Entertainment galore at Kwahu Easter: Amakye Dede, others thrill revellers

The popular and highly patronised Kwahu Easter celebration came to an end successfully last weekend with several doses of unforgettable memories — people were treated to different forms of entertainment.

As an event of celebration, get-together, family bonding and sight-seeing, every community in the Kwahu enclave had an activity or two that thrilled the indigenes and revellers, particularly the first-time visitors.

Visitors were welcomed into the communities with blazing feet-sweeping music from loud sound systems at various sections of the community, particularly at the drinking spots and food joints.

Loudspeakers, as well as huge stages, were mounted on the streets and on the shoulders of the roads by individuals and corporate organisations, especially beverage manufacturing companies to attract new business.

The staff of these companies, who were dressed in branded polo shirts gathered around their mounted stages and speakers to dance to the blaring music as they held baskets containing their products to attract customers.

Some of the revellers who manoeuvred their way out of the choked streets with people, occasionally stopped at where these sound systems had been set up to try their dancing skills. 

There were places, particularly at Obomeng, Obo, Atibie and Mpraeso, where indigenes and revellers who believed in their dancing skills, engaged others in a fierce dance battle, attracting cheers and admiration from onlookers who gathered at such locations to feed their eyes.

No dull moment

Even though there was an entertaining activity in every community, the epicentre was Obomeng, where the high street was closed to vehicular traffic throughout the period. Many of the patrons danced out their hearts leaving their bodies drenched in sweat. There was no dull moment at all! 

At Obomeng, for instance, our cameras captured an old lady, dressed in a blue-black jacket with a black skirt and white sneakers, who wowed visitors with her street dance, which compelled the passersby to reward her with some cash. 

The street-dancing old lady who appeared to have mastered her dance craft would not allow any vehicle to move on the road without receiving some cedis into her pockets.

There were also branded trucks and caravans by some corporate bodies with mounted sound systems that moved through the streets with their products and services.

Musical performances 

In fact, music lovers were not disappointed at all as some of Ghana’s finest highlife musicians, including Abrantie Daniel Amakye Dede and Kwabena Kwabena rocked the Rock City Hotel Night Club with their irresistible music on the nights of Saturday and Sunday.

When Abrantie took the stage, it was an atmosphere of excitement, shouting, dancing, singing, cheering and 'partying' at the Rock City Hotel nightclub on Saturday night through Sunday dawn.

Dubbed the “Artiste Night with Amakye Dede,” patrons, including President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the General Secretary of New Patriotic Party (NPP), Justin Frimpong Kodua and the National Organiser, Henry Nana Boakye, also known as Nana B, were thrilled to the stellar performances by the Iron Boy hitmaker.

The veteran artiste who was in his elements performed many songs from his repertoires, such as Iron Boy, Odo Da Baabi, Sika Ne Barima, and Dabi Dabi Ebeye Yie, which he dedicated to President Akufo-Addo and which also kept most of the patrons on the dance floor throughout his performance.

The veteran artiste appeared on stage at exactly 12:34 a.m. in an all-white kaftan, black shoes, a hat and his trade mark golden necklace.
Backed by his band, the Iron Boy hitmaker performed for over two hours nonstop and also interacted with the elated audience who were capturing iconic moments on phones while dancing to the soul-soothing music.

In short, Kwahu came alive once again. The streets of the communities in the area were crowded with people and vehicular traffic.

The revellers did not spare the opportunity to display their sense of fashion during the event. Probably, they took inspiration from “Osebo The Zaraman.” From different hairstyles to hair colours, tattered jeans to rags and different shades of sunglasses, the streets welcomed everyone. 

Food and drinks 

Those with special tongues for liquor ‘entertained’ their throats to chilled alcoholic beverages which were sold at almost every step on the street.

Food was in abundance as the streets were dotted with many fast-food joints, offering varieties of meals to patrons of the Easter celebrations. 

There was a lot to choose from in terms of drinks, as retailers pitched their pavilions to cash in on the occasion, offering different beverages, including alcoholic drinks. It was a season of street marketing.

Even though food was everywhere, the prices were roof high. For instance, a stick of kebab, which is usually sold at GH¢5 and GH¢10 in many places in the country, was sold at GH¢30 a piece. 

Small-sized bottled water, which sold for GH¢2 on a normal day went for GH¢7 on the high streets of Obomeng. The prices continued to rise as activities unfolded.