Announcing OKUSACA 2019 Odwira/Ohum In North America

The Okuapemman Association of USA and Canada (OKUSACA) proudly announces the 34^th Anniversary this year (2019) of the founding of the Association, and as has always been done since the Association’s inception, the anniversary will be commemorated with a celebration of the North American version of the Akuapem/Asuogya Odwira/Ohum Festival in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN over this year’s Labor Day Week-end, from Friday, August 30 to Monday, September 2, 2019. The venue will be the luxurious DoubleTree By Hilton Bloomington Hotel, located at 7800 Normandale Boulevard, Minneapolis, MN, 55439.

More than just a hosting of another gathering of Ghanaians of Akuapem and Asuogya descent to celebrate our annual ODWIRA/OHUM Festival, the choice of the Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN for this year’s festivities is significant because the Minnesota Chapter of OKUSACA, which is based in Twin Cities area, is also celebrating its 5^th Anniversary since it was inaugurated as OKUSACA’s 9^th Chapter. Thus, this dual anniversary celebration is expected to lend a special flavor to the 2019 Odwira/Ohum festivities and make it one of the best OKUSACA events ever in its 34-year history.

OKUSACA is a non-profit, charitable organization registered in both the U.S. (501(c)3 status) and Canada, comprising mainly people of Akuapem and Asuogya descent from the Eastern Region of Ghana, but it also has Ghanaians from other parts of the country who identify with us – mostly because of shared cultural heritage and values – and have therefore chosen to join our organization. Dedicated to fostering close social, cultural and economic inter-relationships between its members and the host communities that we live in here in North America (U.S.A. and Canada), OKUSACA also has as its major focus the improvement of the quality of lives of the people living in the Akuapem and Asuogyaman areas (in particular, and Ghana in general), and we do this by organizing activities and holding events that are aimed at raising funds and soliciting donations in-kind, which we then use to initiate and support socio-economic programs back in Ghana that are geared towards the implementation of this endeavor.

The theme for this year’s ODWIRA/OHUM celebration is “Youth Culture: Race, Identity and Social Behavior in the 21^st Century”, chosen specifically in recognition of fact that even as we prepare our youth in the Diaspora – who are undoubtedly the backbone and future of our organization – to successfully face the challenges of the future and become great citizens of an ever-changing, globalized world, there is the need to not just “introduce” them to our African (Ghanaian – and particularly Akuapem/Asuogya) culture but also, and even more importantly, to actually educate and train them to imbibe and live the mores and cultural values that identify us as a people.

High-lights of the ODWIRA Week-end will include a durbar of chiefs and dignitaries (from the U.S., Canada, Ghana and Europe) on Saturday morning, a mega fund-raising dinner-dance on Saturday evening, the usual Sunday afternoon picnic and an after-picnic fun party on Sunday evening (for those who really came to have a full week-end of fun and don’t leave early on Sunday!). There will also be a crowning of Ms. OKUSACA and Mr. OKUSACA (competition rules to be announced through the leadership of the various OKUSACA Chapters), raffle-draw with fantastic prizes, and an all-around fun galore! In short, if you’re from Akuapem/Asuogya (and especially an OKUSACA member) – or even if you’re a Ghanaian who just appreciates our motherland’s rich culture and also loves to have fun, then this year’s North American ODWIRA/OHUM celebration is not the event to miss! All roads lead to the Twin Cities of Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN for Labor Day Week-end! See you there!

Source: OKUSACA National Secretariat; Columbus, OH