BY James Esuon
Asafo (C/R), Sept. 20, GNA – Nana Kwabena Ayensu III, Tufohene Agona Asafo, has reiterated calls on Ghanaians to preserve and protect the culture and traditions of the various clans to enhance prosperity, unity and development.
According to Nana Ayensu it was unfortunate that some have had wrong notion that the celebration of yam festival was meant to worship deities.
He said the celebration was instituted by their forefathers and it was marked to improve spiritual and physical wellbeing of their family members.
The Tufohene made this known when he addressed family members and family friends to mark the 2023 yam festival celebration at Asafo in the Agona East District of the Central region.
Nana Ayensu explained that Christianity did not come to condemn the cultural and traditional practices, so that notion must be discarded to enable family members to make progress.
The Tufohene called on the people to rally behind the chiefs and heads of family to celebrate the annual yam festival to help transform culture and traditional values.
He admonished Ghanaians not to copy western cultural practices which may be detrimental to the country’s growth.
Nana Ayensu said the celebration of the festival also helped family members to reflect and take stock of the past to assist them to make better progress into the future.
He called on the youth to stop drug abuse and alcoholism which would have negative effects on them in future.
The said that it was better for the youth to avail themselves to pursue further education which was the key to success in human development.
In another development, Nana Kwao Ponsi II, Adontenhene of Agona Asafo, urged the chiefs and people to unite and desist from any act that would retard their progress.
He said the celebration of the yam festival was to foster unity and understanding among family members and relationship between the chiefs and entire citizenry.
Nana Kwaw Ponsi, who is also the Presiding Member of Agona East District Assembly, used the occasion to advice the youth, 18 years and above to get involved in the on-going Electoral Commission’s limited voter registration exercise.
He said this would offer them the opportunity to for first and foremost exercise their franchise on December 19, 2023, District Assembly Elections to deepen local governance.
Major Ben Donkor (RTD), a prominent personality of Agona Asafo and a family member of Tufohene, urged the youth to give maximum respect to the elderly.
He expressed grave concern about behaviour on the part of the youth and the gross disrespect to the elders and urged them to stop the bad practice.
Major Donkor called for cooperation and mutual understanding among family members and urged them to learn to forgive one another and to help bring peace and stability.
GNA