Splendor and tradition peak at Manya Krobo Divisional Ngmayem festivals

The chiefs and people of four Divisional areas in the Manya Krobo Traditional Area of the Eastern region have held their annual durbar of chiefs and people to mark this year’s Ngmayem festival.

Sheer magnificence, a master-piece of unique Krobo culture, arts and tradition marked the 2020 durbar of chiefs and people of four divisions including Akwenor, Manya, Dorm and Piengua as they held separate durbars to mark the 2020 Ngmayem festival.

There were however no celebrations in two out of the Divisions, Suisi and Djebiam.

The festivities were observed with renewed calls for the creation of independent Paramountcies, calls on the people to continue to unite to ensure development of the area and calls on the people to ensure peaceful elections highlighting the messages of the chiefs to the people.

Manya Division

At Manya, Nene Okpatakpla Sasraku IV recalled the “glorious days” of the celebrations of the Ngmayem festival and condemned attempts by the Paramount Chief of the Manya Krobo Traditional Area, Nene Sakite II for hiding behind COVID-19 to attempt stopping the public celebrations of this year’s festival by the Divisional chiefs.

“In our land, Chieftaincy is no longer something pleasant. Just remember how we used to celebrate Ngmayem in the past. This year, the Konor said nobody should celebrate the festival with COVID-19 as his excuse but he’s the one who knows why he couldn’t celebrate the festival,” he said adding that a lot of traditional areas had observed rites and activities for their respective festivals as well as brisk political campaign activities.

Cancelling the celebrations, he added would have denied most people the usual commercial opportunities the festivities afforded them.

“Anybody who tries using the COVID-19 pandemic to stop the celebrations of our Ngmayem festival this year to deprive our children such as ‘pure water’ sellers and other commercial activities the opportunity to make sales, we the five divisions say, we won’t agree, we shall celebrate,” he said.

Nene Sasraku II called for peaceful elections in the upcoming general elections and asked the electorate to go vote peacefully for their choices and wait for the results.

He asked them to eschew violence and reject politicians who approach them to engage in the same.

“If they any of them comes to you and directs you to go steal a ballot box, go and vote twice for me and you follow them, whatever happens, is up to you,” said Nene Okpatakpla.

He also condemned the destoolment of the paramount queen mother of the Manya Krobo Traditional Area by the Konor allegedly for marrying from Manya which he considered an “enemy territory.”

The Divisional chief also condemned the Konor for “creating new Divisions at Asesewa, Akuse, Kpong and Sekesua” arguing that these areas were already under certain Divisional areas.

“You know yourselves that these areas I’ve mentioned are already under certain divisional areas so what happens if new divisional chiefs are installed? That could be a recipe for fights, trouble and problems. Some of us are distancing ourselves from this.”

Piengua Division

The festivities were also observed at Piengua with the Divisional Chief of the area, Nene Tetteh Zogli III swearing the oath of allegiance and fidelity to the Piengua people and all Pienguali as Konor of the newly elevated Piengua Paramountcy, four years since Piengua abrogated the oaths sworn to the Odonkor Azu Sakite Stool at Odumase.

Nene Zogli recalled incidents leading to the breakaway of the Piengua Division from the Odumase Paramountcy.

“In the year 2016, Pienguali swore an oath to leave Odumase Konor Sakite II’s authority and took all Pienguali away from the control of Odumase Djebiam Konor Sakite II authority. the conflict which culminated in the incident which occurred at the Manya Krobo Traditional Council meeting held on the 19th of September 2016, between Nene Tetteh Zogli III Konor of Piengua Wetso and Nene Sakite II, Konor of Djebiam Wetso, resulted in Peingua Wetso – including all Piengua Asafoatseme and Manyeme to vacate their seats at the Manya Krobo Traditional Council on Monday 19th September 2016,” said the chief.

“Piengua can confirm that the Piengua Wetso Stool is stronger than before and the process of elevation of the Piengua Wetso Stool to Piengua Paramount Stool is far advanced.”

He also condemned the alleged illegal destoolment of the Paramount Queen Mother of the Area, Nana Aplam II earlier in 2020.

Dorm Division

The festival was similarly marked with Divisional chief of the area, Nene Bediako Baah Muala III in full attendance.

He reiterated calls by the five Divisional chiefs on the need for the various Divisions to create independent paramountcies to enhance development in the various traditional areas.

Nene Bediako Baah Muala III argued that only one paramountcy serving the whole of the Manya Krobo Traditional Area was improper since the area had expanded vastly over the years and hence the need for more than one paramountcy.

“Creating more paramountcies will enhance our dealings with the government to facilitate more developments as our share of the national cake.”

The festival was also used to launch its development fund to promote education in the area.

Explaining the significance of the festival, Dadematse Teye Gaga a secretary to the Divisional chief said it is used to remember the settlement of the Krobos on the Krobo Mountains and their subsequent descent to their present location.

He called for peace unity and the support for the chief to develop the area.

Akwenor Division

The Akwenor division also marked the annual Ngmayem festival with the Divisional chief for the area, Nene Asare Odonkor II noting that kinship was strictly for development.

Nene Asare Odonkor II who was celebrating the festival for the first time since his installation in 2018 said he was relieved that Akwenor had finally gained its “freedom” from Odumase after years of slavery.

“I’m very proud to have delivered the people of Akwenor from slavery,” said the chief to his people who had gathered at Mampong to observe the festivities.

He debunked rumours that there was currently no chief for the Akwenor Division as he was legitimately installed as chief of the area and remains so.

According to the chief, it was his desire to see Akwenor develop and also mediate in disputes to ensure peace and unity in the area.

He used the occasion to recall the tortuous journey of the people of Akwenor through the Krobo Mountains to their present location.

The chiefs unanimously used the occasion to call for peace during the 2020 general elections.