Avazorli celebration launched
THIS year’s Avazorli (exodus) celebration of the people of Ziavi and other sister communities was launched in Ho last Saturday.
The other Avazorli communities (Avazorliaowo) are Etordome, Kpedze-Todze, Botoku, Kpando-Anyigbe, Mepe in the Volta Region; and Ando enclaves in Ghana and Togo.
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Ancestry
They trace their ancestry from Goshen in ancient Egypt through Nostie in the present day Republic of Togo, were they were once identifiable before fleeing in a mass exodus from the tyrannical rule of King Agorkoli to their present locations in Ghana.
To foster unity and cohesion among them, a union was formed in 1984 and this culminated in its launch in Ziavi in 1987 where the name Avazorli Union was unveiled.
After a lull in the celebrations, Avazorli was revived in 2012 at Bokotu.
The biennial festival, thence, became an event not only for the reunion of the Avazorli communities but also to raise funds for development projects among them.
The principal centre of the Avazorli Union is Ziavi, which will host this year’s celebration.
The celebration, slated for February 23 to February 26, 2023 is on the theme: Enhancing health infrastructure for healthy development of Avazorliawo.
It will feature a float, football and other fun games, reliving the exodus of the Avazorliawo from Notsie and a grand durbar at Ziavi-Dzogbe, near Ho.
Launch
The launching ceremony was performed by a prominent citizen of Ziavi and a renowned legal practitioner, Nuku John-Mark Alifo.
He said it was gratifying to note that although the Avazorliawo were now in different locations, they were still bonded in unity by their common ancestry, history and culture.
For that matter, it was only proper for them to come together often and plan to move ahead in unity and development, Mr Alifo said.
“Distance may only keep us apart physically but cannot break our strong ties of affinity,” he added.
The Paramount Chief of Ziavi, Togbe Kwaku Ayim IV, said the large presence of chiefs, queens and people of the Avazorli communities at the ceremony was re-assuring of their commitment to foster and maintain the unity of purpose and move to greater development heights.
He entreated the Avazorliawo to use the celebration to renew their sense of patriotism and commit greater zeal and resources to selected development projects in the communities.
The function was chaired by a seasoned agricultural economist and native of Ziavi, Dr Kofi Debrah.
He said the rich culture of the Avazorliawo was a great heritage and an asset for lucrative tourism development, locally and international.
