Ga Odumase celebrates Obutu Homowo

The Chief and people of Ga Odumase near Amasaman celebrated their annual Homowo Festival last Saturday with a call for unity and collaboration to develop the town and its adjoining communities.

The festival, dubbed "Oboutu Homowo" was attended by the chief of Amasaman, Nii Amasa Oseku II.

Addressing the gathering, the Chief of Odumase, Nii Acquah II, said in the course of the first half-year, some development projects were initiated in the town, some of which were ongoing such as the construction of a police station which was expected to be completed next year.

He recounted the history of the people, noting that the Ga Odumase Traditional Area and the three neighbouring towns of Amanfrom, Dome Sampa and Pampaaso all fell under the jurisdiction of the Ga Sempe Division.

He said the people of both Odumase and Amanfrom were from one family stock whose ancestors first settled at Amanfrom with a section moving later to stay at Odumase, which literally means under the odum (oak) tree.

Odumase was established by Korkor Sampah as a military base for fighters from Amanfrom engaged in combat with their adversaries.

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Infrastructure

Nii Acquah II said some of their forebears also broke off to settle at Dome Sampa, Pampaaso and Achiase.

He said, in spite of the separation, the people of the various communities continued to share things in common.

Nii Acquah II, said the pressing needs of the town were a health facility and good roads.

He commended the Ga West Municipal Assembly for constructing more classrooms for the basic school in the town as school pupils who hitherto were studying under trees had now been comfortably accommodated.

"That said, however, the school enrolment keeps growing as such there would be the need to put up a storey building to make room for the increasing number of schoolchildren,” he appealed.

Nii Acquah II, who has led his people for 32 years, said Odumase, which had few houses some years ago, had undergone rapid transformation and continued to grow, particularly with regard to infrastructural development.

Procession

Nii Acquah II, dressed in a traditional warrior outfit, paraded through the principal streets of the town after the durbar amid drumming, dancing and chanting of ‘war’ songs.

He also sprinkled “Kpokpoi”, the traditional food of the Ga people, at designated sacred places such as the cemetery and the five royal family houses at Odumase.