Nana Kwarteng Karikari and Yaw Osafo-Marfo discussing an issue after the launch
The chiefs and people of Akyem Awisa in the Birim South District of the Eastern Region have launched the 2018 Akyem Awisa Odwira Afahye at a short ceremony in Accra.
The festival, celebrated every two years, affords the people of Awisa the opportunity to remember their fallen ancestors while mobilising them and their resources for development of the Awisa town.
It is also used to commemorate the tradition of washing off the filth of the town by the cleansing of the stools. The people of Awisa believe that the stools represent its people, thus, when the stools are cleansed during the festival, the town becomes clean as well.
This year’s celebration is themed: ‘Education and Development: The Role of Technical and Vocational Education’.
Speaking at the event, the Awisahene, Nana Kwarteng Karikari III, stated that the elders of Awisa decided to hold the launch in Accra as many of its citizens are in the city, which is the media centre of the country, thus, announcing the festival in Accra will send the news far to Awisa everywhere.
He said every ‘Afahye’ is an occasion to educate the youth about the exploits of their forebears, as well as the positive traditions transferred on to them by their ancestors.
Nana Karikari added that Awisa has contributed strongly to the country’s development by producing many prominent persons who have played important roles in virtually all professions and fields.
Senior Minister Yaw Osafo-Marfo, who hails from Awisa, graced the occasion, calling on the elders of the town to take advantage of vocational and technical training so as to ensure employment and development in the town.
He said government was looking forward to enhancing the vocational and technical training by bring all under one roof for proper regulation and monitoring.
The programme for this year’s Odwira Afahye is designed to educate, provide funds and entertainment and offer the platform for continual dialogue among citizens for development.
By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri