No community should celebrate Kundum festival in Jomoro - Traditional Council orders

The Western Nzema Traditional Council has imposed ban on this year's Kundum festival celebration by the people of the Jomoro Municipality in the Western Region for inadequate preparations.

The festival which is celebrated by the Ahantas and Nzema people of the Western Region, is an occasion to render thanksgiving to God for the abundance of food at the end of the harvest period.

The people of Jomoro celebrate their Kundum festival on the last week of every October and all sub-chiefs and their people gather at the Paramountcy at Beyin for a final grand durbar.

The celebration is also mark with activities such as appellation songs, pouring of libation to sacrifice to gods, football gala competition, clean-up exercise, girl-child education, quiz competition, Chiefs and their Queen Mothers carry in Palaquins in the principal streets to signify peace and unity, fundraising among others.

But in a statement issued by the Traditional Council and copied to the media indicated that all the forty-six (46) communities under the Council in the Jomoro Municipality have been jointly agreed not to celebrate the 2018 Kundum festival.

According to the statement, this was resolved during the Second Quarterly General Meeting and unanimously endorsed by all the 46 Chiefs under the Paramountcy on Friday, October 19, 2018.

The celebration was supposed to start on Sunday, October 21 and ends on Saturday, October 27, 2018.

The statement explained "Since 1990 when Awulea Annor Adjaye III mounted the Western Nzema Paramount Stool, this festival has continuously been celebrated with the active involvement of the Nvavile Family who mainly performs the rites for the launching and closure of the festival every year, unless there is a major disaster or otherwise".

The statement added "At the Second Quarterly General Meeting of the Chiefs of Western Nzema Traditional Council, all the forty-six (46) communities jointly and severely agreed that, the 2018 Kundum Festival shall not be celebrated and same was unanimously confirmed at yesterday's Third Quarterly General Meeting at Beyin Palace".

The statement revealed that majority of communities do not have Palaquins to carry Chiefs and Queen Mothers during the celebration and it was therefore resolved to postpone it to next year and allow all the communities where the celebration take place to have Palaquins.

"The 2019 Kundum Festival shall be officially celebrated in every town and community with all Chiefs and Queens being carried in Palaquins. Funds raised in each community shall be used for specific development projects", the statement emphasized.

The statement cautioned "Any violation of this resolution by any Chief Town shall be as an affront to the Paramountcy and be accordingly sanctioned".

The statement directed "The Municipal Chief Executive and the security apparatus of the Municipality shall ensure compliance and enforcement of the Council's decision in order to avoid mayhem as has recently occurred at Apremdo in the Ahanta Area".

The statement said "This arrangement has become importance because the Annual Celebration of the festival us losing its cultural vibrancy and impact on the various communities with much attention extended mainly to the celebration at the Paramountcy level".

Below is the full statement.
WESTERN NZEMA TRADITIONAL COUNCIL
BEYIN- WESTERN REGION
RESOLUTION BY THE WESTERN TRADITIONAL COUNCIL (JOMORO MUNICIPAL) ON NON CELEBRATION OF 2018 KUNDUM FESTIVAL AT IT'S COUNCIL MEETING HELD AT BEYIN PALALCE ON FRIDAY 19TH OCTOBER, 2018

Kundum as an annual festival of the Chiefs and people of Ahanta and Nzema is normally celebrated every year to usher in bumper harvest starting from Essikado through all Ahanta towns through Axim (Nzema East) to Atuabo (Ellembelle) and its sub-stools and finally ending up in Beyin (Jomoro), the Paramountcy of Western Nzema and among its subordinate Stools.

At the end of the Western Nzema celebration, the migrant Nzemas in Grand Bassam in La Coté d'Ivoire also start and complete this grand festival.

Since 1990 when Awulea Annor Adjaye III mounted the Western Nzema Paramount Stool, this festival has continuously been celebrated with the active involvement of the Nvavile Family who mainly performs the rites for the launching and closure of the festival every year, unless there is a major disaster or otherwise.

Resolution
At the Second Quarterly General Meeting of the Chiefs of Western Nzema Traditional Council, all the forty-six (46) communities jointly and severely agreed that, the 2018 Kundum Festival shall not be celebrated and same was unanimously confirmed at yesterday's Third Quarterly General Meeting at Beyin Palace.

It was resolved and is hereby resolved that;
1. No Town shall violate this of the council
2. Any violation of this resolution by any Chief Town shall be as an affront to the Paramountcy and be accordingly sanctioned

3. The Municipal Chief Executive and the security apparatus of the Municipality shall ensure compliance and enforcement of the Council's decision in order to avoid mayhem as has recently occurred at Apremdo in the Ahanta Area.

4. The 2019 Kundum Festival shall be officially celebrated in every town and community with all Chiefs and Queens being carried in Palaquins. Funds raised in each community shall be used for specific development projects

5. It is at the tail end of this celebration that Nananom shall converge at Beyin to close entire event

6. This arrangement has become importance because the Annual Celebration of the festival us losing its cultural vibrancy and impact on the various communities with much attention extended mainly to the celebration at the Paramountcy level

7. This trend not culturally healthy for the Western Nzema State and must stop

8. This resolution shall be compiled with to avoid any loss of life and property as had occurred in the Ahanta Area.

Signed
AWULEA ANNOR ADJAYE III
(Omanhene/President WESTERN REGIONAL NZEMA TRADITIONAL COUNCIL)

NANA AYEBIE AMIHERE VI
(SNR. DIV. CHIEF/STANDING COMMITTEE MEMBER - HALF ASSINI)

NANA EWIRO KWAME V
(DIV. CHIEF/STANDING COMMITTEE MEMBER -JAWEY)
NANA SIMALE KPANYINLI IV
(DUV. CHIEF/STANDING COMMITTEE MEMBER - NUBA)
NANA BRNE AFAN II
(OBAAHEMAA/STANDING COMMITTEE MEMBER - NZULEZO)
NANA KROAH BLAY IV
(SUB-CHIEF/STANFING COMMITTEE - EZINLIBO)
NANA KABENLA TENDENLE V
(SUB-CHIEF/STANDING COMMITTEE MEMBER - KABENLESUAZO)

NANA NYANZU BLAY IV
(SUB-CHIEF/STANDING COMMITTEE - ELUBO
CC:
THE MUNICIPAL CHIEF EXECUTIVE - JOMORO ASSEMBLY, HALF ASSINI

THE DIVISIONAL COMMANDER
GHANA POLICE SERVICE
JOMORO MUNICIPAL ASSEMBLY, HALF ASSINI
THE MUNICIPAL HEAD,
BUREAU OF NATIONAL INVESTIGATIONS (BNI)
HALF ASSINI
ALL CHIEFS AND QUEEN MOTHERS
WESTERN NZEMA TRADITIONAL AREA
THE MEDIA
Source: Daniel Kaku