the Nkusukum Obaatan.
The festival, like other popular festivals in the country, is celebrated in the last week in August during the beginning of crop harvesting to symbolize “hooting of hunger” and acknowledging the achievements of the ancestors.
The Odambea was derived from the role the ‘ridge’ (Nkusukum) played in the migration of the people and it is likened to the long beam that joins one end of a roof to the other to end to make the roofing firm (Odan-Mbae).
The festival is characterised by propitiation rites by the chiefs led by the Omanhen in six communities namely, Biriwa, Akatakyiwa, Woraba, Duadze, Kuntu, and Abenum.
A cow will be paraded through the principal streets of the communities before the final rites and a grand durbar will follow to climax it.
“Yamoransa is the head of Nkusukum, therefore we are celebrating this year’s Afahye here, it’s been a while since we celebrated the festival here due to some chieftaincy issue” he explained.
On challenges confronting the Municipality, Nana Beenyi called on the government to provide tight security to rescue market women of Mankessim from wee smokers and robbers who on daily basis robbed traders of their monies during the night.
He said the market had been known for various notorious crimes which tend to destroy the image of the Council therefore needed tight security and forces to stop the act.
Nana Beenyi also urged parents to be responsible and take full responsibility for their children to end the high rate of teen pregnancies in the municipality.
To the people, he advised them to be extra careful with their movement and support the “See Something Say Something” initiative launched by the National Security to ensure safety of all.
The Acting President urged chiefs to desist from settling sexual abuse cases such as defilement, rape among others and set example by helping victims get justice to help reduce the canker.
He appealed to the people of Nkusukum to be focused and participate fully in the upcoming festival for the betterment of all.
GNA