Members of the Nettey Family of Swalaba gather for the Homowo feast

Natives of Swalaba mark Homowo homecoming

Daily Graphic Sep - 03 - 2024 , 09:57

Prominent natives of Swalaba have marked a homecoming reunion in the Accra suburb as the community celebrated this year’s Homowo Festival.

Among them were the descendants of the Founder of Accra Hearts of Oak, Christopher Brandford Nettey, who marked the occasion with a homecoming of relatives from Nigeria, Benin, Togo, Cote d’Ivoire, and other parts of West Africa.

Family members thronged the historic Swalaba Family compound, popularly called Phobia House, on the Asafoatse Nettey Road to interact and forge a new way forward for their heritage.

Dignitaries and renowned personalities who graced the occasion included the Queenmother of Sempe Mabruk, Naa Adukwei Opense Dza Nsho Eta; the Ghanaian-born Canadian long jump gold medallist at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, Christabel Naa Saakor Nettey; Asafoatse Nii Akapeh III of Osu Ashante Blohum; Togbe Akai Koumou Nettey of Djeta, and Pastor Gerald Tresor Abosse Assamagan of Cote d’Ivoire.

Family cohesion

The Head of the Family, Nii Akai Nettey, prayed for the departed souls; a minute’s silence was observed in their memory.

He reiterated the need for family cohesion to foster peace for progress, and called for an all-hands-on-deck approach to protect and enhance the family legacy.

The Family Secretary, Herbert Akai Nettey, was full of praise for the Principal Elders for the trust, confidence and support accorded the Head of the Family in steering the affairs of the family.

Appeal

He appealed to the larger family to come on board to support through financial, logistical or some other forms by offering ideas and suggestions.

Mr Akai Nettey said the family was preparing for the investiture of Notse as the Gbese Asafoatse, stressing that “the Gbese Asafoatse emanates from Swalaba”.

He, however, added that they would not condone violence in any way, saying, “we will not allow blood to spill” over the matter.