Ritual performances that herald the annual Oguaa Fetu Afahye (Festival) will be initiated despite the suspension of the grand celebration, the Oguaa Traditional Council has said.
This was contained in a release by the council dated 3rd June and signed by the Senior Registrar, I.A Donkor.
Chief Protocol Officer of the Oguaa Traditional Council, who is also the chief of Apewosika-Kokoado, Nana Kweku Enu III speaking to ATLFMNEWS on this development said the ritual observances have become necessary since it is directly in line with the customs and traditions of the land that demands that “the 77 gods of the Oguaa Traditional Area are consulted” with or without a grand celebration.
”Before Afahye takes place we have 77 gods in Cape Coast that need to be consulted. Certain rituals will be going on but we will not invite people. This is because we want to reduce crowding in adherence to the social distance protocols”.
Nana Kweku Enu III noted the ritual performances among other things is to inform the gods on the suspension of the festival in the wake of the coronavirus. Meanwhile the closure of the Fosu Lagoon has taken effect after being rescheduled from an earlier date of May 31, 2020. The closure which started on Monday 8th June, 2020 is to end on the 19th of September 2020 during which fishing is banned.
Related: Oguaa Traditional Council Calls off 2020 Oguaa Fetu Afahye
The closure according to the traditional council is to allow the lagoon undergo the much-needed cleaning due to filth swamped in the lagoon.
However, Nana Kweku Enu III added there will be an extra one month ban on fishing after the 19th September deadline. This, he said, is to allow the lagoon settle for a resultant good catch for fishermen when they start fishing in November.
You can read this too: Declining fisheries and its impact on livelihood in some coastal communities in Ghana. A feature by Mary Ama Bawa
In another development, the 2020 Bakatue festival of the people of Elmina has also been called off as a result of the outbreak of Covid-19. A release by the Edina Traditional Council said traditional rites will be performed but will not be accompanied by the usual large participation by indigenes.
Aba Aikins Appah/ ATLFMNEWS
