Neenyi Ghartey being carried in a palanquin
The chiefs and people of the Effutu Traditional Area in the Central Region last Saturday held a grand durbar in Winneba to climax their annual Aboakyer festival.
Themed “Together We Build the Road to a Progressive Society,” the festival attracted thousands of people from all walks of life. It kicked off on April 30, and ended on May 7, 2022.
The Aboakyer festival, a unique tradition of the people of Winneba, is one of the leading festivals in the country celebrated every first week of May to unite the people and foster development.
It is climaxed with the hunting of a live deer by the two Asafo companies – Dentsifo and Tuafo from the sacred forest, which is presented to the Omanhen at the durbar for him to step on it three times, as custom demands.
This year’s first catch, after the hunting expedition, was brought by Tuafo Asafo Company to the durbar grounds on Saturday morning, which led to wild jubilations among the people at the durbar grounds.
Speaking at the durbar, Neenyi Ghartey VII said the theme for this year’s celebration was selected on purpose, because the Effutu Paramountcy believed in the importance of each and every member of the community, and how special their contributions are towards the growth and development of the area.
He mentioned that Effutuman had enjoyed remarkable progress with the construction of a safe landing facility, and therefore, thanked the government, and expressed the hope that when commissioned, fish hygiene would be improved just as the safety of canoes.
He appealed to government to construct an ultra-modern market for them, saying the current state of the market in Winneba township was not the best.
Mrs. Justina Marigold Assan, Central Regional Minister, applauded the chiefs and people of the area for celebrating this year’s festival peacefully, and expressed hope that they would continue to sustain unity, and forge a united front for development.
After the durbar, a jubilant crowd paraded on the principal streets in Winneba as the Omanhen of the Effutu Traditional Area, Neenyi Ghartey VII and his retinue of chiefs, held a colourful procession to climax the Aboakyer festival.
BY George Clifford Owusu