Maiden edition of Manya Klo Ngmayem Festival Mock Durbar by students held

Basic school children students drawn from selected schools in the Lower Manya Krobo Municipality have held the maiden edition of the Manya Klo Ngmayem Festival Mock Durbar.

The colourful event was held on Tuesday 23rd October 2024 at the precinct of the Konor’s Palace at Odumase-Krobo in the Eastern Region.

Designed to provide a platform for the younger generation to gain sufficient acquaintance with the culture of the area (Krobos), the event left parents, tourists, and culture enthusiasts in awe because of the precision with which the children replicated the main durbar which is always held on the last Friday in October.

The initiative is the latest addition to the lineup of activities that characterize the celebration of the annual Ngmayem festival celebrated by the Chiefs and people of Manya Krobo.

The eight basic schools that participated in the maiden edition were the Odumase Presby JHS (representing the Paramountcy), Kodjonya Millenium Presby JHS (representing the Suisi division), Agormanya Methodist JHS (Djebiam division), Yokwenor MA Basic School (Piengua division), Agormanya RC JHS (Akwenor division), Matse Israel Basic School (Manya division) and the Our Lady of Fatimah (OLAF) School located at Kpong which represented the National House of Chiefs.

Chairman of the Ngmayem Festival Planning Committee, Gilbert Nene Domesiakor Odjidja described the event as a success and indicated that the committee was in talks with the Traditional Council to widen the scope and make it a regular part of the Ngmayem festival activities.

He commended the students and tutors of the various schools that participated and also lauded the parents of the selected children for adorning the children with their valuable kente cloths, and beads among other similar costumes.

The Manya Klo Ngmayem Festival is a vibrant and deeply rooted weeklong cultural event celebrated by the people of Manya Krobo in the Eastern Region of Ghana. The name of the festival is derived from two Dangme words: ‘Ngma’, meaning millet, and ‘yemi’, meaning to eat. Together, these words translate to ‘the Eating of Millet’.

The festival’s origin dates back to 1944, under the reign of Oklemekuku Azzu Mate Kole, then Konor of Manya Krobo. Azzu Mate Kole initiated the Ngmayem Festival as a replacement for the ‘Yereyeli’ (Hieyemi) festival, which had been introduced in 1893 by his father and predecessor, Sir Emmanuel Mate Kole. Over time, the ‘yereyeli’ festival had waned in popularity, prompting Oklemekuku Azzu Mate Kole to establish a celebration that would better resonate with the Krobo people.