By Nelson Ayivor
Agbozume (V/R), July 23, GNA – The chiefs and people of Somé Traditional Area in the Ketu South Municipality of the Volta region, have launched their annual cultural festival, “Somé Tutu Za” with a call on all Indigenes and residents to unite and pull together for the socio-economic development of the area.
The festival, which is celebrated in November each year, has not been held for some years now due to some chieftaincy-related issues and other challenges.
Having lined up some activities to make it a memorable one, the 2023 edition of the festival is set to be a conduit for uniting, reviving, and redeveloping the once socio-economically vibrant and culturally rich area.
The activities included; a mini durbar, cultural display, arts and crafts exhibition, unity torch relay, youth forum, health walk, sports and games, music jamboree, health screening, and children’s durbar, among others.
It will be climaxed with a grand durbar of Chiefs and Queen mothers and Elders on Saturday, November 25, in Agbozume the traditional capital.
Torgbi Adamah III, (Makorsor) Paramount Chief of the Somé Traditional Area, launching the festival, said, it had been his desire to revive the festival since taking office as Paramount Chief some eight years ago, but could not do so due to the many disputes and chieftaincy issues he has had to battle with.
“It has always been my heart’s desire to revive our festival, the “Somé Tutu Za” to bring all of us together and to sell our culture and traditions to the world, but my hands have been tied due to the incessant disputes and misunderstandings that have characterized my enstoolment some eight years ago – but thanks to the Almighty God and your support, those disputes and misunderstandings have all been resolved and Somé can now take its rightful place in the Ghanaian traditional landscape,” Torgbi Adamah said.
The Paramount Chief who is also the President of the newly inaugurated Somé Traditional Council appealed to his subjects to bury all differences, put the past behind them and unite for the forward march of the area.
“We must all understand that we are one people from one ancestry with a common destiny and purpose. Divisions squabbles and rancour will only retard our progress as a people – let us all put the past behind us and work together with fellow feeling for one another and with the help of the Almighty God, we can achieve our objectives and see a better and prosperous Somé,” he said.
The Paramount Chief called on all indigenes of the area and for that matter all the people of the Volta region to be proud of their origin as Ewe people and inculcate the habit of speaking the Ewe language and the cultural values of the Ewe people in the younger generation, adding it was disheartening to see some Ewes, especially the youth shying away from speaking their mother tongue.
Torgbi Adamah advised the youth to eschew societal vices and hold fast to only what was good and beneficial to society as they were the future leaders of the area and the nation.
He assured of his continuous commitment to the cause of the Traditional Area and promised to continue to work with all his Divisional and Sub Chiefs as well the Queen mothers and Elders towards a peaceful, united, and prosperous Somé.
Mr Charles Nypson Agbagedy, a retired educationist and media practitioner who is Chairman of the festival planning committee enjoined all citizens of Somé to rally behind the committee and the Paramount Chief towards a memorable and successful festival.
He advised the Indigenes not to be lukewarm in the traditional area’s affairs but to contribute their quota towards its development.
Dr Daniel Workman Atsu, a businessman and indigene of the area, who chaired the event praised Torgbi Adamah for his determination to turn things around for the traditional area and to bring back the esteemed festival of the people of Somé.
He commended the Paramount Chief for the immense role he played in ensuring that the area got a traditional council status.
Dr Atsu also appealed to the indigenes to unite and pull resources together for the socio-economic advancement of the area.
The 2023 “Somé Tutu Za” is being celebrated on the theme: “Uniting all of Somé for development.”
GNA