Dunkwahene Celebrates 10th Anniversary In Grand Style
The mining and trading town of Dunkwa-on-Offin in the Central Region went agog on Saturday as activities were held to mark the climax of a week-long celebration of the 10th anniversary of the enstoolment of Nana Obeng Nuako III as Dunkwahene.
The 10th anniversary celebration, which was under the theme “Developing the nation through good leadership”, was also used to celebrate the annual Brago Festival. Brago, an old cultural practice of the people of Dunkwa, is used to instill moral discipline among teen age girls to develop them into responsible adults.
There was rich cultural display, as chiefs, members of the royal family and the people of Dunkwa dressed in flashy kente cloths, adorned with other royal regalia. The batakari and other attire from other parts of the country were also very conspicuous.
The day started with a float through the principal streets of Dunkwa, capital of the ancient Denkyira State, with drumming and dancing. Amidst the drumming and dancing was also some cultural display, such as the beating of the talking drum and the firing of musketeery.
In a show of unity and the long known Ghanaian attitude of togetherness, members of other ethnic groups, who have lived in Dunkwa for decades, also joined in the celebrations and they performed their traditional dances accompanied by music to the admiration of all the guests who had come from near and far.
Ina speech, the chairman of the anniversary planning committee and Kyidomhene of Dunkwa, Nana Akwasi Ofori, praised Nana Nuako for his “worthy leadership” and for standing firm in the midst of challenges.
He said ten years of honest leadership by the Dunkwahene has brought fresh breath of integrity to the stool and also placed Dunkwa-on-Offin on the national landscape as a peaceful and progressive town.
Nana Ofori also praised the Dunkwa over-lord for contributing to the development of education and agriculture by personally engaging in farming and even earning national recognition.
In his anniversary speech, the Dunkwahene, Nana Obeng Nuako III, recounted that the decade old journey has not come on a silver platter and this led him to express gratitude to his elders and people and the entire nation for the show of support to his decade reign.
Recounting some of his achievements, he mentioned the construction of a befitting palace for the Dunkwa Traditional Council, which is near completion. Senior high schools and a Nursing and Midwifery Training College were constructed through his influence as part of his agenda to promote education in Dunkwa and its environs.
Nana Nuako III has also allocated vast land to private individuals and the state for the construction of more educational institutions and he has indicated his preparedness to support any agenda aimed at expanding the educational infrastructure in his area.
He admonished Ghanaians to work hard to develop the nation and make the country the envy of her peers on the continent of Africa. As a living testimony, he mentioned that through hard work he has accomplished a lot for himself and Dunkwa.
After he was enstooled as the Dunkwahene, Nana Nuako III relentlessly pursued his profession as a farmer and by dint of hard work he was recognized as the Best National Aquaculture Farmer in 2012 and in 2014 he was again proudly honoured as the Best National Farmer (1st Runner-Up).
He called for unity to ensure political stability before, during and after the general elections in December. According to him political unity and stability are very important for the development of the country.
“We will not allow disgruntled politicians or their agents to disturb the peace we enjoy in Dunkwa” he said and he further admonished Ghanaians to accept each other as one people with a common destiny.