Abeka Mantse sprinkling kpokpoi during the Homowo festival
The Abeka Mantse, Nii Boi IV, has called on residents within the Abeka Traditional Area to remain united and shun family conflicts as the Ga-Dangbe people mark this year’s Homowo festival.
He made the call after performing the traditional rite of sprinkling kpokpoi in various stool homes and communities, supported by elders, Asafoatse, and priests of the area.
According to Nii Boi IV, Homowo is not only a festival of remembrance and thanksgiving but also a season that reinforces the values of peace, unity, and respect for culture and tradition. “Let Homowo unite Abeka against conflicts. This is the time for us to live peacefully together as one people. We must settle our differences and use the essence of Homowo to strengthen family bonds and community harmony,” he said.
The chief noted that maintaining peace during the festival is critical to preserving the dignity of Ga customs and ensuring that the younger generation appreciates the cultural heritage passed down to them.
He further urged residents to give reverence to the traditions and rituals of Homowo, stressing that the festival serves as a reminder of the resilience of the Ga people and their commitment to peaceful coexistence. Elders and Asafoatse who joined the sprinkling of kpokpoi echoed the call for unity, and prayed for peace, prosperity, and protection for Abeka and the entire Ga State during the celebrations.
Nii Boi VII, Asere Mantse, speaking on religious conflict, called on all residents within Abeka to be sensitive when making statements about people’s religion, stating that, “before you joined a religious organisation, remember you are a Ghanaian. And to those in Abeka, remember that regardless of the association you joined, remember we are from the same family, so let’s thread cautiously.”
Nii Odzenma I, Nii Boiman Akwashongtse and co-chairman for Abeka Reconciliation Committee, said all disputes within the traditional area are undergoing reconciliation stage, saying, “We have the mechanism in place to resolve all disputes within the traditional area. We assure our people that everything is under control.”
By Prince Fiifi Yorke