Osu Still Restive

The Osu Asafo accompanying Nii Dowuona IV to sprinkle the kpokpoi

The Osu Traditional Council led by the Nii Okwei Kinka Dowuona IV, Osu Mantse, has marked this year's Homowo festival with the sprinkling of the traditional food (kpokpoi) in the Osu Township amidst tight security.

The activity which marked the climax of the Homowo festival of the people of Osu witnessed Nii Okwei Kinka Dowuona IV going around the community through the principal houses and into the castle sprinkling kpokpoi with huge personnel from the Ghana Police Service (GPS) who were seen at vantage points with protective gears manning the area.

At the '5 Junction' in Osu, Nii Dowuona IV met the Alata Mantse, the Divisional Chief of the Alata Quarter of the Osu Township, amidst dancing and drumming of the Obonu drums. Also, Nii Dowuona met with the Mankralo at Ashimpe and finally come to the chief's palace.

Addressing the media before the traditional warriors (Asafo) who took over the scene with gun shots and a call for the sprinkling to begin, Nii Dowuona IV said the ceremony would go down in the history of the people of Osu as one of the most peaceful.

He said for the past couple of years, the people of Osu did not have the privilege and the honour to meet as one people and celebrate the Homowo festival.

'This year has been peaceful and successful because in the beginning of the year, the stool was raised from a divisional stool to a paramount stool,' he said.

The Osu Mantse added that as the president of the Osu Traditional Council, it is his duty to make sure that there is peace and stability in the community at all times.

He said the council is also taking steps to change the face of chieftaincy in the community through exemplary leadership and development.

'We the traditional rulers will have to lead in terms of development for our people because we are the eyes and ears of this people so if we don't lead in development they wouldn't know how development is going to come to them,' he said.

Nii Dowuona IV said that most often, Accra is seen as an advanced city so all the aid and assistance goes to the hinterland, 'so I use this opportunity to call on organisations and government establishments to collaborate with the traditional council because our doors are always opened for development.'

The Osu Mantse said that the traditional council had taken the lead by renovating the palace among other plans such as the building of a museum to keep art crafts, changing the public toilet into a three-storey building facility and the construction of a community centre.

Nii Dowuona IV also used the occasion to wish the people of Osu a happy festive celebration.

By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri