Kwahu Rocks At Easter

The Kwahu Mountains this Easter vibrated to the music of top Ghanaian musicians among them, Amakye Dede, Lord Kenya, Nana Tuffour, Ofori Amponsah, Slim Busterr, Kwabena Kwabena, Naa Agyeman, Batman, K. K. Fosu and Kofi Nti.

Apart from the performances by these musicians the beverage companies, namely, Guinness Ghana Breweries Limited, Accra Brewery Limited and Paramount Distilleries, sponsored a number of street jams across the Kwahu Ridge.

Loud music therefore boomed from everywhere as crowds of dancing youth and revellers reacted to the vibrations in different ways.

Kwahu once again played hosts to thousands of Ghanaians who joined the indigenes to celebrate what has now become the Kwahu Easter Festival.

Being mainly traders and industrialists and mostly Christians, the Kwahus continue with their trading activities during the Christmas festivities and celebrate the Easter in a big way.

Though they have traditional festivals like other Akan states, their Easter activities have now been structured as a period to interact with their neighbours and family.

It is also a period for those who want to marry to make new acquaintances. Self-help projects and beautification exercises as well as fund-raising activities towards development projects in the areas are undertaken at this time.

On Good Friday when most people travelled to Kwahu, long queues of vehicles moved at snail pace into the major towns of Mpraeso, Abetifi, Obomeng, Obo, Pepease and Kwahu Tafo.

By late afternoon, the music had already started booming and pockets of people dancing, drinking or moving about in their cars in an excited mood had began.

Obomeng, Abetifi and Obo had the largest crowds who made movement very difficult and by the evening due to the number of human and vehicular traffic, one had to move carefully to avoid any accidents. The roads were filled with both human and vehicles.

A hiplife bash at the Obo Community Centre featured Kwabena Kwabena and a host of other hiplifers. A street jam at Premier club at Mpraeso and Afahye Stops had everyone either dancing to loud music or drinking and eating at entertainment spots.

Old Timers and Station Bar at Abetifi had their share of the crowds while Modak Hotel at Pepease hosted good old Amakye Dede, who set the place on fire proving that he indeed is one of the best in Ghana.

On Saturday, members of the Obomeng Youth Association staying in Accra, Tema, Kumasi and overseas organised a fundraising durbar and forum to generate funds for projects in the area.

Musical programmes were held at various places in Kwahu, namely the Eagles Peak Resort at Obo, the Abetifi Community Centre, Modak Royal Hotel and Ohene Nana Classic Hotel where Slim Busterr, Naa Agyeman, Batman, Nana Lyttle and Soukous Girls put up a pulsating musical show that kept the audience dancing throughout the night till the wee hours of the morning.

The paragliding event also attracted a number of people to Atibie where some people attempted the Amena Wiafe and Obour Anim hiking trail at Odweanoma Mountain, Obomeng Kwahu.

All those who went down the hill to a cave forty minutes walk down the trail and back spoke of how challenging the trip was and how tired they were.

Ace cameraman of Graphic Communications Group, Emmanuel Quaye, said he nearly blacked out and had to wait for several minutes on his trip back.

"I think there should be a notice warning people that only those fit should attempt the hike. Those who have weak hearts may have problems especially since there are no guides too," he added.

On Sunday, most indigenes went to church while some still hung around entertainment spots to drink, eat and dance with friends.

Picnics were held at most of the churches while some with brass bands went on a procession around their vicinities. Most people left Kwahu on Monday morning to their bases.