Story: Mary Ankrah
THE Golden Jubilee of the Hogbetsotso Festival of Anlos has been launched with a call on the Anlos to unite for peace and development.
The event, dubbed: “Golden Jubilee Hogbe 2012 Reloaded”, is slated for October 28 to November 5, 2012.
This year’s celebration, which is on the theme: “Deeping our Reconciliation, Unity and Peace towards accelerated Development”, would be marked with activities including sod-cutting for the Awoamefia Palace project, clean-up exercise, presentation of traditional rulers, traditional rites preceding the main event and football gala, among other activities.
Launching the festival in Accra, Prof. Kofi Anyidoho of the University of Ghana and Chairman of Council of University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ho, entreated the people of Anlo not to forget their past challenges and try to settle their differences and unite to ensure development to move the country forward.
He observed that festivals are not only celebrations but reconciliation times for families, community heads and rulers to join heads together to resolve long standing issues.
Adding his voice, the Awoamefia of the Anlo State, Togbi Sri III, in a speech read on his behalf, said the commemoration of the festival every year marks the burning desire of the Anlos to remember, celebrate and reaffirm their identity as a special unit among the Ewes, and also to re-enact the historic character of the migration of the Anlo people.
“It is important for us to remember our forebears, not only those who led us on that journey but especially those who insisted that the journey be celebrated as a festival”, he said.
He observed that the Anlo, for about 13 years, have been buffeted by strife, division, quarrel and conflict which led to loss of lives and urged the people to be committed to peace and unity.
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