CULTURAL NEWS
Thursday, October 11, 2007
‘LIKPES TO REVIVE UNITY FESTIVAL’
By WINSTON TAMAKLOE
The Otekple of Likpe Traditional Area, Nana Soglo Alloh II, has urged chiefs and the youth of the area to bury their differences in order to revive the ‘Lekoryi’ (Unity) festival of the people next Easter.
He said “now that there is relative peace within the traditional area there is the need to revive the festival to consolidate the bond of friendship between the areas in the region”.
Nana Alloh made the call at the launching and inauguration of a 20-member planning committee in Accra at the weekend to oversee preparations for the celebration of the festival next Easter.
The week-long festival which will be climaxed on March 22, will be celebrated on the theme: “Peace. Unity and Development”. It has Dr. Quarme Aboagye, a lecturer at the Ghana Business School of the University of Ghana, Legon, as chairman.
Other members include Nana Bulley Osae VII, Nifahene of Likpe traditional area, Mr. Renatus Martey, Mr. Tim Dzamboe, Mr. Fredinard Leba-Kamanya, Mr. Winfred Yao Bonsi, Mr. Edward Amo, Mrs. Joycelyn Ochlich-Dotse, Mrs. Akorfa Adjiku, Lt. Col. Patrick Leba-Kasmanya and Madam Kate Ayivor.
Nana Alloh lamented that since the maiden festival was celebrated in 1988, protracted chieftaincy disputes and other problems have prevented subsequent celebrations.
He advised the youth to rally behind their traditional authorities and expose the tourism potential of the festival.
Nana Alloh said local food and drinks of the traditional area would be served throughout the festival period to showcase the tourism potential and attract investment to accelerate the development of the area.
Earlier, Nana Bulley recalled the history of the people of Likpe, touching on their migration from their ancestral home to the present location and why the festival should be celebrated.
Nana Mensah Ntri, Adontenhene of Likpe, who chaired the function, assured of an eventful and symbolic festival to serve as a unique opportunity to rally the sons and daughters of the area to fill “a missing gap of the past”.
Present were Nana Mankrado of Likpe Agbozume, Nana Aboagye, Nana Oseiwa III, Nifahemaa of Bala and the Kyidomheneman, Nana Obakpe II of Mate.
*Source:
The Ghanaian Times Thursday, October 11, 2007 Page: 25 |