Aboakyer 2023 launched
The 2023 Aboakyer Festival of the chiefs and people of Effutu in the Central Region has been launched with a call on the public to desist from actions that write down the finery and ideals of Ghanaian culture.
This year’s Aboakyer festival will be marked on the theme Your participation makes a difference for development.
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The launch which was well attended by the chiefs and people of the Effutu Traditional Area last Tuesday, February 21, at the Kojo Beedu Community Centre, Winneba, also saw hosts of corporate institutions pledge their support for the festival this year.
In his address, the Paramount Chief of the Effutu Traditional Area, Neenyi Ghartey VII said the special customs that had been left to the people by their predecessors must be held in high esteem in order to preserve them for future generations.
“We are in an era where we do not place much value on our culture and it is worrying. It is critical in these times that we shy away from any activity that insults our culture,” he stated.
He further called on natives to fully participate in this year’s week-long festival, stressing the numerous benefits.
“I will urge all of us to join hands to make this year’s celebration a success because it has a number of advantages. Economically, it will boost local tourism and provide all-encompassing entertainment, including sports”, he noted.
The festival will start on Saturday, April 29 with a tree-planting exercise at the Aboakyer hunting grounds to restore its wildlife nature.
Other activities mapped out for the celebrations include a Gospel musical night, general clean-up and consecration of the shrine, football tournament, Aboakyer food bazaar, and parade of deities by Tuafo Number 1 and Dentsefo Number 2 Asafo companies through the streets of Winneba.
There will be a grand durbar on Sunday, May 7 to climax the festival after deer hunting in the morning by the two Asafo companies.
According to the Neenyi Ghartey VII, it had become necessary to undertake the tree planting exercise because of excessive grazing by cattle herders and actions of estate developers over the past few years which have caused the hunting grounds to lose its wildlife beauty.
“The intention is to bring back the wildlife that has left the place because the area is now bare. The challenges are from the cattle herdsmen and estate developers. Not much support from the Municipal Assembly to halt the encroachment”, he noted.