‘SooBii’Homecoming heralds Homowo
Hundreds of Gas made up of mainly peasant farmers from surrounding villages within the Ga State are expected to commemorate the SooBii homecoming event on Thursday, August, 8, 2024, as part of activities to climax the Homowo celebration on Saturday, August 10, 2024.
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SooBii which literally means Thursday people heralds the Homowo celebration. It does not necessarily mean all the celebrants involved are Thursday borns. They are people coming from rural areas in Accra particularly in the western part of the Greater Accra Region. The areas include Afuaman, Kwashikuma, Okushibiade, Kojo Ashong and Doblo.
On the day of the celebration, which is expected to be witnessed by people from the diaspora and other visitors, the rural folks will adorn themselves in their traditional and casual wear and carry foodstuff, made up of mainly corn, palm fruit, palm oil, assorted fruits as well as baskets, mortar, lanterns and personal belongings.
They converge on Nkponor adjacent Agbogbloshie from where a street procession starts and ends at Bukom in the heart of the city. As part of the event, the celebrants will perform "tsotswaa" or wooden slab music and Lolo dance similar to the Kpanlogo dance, amidst clapping and singing rhythmically to the beat.
It is expected to be a colourful event with a display of traditional drumming and dancing that heralds the celebration of Homowo. The Ga Mantse, Nii Tackie Teiko Tsuru II, and other divisional chiefs are expected to attend in their full regalia to interact with them. It is the time the rural folks get the opportunity to see the Ga Mantse face-to-face.
History, origin
Giving a historical background to the SooBii homecoming, the officer in charge of programmes at the Office of the Ga Mantse, Nii Kwardey Ntreh, told the Daily Graphic that Ayawaso used to be the capital of Accra.
Nii Kwardey Ntreh speaking to our reporter, Vincent Amenuveve. Picture: CALEB VANDERPUYE
However, it was destroyed in the 1600s during a war between the Gas and the Akwamus. He said many Gas were displaced after the war and some went as far as to the Volta Region, and other areas around the coast.
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“In fact, the entire place was destroyed during the war. So, the Gas who sojourned to other areas would come home to celebrate with their families and they don't come with bare hands.”
“They come with foodstuff and all sorts of products to prove that they actually engaged in profitable ventures wherever they have lived”. “They come on Thursday to join their friends, families and loved ones to celebrate Homowo,” he narrated.
Expectation
He said last year the celebration could not be held because the Ga State was mourning the late Ga Manye Naa Dedei Omaedru III. However, he observed that this year's SooBii event would be well-attended and memorable.
Nii Ntreh stated that so far he had worked so closely with the Asafos in various rural communities, who are helping him to organise patrons at the local level to ensure that the event is well patronised.