Asantehene Joins Awoamefia To Celebrate Hogbetsotso Za.

The Chiefs and people of the Anlo State in the Volta Region have celebrated their annual Hogbetsotso festival on the theme: “60 Years of Anlo Hogbetsotso Za, uniting for development, sustaining our unique cultural commonwealth for future generations.

This year’s event was graced by the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II. It was the first time in a century and a half that the Asantehene had joined the people of Anlo to celebrate the festival.

The glamour with which the Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, and his entourage stormed the durbar grounds, was a sight to behold as it brought excitement to the people who had waited impatiently for his arrival.

Event
The colourful event attracted hundreds of people, including high-profile personalities and foreigners to the durbar grounds on Saturday.

They included chiefs from the 36 Anlo states some of which were Some, Shime, Klikor, Avenor, Agave, Kome, Dzodze and Aflao.

Also in attendance were Vice-President, H.E Alhaji Mahamud Bawumia, Daasebre Akuamoah Agyapong II and Ga-Mantse Nii Tackie Teiko Tsuru II.

Others were the Minister of information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, MP for Ayawaso West Wuogon, Lydia Seyram Alhassan, the Volta Regional Minister, Dr Archibald Letsa etc.

The Awoamefia of Anlo, Togbui Sri III, and his warlord, Awadada Awusu Agbesi II arrived at the durbar ground around 10:30 am to begin the much anticipated grand celebration.

They were led in a procession by “Atsiagbekor” “Gadzo” and “Husego” war dancers who carried what they referred to as the ‘36 articles of life’ of the Anlos on a wooden tray with lamps in the middle, signifying a re-enactment of their exodus from Notsie, in Togo, and King Agorkoli, from whom the Ewes escaped to present-day Ghana.

The procession was also symbolically meant to convey a message to King Agorkoli that: “We are the group of highly enlightened people who have mastered perfectly the problems of the universe and have come to settle here.”

At exactly 1:00 pm, the Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the Distinguished Guests of Honour, arrived at the durbar in a palanquin dressed in rich traditional regalia amid drumming, dancing and firing of musket.

Otumfuo’s Message

Speaking at the event, the Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II called for the preservation of the long-standing relations between the people of Anlo and Asantes.

The Asantehene described the Awoamefia as his “brother” who is committed to the welfare and development of his people.

According to Otumfuo, the exchange of visits was not a simple reciprocal activity but “an interaction of the deepest significance not only for the people of Asante and the Anlos but indeed, for the unity, peace and orderly development of the great nation Ghana to which we are all proud to belong”.

He said historians had not given recognition to the great acts of diplomacy and peace-building in our pre-colonial history when Otumfuo Kofi Karikari and Togbui Sri entered into a pact in 1875.

The pact committed the Asantes and Anlos to avoid waging war against each other, and as a result, the two states have maintained a relationship of peace and cooperation into the 20th century.

The Asantehene urged the two states to ward off efforts of persons who tried to inject discord into their relationship to undermine the unity that exists between them.
In line with tradition, the Asantehene presented a gift to the Awoamefia.

Significance of 2022 Hogbetsotso Za.

The Awoamefia in his speech said the theme of the festival was in cognisance of the need for progress and development of the nation.

According to the Awoamefia, this year’s Hogbetsotso Za is very special to him since “this is the first time a reigning Asantehene visited any state in the Volta Region”

He expressed his appreciation to the Asantehene for being part of the festival celebration.

Source: Opemsuo.com/ Emmanuel Owusu Anti