A fresh breath of excitement and euphoria was yesterday heaved into Adaklu, in the Volta Region, where the country’s national 66th Independence Day anniversary was marked with a flamboyant parade.
The hitherto quiet and calm town was thrown into a state of ecstasy during the celebration that attracted thousands of spectators and guests to the multipurpose Youth Resource Centre.
In an atmosphere of rich cultural displays, the celebration was defined by wave of energetic dance, spectacular acrobatic and military shows, and brisk march of school children and security personnel.
The over six-hour ceremony, on the theme “Our Unity, Our Strength, Our Purpose” dazzled its viewers, both at the venue and online, with a blend of cultures from all regions, giving true meaning to the theme.
Against a hot and humid weather, compensated by melodious tunes, from the security service, the event took off after 10:20 a.m. when President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo arrived with his wife, Mrs Rebecca Akufo-Addo.
He was welcomed with rousing cheers and waving of miniature Ghana flags.
Bespectacled and resplendent in white long-sleeved shirt, the President Akufo-Addo waved to the cheering crowd, took the national salute and then moved to honour the age-old tradition of lighting the perpetual flame.
Then it was time for our faith, as Traditional, Islamic and Christian prayers were said seeking the blessings of God and the nation’s ancestors to help sustain the peace of the country.
In their neatly pressed uniforms, contingents from Junior and Senior High schools as well as primary schools drawn from Ho and Adaklu marched past the Presidential dais with precision and pride.
Under the heaviness of their neatly polished boots, the security services started their session with the tradition of trooping of the colours, after which they set the square agog by marching in dexterity to inscribe “GH is 66”.
As if to assure of the military’s might, some of the country’s tactical military weaponry, including anti-aircraft launchers, missile vehicles, armoured vehicles, police crowd control vehicles and fire service engines, were showcased.
There was excitement written over the faces of the spectators who defied the scorching sun, with some shading themselves under umbrellas to catch a glimpse of the historic event.
Some dignitaries at the event included the Vice President, Alhaji Dr Mahamudu Bawumia and his spouse, Mrs Samira Bawumia, government officials, traditional and religious leaders and members of the diplomatic community.
Guinea Bissau’s President, Umaro Sissoco Embaló, who is also the Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), was the Special Guest of Honour.
Ghana’s independence from British colonial rule on March 6, 1957, had always been celebrated at the Blackstar square in Accra until 2019 when the government decided to rotate the ceremony to bring the story of the country’s independence closer to Ghanaians nationwide.
The celebration at Adaklu is the fourth outside the national capital following the hosting by Tamale in the Northern Region; Kumasi, Ashanti Region and Cape Coast, Central Region
FROM LAWRENCE MARKWEI, ADAKLU & JONATHAN DONKOR, ACCRA
