Mistakes, As NAFAC 2002 Opens Amid Grandeur

Takoradi, Western Region -- The thick crowd, including chiefs, at the official opening of the National Festival of Arts and Culture (NAFAC 2002) at Sekondi last Saturday felt disappointed at the poor rendition of the National Anthem by an amateur band. The band was seen as a last minute substitute because the 'Naval Band', officially scheduled to play the Anthem, was absent. Those already familiar with the unadulterated original tune were of the view that the performance of the band was below standard.

Another unfortunate development was the long delay in starting the programme scheduled to start at 9am. The ceremony got off well after 3pm when the crowd had borne the heat of the sun with proverbial patience.

They took consolation when information filtered through that the President who was to perform the opening ceremony was on "another equally important assignment" at Gomoa Nyanyano.

The greatest disappointment at such a cultural festival was the non use of a Ghanaian language by all the speakers to "reflect the significance of language as an important tool in culture".

Except Nana Kobina Nketsia IV, Omanhene of Esikado and Chairman of the National Planning Committee ,who mixed his welcome address with Fante, all the other speakers, including President Kufuor, Professor George Hagan, Chairman, National Commission on Culture, Odeneho Gyapong Ababio, president of the National House of Chiefs, spoke in English to the disadvantage of a large section of the crowd who cannot understand and speak the English language.

These "mistakes" did not however take away the beauty, grandeur and the pageant of the festival which revolved around chiefs as the centre-piece of Ghanaian culture.

Resplendent in their royal garb of ornamented head gears, bangles, bracelets and neck chains over rich kente, chiefs, some dancing in palanquins, others walking, arrived in procession at ceremonial grounds of the Methodist School Park for the festival whose theme is "Culture, Development and the Ghanaian identity".

Drumming, singing and various dance forms by performers from the regions highlighted the activities of the 10-day festival which was inaugurated by President Kufuor.

In his address, the President cautioned Ghanaians not to copy blindly or equate modernisation with everything Western and foreign seen on the television.

"To avoid this trap it is necessary to demystify elements of the Ghanaian culture and undertake a systematic and thorough research of the origins and evolution of some particular aspects of the Ghanaian cultures", he said.

For this reason, "the core values that underlie our beliefs must be constantly examined and amended or reinforced to give the citizens the necessary confidence in our identity," President Kufuor added.

He assured the gathering that the government would try and squeeze some resources to complete all the regional cultural centres, including the Sekondi theatre.

Nana Nketsia commended members of the planning committee whose commitment and sacrifice contributed to bring the Festival into reality in the face of uncertainties.

He called for private participation towards the completion of the Regional Culture Theatre.