Accra, July 25, GNA- Nana Odei Ampofo, the Spokesperson, 2022 Odwira festival, has charged the people of Akuapem to set aside their differences and not allow other people take advantage of them.
He said unity among the people of Akuapem was key to the development of the community and conflicts with each other should be resolved amicably so others would not use it as a tool against them.
Nana Ampofo made the statement at the launch of the 2022 Odwira festival on the theme: “Unity in our heritage to foster sustainable development”.
He said it was appropriate to use the celebration to advance developmental goals and unity in the Akuapem community.
Nana Ampofo urged citizens to adhere to local rules, live within the confines of the laws that would be laid down for them and also advised them to arrive at least a week to the celebration to get places to lodge to avoid last minute rush for accommodation.
He said due to the various kinds of misconceptions associated with the Odwira festival in recent years, arrangements had been made with security agencies to check social vices like theft and robbery not to mar the beauty of the celebration.
Kyeretwie Nana Adu Sarpong, the Okuapemhene Gyaasehene, said it was imperative that as a people, they worked together to promote harmony and growth among themselves, look back on the rich cultural heritage bequeathed to them by their ancestors and consider how best to adapt to the needs of the modern world while maintaining its unique relevance as authentic and natural as it had always been.
He said there were intentions of expanding the technological aspects of Odwira festival because it was understood that as technology advances so did society as a whole.
Miss Annabelle McKenzie, the Director of the Beyond the Return Secretariat, invited people in the diaspora to take advantage of the festival to visit and experience the rich culture and legacy of the Akuapem people on display.
Odwira is the biggest annual festival for the residents of Akuapem and Akwamu, the word “Odwira” in Akan means purification, thus its adaptation because, during the festival, the Omanhene and persons who sat on stools in the region cleaned their stools, fed the dead, thanked them for their blessings from the previous year, and prayed to the gods for good health, longevity, and prosperity in the coming year.
The Akuapem Odwira festival like many traditional celebrations combined ritual, ceremonial, artistic and recreational activities that takes place in several locations in accordance with a set timetable.
The celebration honours the good deeds of the ancestors, displays the rich culture they left behind, and invite people to return to their original routes as it served as a period of homecoming.
The festival’s promotion of tourism, expansion of markets, and use as a forum for conflict settlement were all significant aspects.
Activities lined up for the weeklong celebration from September 12 to 18 include path clearing, outdooring of the new yam, remembrance of the departed, symbolic cleansing of the traditional area and people, a grand Durbar of chiefs, Amanokrom durbar and the Akuapem Konithene’s yam festival at Kyekurotia.
A new website for the festival, www.akuapemodwira.com, was also introduced to serve as the main channel for communication with the chief regarding more festival information. Vendors were also required to obtain accreditation by registering on the website.
The objective of this year’s celebration is to raise USD 500,000 to support the Okuapemhene, His Royal Majesty Oseadeeyo Kwasi Akuffo III, in his many developmental plans.
GNA