Morocco Ambassador to Ghana celebrates historic 2022 Damba festival in Yendi

Her Excellency Imane Ouaadil, Morocco Ambassador to Ghana, was in Yendi on Friday 14th October 2022 to celebrate Damba festival with the King of Dagbon Yaa- Naa Abubakari Mahama II, chiefs and people of Dagbon Kingdom. The celebration of this year's Damba festival at the Gbewaa Palace, by the Ambassador, was at the invitation of Member of Parliament for Yendi Constituency, Alhaji Farouk Aliu Mahama. It formed part of activities to mark an official visit to Northern Region from Friday 14th October 2022 to Tuesday 18th October 2022. At the Gbewaa Palace, which was overwhelmed with cultural activities, the Ambassador, and his team, were heartily welcomed by the King and his sub-chiefs. As part of activities commemorating the Damba, the drummers picked the Ambassador from her seat to join the dancing floor and she performed creditably well as if she had been practicing how to perform the traditional dance. Ambassador Imane Ouaadil and her team witnessed Lunsi (Drums) performance as well as Gonje (Local Guitar strings) performance interlaced with gentle chameleon dance steps. Amidst musketry, display of horse riding skills, charms, and appellations, the three-hour event, which was the second day of the Damba festival got virtually all participants on their feet. At least for more than two hours, one could see people either dancing to the melodious tunes of traditional music and drums, or stretching necks to catch a glimpse of extraordinary performances being displayed. The Ambassador and her team, in the company of the Member of Parliament for Yendi Constituency among other dignitaries, left Yendi to Tamale to continue the celebration of the festival late into the night. Subsequently, at a private dinner organized in honor of the Ambassador, a number of issues of mutual interest, particularly on skills training and other opportunities were discussed for the benefit of the people of Yendi. In line with program, the Diplomat stayed in Dagbon, and connected with other dignitaries on diverse matters of mutual interest. She will visit a number of tourist attractions up North and return to her post by 18th October, 2022. The tour of Northern actually forms part of the diplomatic duties being carried out by Ambassador Imane Ouaadil in the ancient Kingdom of Dagbon. She used the opportunity to strengthen ties between Ghana and Morocco in the areas of tourism, culture and creative arts, education, religion among others with development of new working relationship with Dagbon Kingdom and the people of Yendi. Her visit to Yendi to celebrate this year's Damba festival, she underscored had followed some preliminary discussions held between her and the Member of Parliament (MP) for Yendi Constituency, Alhaji Farouk Aliu Mahama. Her Excellency Imaane Ouaadil expressed gratitude to the MP for hosting her and inviting her to observe the Damba festival. She said it was her desire to see Yendi developed and therefore her doors were opened for further discussions on matters of mutual interest. Her visit, she said, was to strengthen her country’s ties with Ghana, with particular emphasis on Yendi, the ancient capital town of Dagbon for stronger cooperation. The Ambassador arrived at the Tamale Airport by 1:30 pm on Friday and was welcomed by Alhaji Farouk Aliu Mahama and other dignitaries. On Saturday October 15th, the delegation paid a courtesy call on the Northern Regional Minister, Alhaji Shani Alhassan Shaibu. The Ambassador subsequently visited Yendi again to say goodbye to the King Ndan Yaa-Naa Mahama Abukari II The delegation later moved to a Skills Exhibition Center at the Yendi Community Centre where Artisans displayed their crafts for sale. The delegation also inspected the site for construction of skills development center. Following that, the delegation visited Mion, and returned to Tamale. On Sunday October 17th, the team paid a courtesy call on the King of Gonja Kingdom, Yagbonwura in Damongo, and visited the Mole National Park Game Reserve. On Monday, the delegation will visit the Tamale Technical University, the University for Development Studies, and depart to Accra. Alhaji Farouk Aliu Mahama, noted that it had been his desire and utmost priority to create an avenue with the international community for the benefit of the people of Yendi. Through this, he said the effort would eventually pay off and the necessary support for development of his constituency manifest in the long run. He said the objective, at the end, is to create a sister-city relationship between Yendi and other major cities of the world.