The chiefs and people of Tema celebrated the annual Homowo festival on Saturday.
Homowo, which literary means hooting at hunger, is observed by the Gas in the month of August to signify their victory over the great famine and hunger that their ancestors experienced when they migrated from Egypt to Ghana.
Homowo is also celebrated in Tema to indicate a successful harvest, following the Kpelejoo festival in April when sowing is carried out on the farms.
As part of activities, the Mankralo of Tema, Nii Adjetey Agbo II on behalf of the Paramount Chief of Tema, Nii Adjei Kraku II, led a retinue to sprinkle Kpokpoi, the traditional Homowo food, in the 22 clan houses, shrines and on principal streets of Tema Manhean, as a sign of blessing, and to invite their ancestors to partake in the celebration.
Members of the Asafo group sang war songs amid drumming and dancing while others fired musketry throughout the three-hour exercise.
Prayers were said for the protection of the country’s leaders and prosperity of the nation.
Nii Adjei Kraku II urged the people to maintain peace and unite towards the development of Tema, and advised them to send their children to school.
He advised the youth against the use of illicit drugs because they were dangerous to health.
In a related development, the Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA) donated assorted items and an unspecified amount of money to the Tema Traditional Council towards the celebration of Homowo.
The items included 50 cartons of mineral water, 20 crates each of beer and soft drinks and three cartons of Schnapps.
The Chief Executive of Tema, Felix Mensah Nii Anang-La, presenting the items to Nii Adjei Kraku II, said road repairs being carried out by government in Tema Manhean were progressing steadily.
He said the assembly would relocate all kiosks sited on road shoulders in the area so that the work could be completed on schedule.
Nii Adjei Kraku II urged the assembly to relocate fish smokers who operate near residential areas to the beach, to reduce the spread of smoke related diseases.
He also called on the assembly to desilt the Chemu lagoon, which was choked with polythene.
FROM GODFRED BLAY GIBBAH, Tema Manhean
