The rich cultural heritage of Oguaa Traditional Area, was at the weekend put on a distinctive display as pomp and pageantry characterised the grand durbar to climax the Fetu Afahye Golden Jubilee Celebration.
The prologue of the showcase was the ritual colourful procession including chiefs, adorned in regalia of assorted Kente cloths and ornaments to match, seated in beautifully decorated palanquins with colourful umbrellas of different shapes and sizes.
The seven units Asafo companies of the traditional area namely: Bentsir, Anaafo, Ntsin, Nkum, Brofoakwa, Akrampa and Anaafo, clad in their traditional company colours were not left out in the over four- hour procession, which started from Mfantsipim School Junction and ended at the durbar ground at Jubilee Park.
While the Chiefs danced and waved, the Asafo Companies, skillfully displayed their traditional flags and symbols amidst drumming, dancing, chanting of war songs and firing of muskets.
The parade attracted hundreds of residents, visitors and tourists, with some standing at vantage points with their Ipads, smartphones, cameras and all sort of devices to capture the once –in-a- lifetime scenery.
Some children in other to catch a better view of the procession, stood on the shoulders of their parents and not even the presence of the fierce looking masqueraders, would make them blink.
As procession got nearer to their destination the thicker it got and when the episode finally ended at the durbar grounds, hundreds of people including politicians and government officials, some wearing the 50th Anniversary Cloth, joined in the celebration.
President John Dramani Mahama, addressing the gathering, expressed dissatisfaction that Central Region is the fourth poorest in the country, describing it as unacceptable since Western education, civil service, judicial system and tourism started in the region.
He said the region has so much potential and opportunities to improve the lot of the people and therefore challenged the Central Region Development Commission to come up with strategic plans to improve the economic situation.
President Mahama said Government in proving its commitment to the welfare of the region has revamped the Komenda Sugar Factory and is constructing other facilities.
He expressed satisfaction about the state of the temporary structures for the Kotokuraba traders, and said traders would soon move in to pave the way for the construction of the ultra-modern market by October 1.
He projected that the Cape Coast Stadium would be completed by next year August.
The Omanhen of Oguaa, Osabarima Kwesi Atta II, said the history of Ghana could not be written without mentioning the immense contribution Cape Coast made towards its advancement.
He raised concern about the declining standards of education in the metropolis and attributed it to children loitering at funerals and other social events at the expense of their books and therefore appealed to parents to check these acts.
This year’s celebration was on the theme: “Celebrating Oguaaman, Past Achievements, the way forward”. The celebration outdates 50 years but it was from 1964 that it became an annual event.
