The annual Homowo festival in Omanjor, Greater Accra Region, turned violent on Saturday, August 30, 2025, as a traditional kpoikpoi sprinkling ceremony was disrupted by a clash between rival groups, resulting in multiple injuries, including a police officer.

According to reports available to GhanaWeb, the conflict, stemming from a dispute over the approved route for the ritual, saw three individuals shot, with unconfirmed reports of deaths, and a superintendent of police physically assaulted.

The Homowo festival, a significant cultural event for the Ga people celebrating renewal and harvest, involves the ceremonial sprinkling of kpoikpoi, a traditional maize-based dish.

According to reports, the Omanjor community failed to adhere to the designated route approved for the ritual, prompting a confrontation with a rival group from Sowutuom.

Homowo celebration turns bloody as two killed, several injured in violent clash

The group from Sowutuom, armed and intent on halting the ceremony, allegedly opened fire, injuring three people in the ensuing chaos.

The situation is said to have quickly escalated, overwhelming the police presence at the scene.

A superintendent of police was said to have been physically attacked by the mob, sustaining injuries.

The clash on Saturday comes on the back of a longstanding dispute between the Omanjor and Sowutuom communities over land boundaries and ritual routes, which has previously led to tensions during cultural events.

Local authorities had attempted to mediate by assigning specific routes for the Homowo activities.

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According to a journalist at the scene, he and other colleagues caught in the violent clash are currently in a hideout, waiting for police reinforcements to come to their rescue.

Videos sighted by GhanaWeb show persons with various degrees of injuries from suspected gunshots and stones pelted at them.

Meanwhile, some of the injured persons have been rushed to the hospital for medical attention.

GA/BAI

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