By Isaac Arkoh, GNA
Cape Coast, Sept 03, GNA – The 2025 Oguaa Fetu Afahye reached a spectacular height on Tuesday as jubilant celebrants and traditionalists from across the globe came together to witness the thrilling regatta that officially ignited the weeklong festivities.
The heartbeat of the day was the fierce canoe race, where three of the seven Asafo companies- Anaafo, Bentsir and Nkum- battled fiercely across the shimmering 97.3-acre Fosu Lagoon.
Draped in striking regalia of red, blue and white and yellow, the warriors paddled with an unyielding spirit through heats and final stages, each sprinting 200 meters on the lagoon.
Triumphantly, the yellow-clad Nkum Asafo warriors claimed victory, marking their fifth consecutive win in the last five years and etching their name even deeper into the festival’s records.
As medals and prizes were bestowed, the area exploded with spirited cheers and the resonant beats of Asafo war songs, electrifying the atmosphere with cultural pride and communal joy.
Highlighting the day’s spectacle were the mesmerising Apatampa dancers with captivating performances who, for the first time, were joined by some Europeans donned in the vibrant colours of the Asafo companies, bridging cultures in a dazzling display of unity.
Before the regatta’s exhilarating start, the Oguaa Traditional Council performed sacred rituals at the banks of the Fosu Lagoon, lifting the one-month fishing ban and ushering in the celebration of the sacred festival.
Libations were poured and prayers said to the gods to invoke blessings for Oguaaman’s prosperity, bountiful harvest and new investments to fuel employment for the youth.
The celebrations began with a majestic procession of chiefs, queen mothers, traditional priests, and priestesses from the symbolic London Bridge through the major streets of Cape Coast.
Adorned in striking black and red crowned with green “nyanya” (bitter melon) leaves, the procession paused at sacred shrines dotted in and around the town for purification rites, before arriving at the banks of the lagoon, where eager crowds gathered in anticipation.
The vibrant energy of the festival reached its zenith as a regal procession with traditional melodies, escorted Oguaamanhen Osabarimba Kwesi Atta II to the banks of the lagoon to cast the Omanhen’s net thrice amid musket salutes and solemn incantations.
The quantity of catch made signified either a bumper or lean harvest.
The catch is then presented as offering to the deities, expressing heartfelt gratitude for nature’s blessings as the people anticipate a bumper harvest in the coming year.
Some attendees underscored the festival’s profound cultural significance to the Ghana News Agency, and called for unity, urging all to honour the spirit of peace and respect that defined Fetu Afahye.
They emphasised that safeguarding tradition was vital, not only for heritage but as a cornerstone for national identity and development.
Fetu Afahye, an iconic annual festival held annually in the first week of September by the chiefs and people of Oguaa (Cape Coast), is used to pay a powerful homage to ancestors of the land with a vibrant celebration that unites families near and far in joyous harmony.
GNA
Edited by Alice Tettey /Benjamin Mensah