The Wenchi Banda Chief, Alhaji Iddrisu Mahamoud Maydochi II
It has become very necessary for us to issue this Press Release to set certain records straight as far as the celebration of the Wenchi Banda National Krubi Festival is concerned. It has come to our notice that pushed by parochial interests are trying desperately to distort facts and create divisions and unnecessary tensions among the Wenchi Banda Community in particular and the Banda indigenes of Ghana in general.
The Wenchi National Krubi Festival is celebrated once annually to showcase the rich culture of the Banda people, promote tourism, take stock of the previous year, mobilize the Banda people for national development, re-unite families and pray for peace. The festival is organized by the Wenchi Banda chief and his elders who appoint committees to take charge of the preparation of the festival and it is normally celebrated two weeks after the Ramadan fasting. Even though Tain and Banda districts were carved from the Wenchi Districts, Banda indigenes and others from across the length and breadth of Ghana travel to Wenchi to celebrate the Krubi National Festival. In fact even indigenes from Banda who are domiciled abroad make sure they do not miss the festival.
The Wenchi Banda National Krubi festival started facing problems when in 2018, a group of Banda citizens from Accra called Heritage Council approached the Wenchi Banda Chief, Alhaji Iddrisu Mahamoud Maydochi II to allow them join in the organization of the festival, which the chief obliged with the belief that the Heritage Council was coming to enhance the preparation of the festival to make it grand. Alhaji Mahamoud convened a meeting of the original organizers of the festival led by their Chairman, Alhaji Abdalla Omar and the Heritage Council to agree on a way forward. At the said meeting it was agreed that the Heritage group should choose one of their members to take over the Chairmanship position while the former Chairman becomes the Secretary.
As the organization was going on, the Secretary complained to Alhaji Mahamudu that he was being sidelined by the Chairman. The Banda chief, in a letter dated 14th April 2022 invited the leadership of the Heritage Council to discuss issues pertaining to the festival which was turned down by the Heritage Council in a letter dated 16rh April 2922.
The Heritage Council instead applied to the Wenchi Municipal Police Command for protection (Pass Order) to enable them to perform the Krubi festival. The Police wrote back to inform them that on the basis of Public Order Act 1994 Section 1(4) and in addition to fact that the Wenchi Banda chief had written to the police for the launch of a similar festival and the police administration had approved same, the application of the Heritage Council could not be granted.
According to the police, their investigation had revealed that the Krubi festival is an annual cultural festival of the Banda chiefs and people and as such it is under the auspices of the chiefs and elders of Banda indigenes. The police also referred the Heritage Council to the meeting held with the Wenchi Omanhemaa with the Wenchi MUSEC, Chief Imam of Wenchi, the Police Commander and the Banda chief among others in attendance where a decision was taken for the Banda chief to form a new committee to organize the Krubi festival
At the said meeting, the Queen-mother of Wenchi Traditional Area, Nana Atoa Sramangyedua told the gathering that since she was born, she had never heard of any festival, including the Wenchi Banda Krubi festival being celebrated twice in a year. She therefore instructed that, the Wenchi Banda chief should choose three persons, the Heritage Council, two persons, the Banda youth, one person and the Wenchi Banda Queen-mother should also choose one person, making seven in all to form a committee to oversee the organization of the festival. A written agreement was prepared to that effect and the meeting closed.
The Heritage Council continues to disregard whatever decision was taken. This incensed the Wenchi Banda youth who embarked on a peaceful demonstration and petitioned the MCE to step in to avoid any violence if the group was allowed to organize any counter Krubi festival. The MCE also reported the matter to the Regional Police Commander at Sunyani who in turn invited the two factions to Sunyani. At that meeting, the Heritage Council group pleaded with the Regional Police Commander to allow them to organize their own version of the festival because they had already started preparation and had incurred some debt. The Regional Police Commander agreed and warned them not to attempt something of that sort again since it will disturb peaceful co-existence.
The reason for this Press Release is to draw the attention of all well-meaning Ghanaians to the threat of peace in Wenchi since information we have gathered indicates that the Heritage Council is scheming to organize their Krubi Festival this year. We have taken the opportunity to petition the Interior Minister and the National Security Co-ordinator to look into the matter before things go haywire. Permit us to impress upon those who are clandestinely supporting the Heritage Council to desist from such action since the peace that the Banda people of Wecnhi are enjoying could be compromised.
