Obuasi (Ash), March 01, GNA – Nana Akua Dwom II, the Queen mother of the Edubiase Traditional Area, has urged Ghanaians to appreciate and tolerate the cultures and traditions of the various ethnic groups in the country to sustain the peace and unity.
She said the only way to ensure national cohesion was for everyone to respect the views of each other and accommodate divergent views as they united to build the nation.
At a colourful durbar to climax the Damba Festival of the Dagomba people at Obuasi, Nana Dwom said the only panacea to Ghana’s development was to promote unity in diversity.
The two-day festival, on the theme: “Harnessing our Cultural Diversity for Job and Wealth Creation,” was organised by the Dagomba Youth Association to exhibit the rich culture of the Dagomba people and other tribes from northern Ghana.
The festival is also to commemorate the birth of Prophet Mohammed and serve as a rallying point for unity, cooperation and coexistence.
Nana Dwom extolled the virtues of the festival and said it was an important occasion, which brought together people from all walks of life to witness the great culture of the Dagomba people.
Mr Elijah Adansi Bonah, the Obuasi Municipal Chief Executive, commended the organisers for the event and said government was undertaking various development initiatives to improve the living conditions of the people.
Mr Shaban Ibn Bawa, the Chairman of the Dagomba Youth Association, said the festival was mostly celebrated by the Dagombas but had spread to other stratified northern tribes like Mamprusi, Gonja and Wala.
He advised Dagombas and people from other ethnic groups in the north to co-exist peacefully since the Damba Festival symbolised unity.
He asked the youth to strive to acquire entrepreneurial and employable skills to help guarantee their future instead of adopting the “get rich quick mentality.”
The Damba Festival dated back to the 18th Century during the reign of Naa Zanjina, who ruled Dagbon from 1648 to 1677.
It symbolises unity of the Mole-Dagbani and all the sons and daughters of Naa Gbewaa, the founder of the Dagomba state.
GNA