The ancient city of Elmina became a large party ground on Saturday when a sea of ecstatic Ghanaians and expatriates from across the globe flooded the coastal town to witness the grand durbar climaxing this year’s Bakatue Festival.
The city’s sea defence project was not enough to stop the inundation as indigenes, tourists, and revellers poured onto the streets and spilled over into its tight corners as the city came to a near standstill.
The forecourt of the famed Elmina Castle seated at the coast of the Gulf of Guinea played host to the culture-rich gathering graced by political heads, the clergy, institutional heads and traditional leaders.
It was attended by stalwarts of the National Democratic Congress led by Prof Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang, running mate of John Dramani Mahama; Mr Solomon Appiah and the Municipal Chief Executive of Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abrem who represented Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia.
Others were the independent presidential candidate, Nana Kwame Bediako (Cheddar) and Prophet Kwabena Boakye Asiamah (Ajagurajah) among others.
The Bakatue Festival is celebrated by the chiefs and people of Elmina on every first week of July to offer prayers of appreciation to the gods and ask for protection and a good fishing and farming all year round.
This year’s festival was on the theme: “Patronising made in Ghana goods and services to enhance economic development: The role of the people of Anomansa.”
Prior to the durbar, the chiefs, queen mothers and elders of the Elmina Traditional Area, brightly clad in their traditional regalia, embarked on a majestic procession stretching about one kilometre through the principal streets of the town to the durbar ground.
The chiefs and queen mothers, carried in palanquins, danced to traditional and brass band music and waved to deafening cheers from the elated crowd.
Marinated in unalloyed Ghanaian culture, incredible stunts, a charming display by the Ntekuafo (a traditional women’s music and dance group) and other captivating performances made the durbar a sight to behold.
As the politicians leveraged the crowd to market themselves for the 2024 election, businesses, both large and small, as well as hawkers, also had a good day.
Nana Kodwo Conduah VI, Omanhen of Edina Traditional Area, reiterated his calls on government to lift the ban on the transshipment of fish at sea from industrial trawlers to local canoes popularly known as Saiko.
He said it was the main source of livelihood for many fishers and provided an affordable option for many poor Ghanaians who could not buy from the cold store.
“Anytime I mention saiko, people in government get angry with me but I will continue to say it because I think it is going to help the people.
“I will urge the government to kindly turn a blind eye to it and allow our people to go for the fish and bring it to us. Afterall, the bycatch is thrown back into sea,” he said.
He thanked the government for all the development projects in the area and reminded the President of some few requests including a school bus for the Edinaman Senior High School and an appeal to dredge the heavily silted Benya Lagoon.
Nana Conduah invited constructive criticisms and ideas on how to improve the celebration instead of malicious criticisms, particularly by a section of the media intended to denigrate him.
He expressed gratitude to all who supported the festival in various ways, particularly the sponsors of the occasion.
Prof Opoku Agyemang, for her part, called for peace before, during and after the 2024 general elections.
She entreated the public to be decorous in their utterances and desist from offensive language in the name of politics.
“One statement can turn Ghana upside down and we don’t want that to happen. We cannot do anything without peace and that largely depends on what we say.
“We all know that Ghana is in a difficult economic situation, and this is the time to come together to find our way out instead of fighting among ourselves,” she said.
The MCE, Mr Appiah, touted government’s achievements in the Municipality, including the fishing harbour.
He added his voice to calls for unity and peace as the country prepared for another election this year.
GNA
AT/CA
July 8, 2024
Pics attached
