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Hogbetsotso Za celebrated

The Chiefs and people of the Anlo State in the Volta Region have celebrated their annual Hogbetsotso festival on the theme: “60 Years of Anlo Hogbetsotso Za, uniting for development, sustaining our unique cultural commonwealth for future generations.

Date Created : 11/7/2022 12:00:00 AM : Story Author : Ghanadistricts

This year’s event was graced by the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II. It was the first time in a century and a half that the Asantehene had joined the people of Anlo to celebrate the festival.

The glamour with which the Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, and his entourage stormed the durbar grounds, was a sight to behold as it brought excitement to the people who had waited impatiently for his arrival.

Speaking at the event, the Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II called for the preservation of the long-standing relations between the people of Anlo and Asantes.

The Asantehene described the Awoamefia as his “brother” who is committed to the welfare and development of his people.

According to Otumfuo, the exchange of visits was not a simple reciprocal activity but “an interaction of the deepest significance not only for the people of Asante and the Anlos but indeed, for the unity, peace and orderly development of the great nation Ghana to which we are all proud to belong”.

He said historians had not given recognition to the great acts of diplomacy and peace-building in our pre-colonial history when Otumfuo Kofi Karikari and Togbui Sri entered into a pact in 1875.

The pact committed the Asantes and Anlos to avoid waging war against each other, and as a result, the two states have maintained a relationship of peace and cooperation into the 20th century.

The colourful event attracted hundreds of people, including high-profile personalities and foreigners to the durbar grounds.

They included chiefs from the 36 Anlo states some of which were Some, Shime, Klikor, Avenor, Agave, Kome, Dzodze and Aflao.

Various Ewe cultural troupes from Benin, Nigeria and the Diaspora put up performances to illustrate the migration of the Anlos from Notsie in Togo to their present location, to the admiration of people at the durbar, who came from many parts of the country.

Some of the cultural troupes re-lived the migration from Notsie, while others displayed the military gallantry of the Anlos, holding the gathering frozen in awe with their belligerent footsteps and vigilant guard precisions during the journey.

In his welcome address, Togbi Sri said the Anlos had produced highly educated men and women of substance for the nation, with many of them living and working indifferent parts of the country and the world. He urged them to turn towards the Anlo area and with zeal commit resources towards development.

According to the Awoamefia, this year’s Hogbetsotso Za is very special to him since “this is the first time a reigning Asantehene visited any state in the Volta Region”

However, he said, the hardships were a global phenomenon and not peculiar to the country. “Demonstrate your spirit of patriotism to Anlo by giving back to the Anlo State a bit of what it has given you,” Togbi Sri added.

The Vice President, Dr Bawumia on his part gave an assurance that the government was working around the clock, and with utmost seriousness, to address the crisis and entreated Ghanaians to remain united in the hope for a change for the better soon.

He also commended the Awoamefia, Togbe Sri II, as well as the Chiefs and people of Anlo, for sustaining the Hogbetsotso Festival all these years, urging further that the festival, and other rich culture of the Anlo and others states in the country, should continue to be preserved as a legacy for unborn generations.

The Ga Mantse, King Tackie Teiko Tsuru, who presided, in his closing remarks, said the ancestors of the Ga people and the Anlos stood for justice and resisted oppression, saying those values were embedded in their culture.

“It is, therefore, important for the people to maintain their rich culture and set good examples for children to emulate. It also means we must eschew every divisive tendency and remain as one people always,” the Ga Mantse said. He pointed out that overcoming the economic challenges in the country required unity among the citizenry.

The Kwahumanhene, Daasebre Akuamoah Agyapong II, was represented by Nana Opoku Mintah, the Chief of Kwahu Tafo, who also processed to the ground with splendour, amid the firing of muskets.

He said Anlos and Kwahus were industrious people and that was a uniting factor between them and a good cause for national integration.