Rainfall disrupts grand durbar climaxing Easter festivities
The forecourt of the palace of the Chief of Obo in the Eastern Region was agog with Ghanaian customs and traditions to mark the 25th anniversary of Osabarima Yeboa Afare Obuagyan II.
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Various chiefs and their queen mothers from both far and near with their long retinue and dressed in rich kente cloth took turns to congratulate Osabarima Obuagyan amidst the blowing of horns, the intermittent firing of muskets, drumming and splendid ‘adowa’ traditional dance performances by four girls and a man.
Although the venue was overcrowded, the audience, made up of guests and indigenes from both home and abroad, sacrificed their comfort to participate in the once-in-a-lifetime occasion.
Rains splutter and scatter
The programme, which was slated for 10 a.m. started after 2 p.m. and just before activities hit a crescendo and the chairman for the occasion, the Chief of Pepease, Nana Ayipey Bonso, read his speech, the clouds gathered.
Before Nana Bonsu could finish his speech, which essentially praised Osabarima Obuagyan for his development acumen that had developed Obo and the whole Kwahu Traditional Area, the heavens emptied themselves of their heavy store of rain with venom, as if to say ‘I gave you much time for the durbar but you abused it’.
Dignitaries present, including the many chiefs and their retinues holding very colourful umbrellas and linguist staffs with very interesting totems, who had occupied the centre of the durbar grounds leaving just enough space for movement therefore scuttled for shelter.
Dignitaries present
The dignitaries present included the Chief of Staff, Mr Julius Debrah, who represented President Mahama, the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Mrs Elizabeth Ofosu-Agyare; the Eastern Regional Minister, Ms Mavis Ama Frimpong; as well as municipal and district chief executives.
No speech
Due to the rains, no other speeches were delivered and even after it had briefly subsided, the only activity that continued was the receipt of cash donations from organisations and individuals for development projects in the Obo area.
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A scheduled tape-cutting event to open a new modern multimillion palace for the chief, was also cancelled as a result of the rain.
Brief History
Obo has 220 towns and villages under its jurisdiction. The land is rich in mineral resources and the government has granted a concession to the Akroma Gold Mines to prospect for gold at Esaase.
The contribution of Osabarima Obuagyan II to the development of Obo has been described as remarkable, as the town can boast of modern architectural buildings, clinics, a royal palace, a senior high technical school and a campus of the Presbyterian University College.
Writers’ emails: george.folley@graphic.com.gh / edmund.asante@graphic.com.gh