Ewulu Nii Adjei Klu, Senior Manager of Radio, Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC), has urged Ga natives to fully participate in the celebration of festivals of their native towns, especially the annual Homowo festival.
Ewulu Nii Klu, who is also a Ga Historian and author of the Ga book “Kusum Gboo”, indicated that the celebration of the festival was not fetish, but it is rather about the traditions and customs of the people and the happenings their ancestors passed through. The Senior Manager gave the encouragement, as Guest Speaker, during the 2025 Tema Homowo lectures, organised by the Tema Youth Association, in collaboration with the Tema Traditional Council.
The lectures were on the theme: “Honouring Tradition, Strengthening Togetherness to Foster Growth.” Ewulu Nii Klu explained that attending the Homowo festival helps natives working elsewhere to come home, assuring their relatives that they are alive and doing well, adding that, it is also a time of reconciliation and bestowing of blessings from the elders unto the people.
He said it is unacceptable and an embarrassment not to return to your traditional home at such opportunities, indicating that just as the Israelites return home for the Passover festival, the Ga, who originated from biblical Israel also do the same during the festival period.
The professional broadcaster urged natives to put aside some funds during the year to enable them to participate, noting that the Homowo period is known traditionally as “Yakanyͻͻ”, which means no work must be done during the period.
He advised Ga native workers to always schedule their leave for that period to get the time to join in the celebration and remembrance of their origin and ancestors, reminding them that they could not do away with their traditions, as their names even show the place they come from and serves as a traditional address.
“You come home to let the family know that you are alive; one person is born, but it takes the whole society to train them. Therefore, you must come and commune with the extended family and receive blessings from the family elders for the next traditional year,” he added.
Ewulu Nii Klu recounted the journey of the Ga-Dangme ancestors from Israel, journeying through many places including Sudan, Nigeria and Togo, to the current settlement at the coast of Ghana.
The Homowo festival is very significant in showing how the people overcame hunger, adding that the period is also used to purify the town and ask for the blessings of the ancestors upon the people.
The Ga Historian urged residents and non-natives on Ga lands to respect the traditions and culture of the people, just as they do in their various towns and religious gatherings instead of labelling them as “fetish”’ to ensure a peaceful existence.
Mr Abraham Adjei Tawiah, the President of the Tema Youth Association, said the association decided to organise the lecture based on happenings in the town and to educate both natives and non-natives on the importance of the Homowo festival.
Mr Tawiah said it was also meant to bring the people together in oneness to think about how to develop the town and prepare a future for the youth, adding that it was very important that the youth actively participate in the festival, as they are the ones to carry the traditions and culture of Tema to the next generation.
Mr Isaac Ashai Odamtten, the Member of Parliament for the Tema East Constituency, observed that festivals have long been vehicles for chronicling the customs and traditions of people, serving as a means by which some social support systems are protected and improving the lives of people through their tourism drive.
Mr Odamtten said that the lecture has encouraged them to honour their culture and promote youth development and empowerment.
By Laudia Sawer
GNA
