Ada celebrate 50 years of Asafotufiam festival this week

By: Dennis Narterh Adzigodi, Big-Ada.

The people of Ada will celebrate 50 years of history in the celebration of the annual Ada Asafotufiam festival from 4th to 11th August 2011 at Big Ada in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana under the auspices of the Paramount Chief of the Ada Traditional Area Nene Abraham Kabu Akuaku (III).

In an exclusive interview with the Wojaku newspaper, Nene Kabu Akuaku (III) said all are poised for the celebration of this year’s annual Asafotufiam festival in a very grand style as it marks a milestone of 50 years in the history of the festival.

Speaking on the theme of the 50th anniversary, “Transforming Society through culture,” he urged all individuals especially the youth to desist from modern lifestyles that do not conform to our traditional norms to help fight the menace of indiscipline in society.

He continued that the youth of today must see themselves as future leaders into whose hands the state will be entrusted and must do all they can to lead exemplary lifestyles to help preserve our culture and heritage. He has therefore called on all the youth to dress decently during and after the festive period.

Highlights of the Golden Jubilee celebration includes Traditional prayers on Thursday 4th August , visit to the sacred forest at Luhuese Ada for rituals on Friday followed by firing of musketry and cleansing of feets and gathering of all Divisional chiefs at Kpomkpo Panya for rituals.

This will be followed by a Grand Durbar of Chiefs and people of Ada at the Big Ada Presby Park on Saturday 6th August 2011 where the vice president his Excellency John Dramani Mahama and the Greater Accra Regional Minister Mr. Ishmael Ashitey are expected to grace the occasion.

There will be church and thanks giving service on Sunday at the Big Ada Presby Park with canoe regatta and Beach Party, football match and traditional drumming and dancing on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday respectively.

But the attraction of the festival will be on Sunday evening where TV3 in collaboration with Tigo stage the Tigo Festival Train at the Big Ada Presby Park and also Ghana Premier League giants Hearts Of Oak taking on Ada XI at the same venue on Tuesday 9th August 2011 which is first in the history of the festival where a premier league side takes on a team from Ada.

Also attractive will be the Miss Asafotufiam 2011 on Saturday night 6th August 2011.

Other activities have also been lined up before, within and after the festival to make this year’s Asafotufiam a very memorable one.

Developmental projects undertaken to commemorate the anniversary includes the fencing of the Big Ada Lenobinya Traditional ground and rehabilitation of the road linking Ada Kasseh to Big Ada Township. Telecommunication networks in the country have also taken the advantage of the festival to paint most of the buildings and stores in their colours to add to the beauty and glamour of the golden jubilee celebration.

Nene Akuaku (III) has therefore called on all natives of Ada ,well wishers and people from the Diaspora to come and be part of this year’s 50 years anniversary in the history of the annual Asafotufiam Festival.

The festival, as always, will attract over millions of people from all walks of life to converge at Big Ada, the Traditional capital to witness the rich and colourful culture of the people of Ada in the Dangme East District of the Greater Accra Region of Ghana.