Asere Mantse launches Homowo festivities - Commits to peaceful celebrations, elections
The Asere Mantse of Asere Kotopon Traditional Area, Nii Asere Boi VII, has launched this year’s Homowo festivities of the chiefs and people of the local traditional area.
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The colourful ceremony which took place at the palace of the Asere Mantse at Kaneshie last Thursday, drew a distinguished gathering of royalty, community leaders, religious leaders and residents of Asere, reflecting their rich cultural heritage and unity of purpose.
Indigenous Ga music filled the air complemented by the rhythmic beating of drums and the harmonious fusion of various traditional instruments, as Nii Asere Boi made a grand entry with his royal entourage.
Speaking on the theme: “Uniting Asere for a Peaceful Homowo: Our Culture Our Heritage”, Nii Asere Boi admonished the indigenes to prioritise peace and unity above all else during and after the festivities.
The Asere Mantse, who launched this year's Asere Homowo festival, also noted that throughout history, the identity and heritage of the Asere people had been characterised by unwavering oneness and love for peace.
"Let us all partake in and support activities that will mark this year’s Homowo, as they are for our own benefit and reflect our heritage,” he said.
"As we head towards the 2024 elections later this year, I encourage you all to strive for peace before, during and after the elections. Let us play our part to ensure that the 2024 elections are very peaceful," he added.
Caution
Nii Asere Boi, however, cautioned his subjects to refrain from untoward actions like illegal leasing of lands and inciting violence. Such activities, he said, could potentially tarnish the beauty of the festivities and their reputation as Asere people.
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The Asere Djaasetse, Nii Amarkai III, stressed the role and place of the Asere people in the Homowo festivities and the Ga State as a whole. He clarified that the Asere people retained the sole obligation of performing majority of the rites that marked the Homowo festivities.
This, he asserted, spoke to their status and importance of their place in the Ga State. Nii Amarkai also cautioned subjects of the Ga State to refrain from laying illegal claim to titles, property and benefits to avoid confusion and chaos among the Ga people.
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The launch featured a cultural performance that saw the presentation of some farm produce and foodstuff from this year's harvest. These included maize, palm fruits, palm oil, garden eggs, okro, salmon, pepper, onions, tomatoes, tubers of yam, cassava, plantain and firewood.
The event climaxed with prayers and libation asking for successful and peaceful Homowo festivities this year. Nii Asere Boi then made his grand exit with his royal entourage accompanied by songs of praise from the gathering.