By J. K. Nabary
Winneba (C/R), April 28, GNA — Alexander Afenyo-Markin, Member of Parliament for Effutu and Minority Leader of Parliament, has called on constituents—especially the youth—to actively support the area’s transformation agenda to safeguard their cultural heritage.
“We stand at a critical historical intersection where culture must evolve from symbolic inheritance into a functional system of development and identity formation,” he stated.
In a message issued from his office in Winneba ahead of the 2026 Aboakyer Festival, celebrated in the first week of May, he urged residents to embrace a new cultural consciousness to preserve and expand the legacy of Effutu Oma for future generations.
He noted that the Aboakyer Festival is not a relic of the past but a living force shaping the present and securing the future. He highlighted its spiritual significance, especially the symbolic catching of the live bushbuck, which represents courage, identity and continuity.
“As we prepare… we are reminded of the deep ancestral connection that guides our steps to move forward with unity, reverence and discipline,” he said, adding that ancestors symbolically lead and protect participants throughout the sacred festival.
Mr Afenyo-Markin extended warm felicitations to the people of Effutu, describing the festival as a “civilizational archive” of identity, resistance, continuity and collective memory. He explained that it functions beyond celebration—as a system of knowledge reproduced through ritual, storytelling and communal participation.
He stressed that cultural institutions also serve as non-state governance mechanisms that reinforce social order, discipline and unity beyond formal political systems.
According to him, cultural preservation must be viewed within a broader framework of development, identity politics and intergenerational continuity. “Culture is not merely an inherited asset… it is a living institutional system that shapes values, influences behaviour and determines development,” he said.
He added that safeguarding heritage should not be left solely to traditional authorities but must be a shared civic responsibility embedded in governance and community life.
Mr Afenyo-Markin called for a shift from ritual participation to transformational engagement, noting that festivals like Aboakyer should inspire innovation and developmental action.
“As we celebrate, let us reaffirm that our heritage must inspire innovation; our traditions must drive development; our identity must strengthen unity; and our culture must generate opportunity,” he said.
He urged the people to ensure the festival marks not only remembrance but renewal of purpose, unity and development ambition.
He concluded by calling for collective efforts to position Effutu as a model of cultural-led development in Ghana and beyond, adding: “Long live Effutu Oma, long live the Aboakyer Festival, and may our cultural heritage remain a living force for development, unity and prosperity.”
GNA
Edited by Alice Tettey/Audrey Dekalu