Likpe Traditional Area

March 28
Story: Tim Dzamboe,
Likpe-Mate
A Large number of people from the 12 communities in the Likpe Traditional Area in the Hohoe Municipality of the Volta Region have celebrated the “Lekoryi” Unity festival at Likpe-Mate.
The festival, which was presided over by the Paramount Chief of Likpe, Nana Soglo Alloh IV, was on the theme: “Peace, Unity and Development”.
The occasion was used to foster unity and brotherliness and to recognise sons and daughters of the area who had distinguished themselves by promoting peace and development of the traditional area.
Among the personalities who were honoured were Dr Obed Yao Asamoah, a veteran politician, the Most Reverend Frank Atese Nubuasah, Bishop of Francis Town in Botswana, the late Major General Edward Kwaku Utuka (retd) and the late Opanin John Kosi Ekudi also known as Leklembi Kosi.
Addressing the durbar, the Volta Regional Minister, Mr Kofi Dzamesi, said the theme for the festival was very relevant and of national importance in view of the fact that many communities were unable to organise festivals due to strife and conflicts.
He said as a nation there was the need to create a congenial environment for progress and socio-economic development as well as upholding the principles of peaceful co-existence, tolerance and good neighbourliness.
Mr Dzamesi appealed to the people of the region to keep the peace in their homes and communities, adding that “peace means that there must be rule of law”.
He advised the people to exhibit maturity and tolerance in the conduct of political campaigns, stressing that politicians must focus on issues but not personalities.
The regional minister implored them to avoid the use of provocative language and violence in all forms in their campaigns.
The Otekple of Likpe, Nana Soglo Alloh, said the celebration marked the beginning of the end of all chieftaincy disputes in the traditional area.
“Today’s Lekoryi celebration should be observed with great feast and joy, and we should all thank the Almighty for His love of the Bakpeles,” he declared.
The Agbogbomefia of Ho Asogli, Togbe Afede XIV, commended the people for their deep sense of unity, adding that they should strive to break all the shackles of poverty, which had bedevilled the black race all over the world.
He asked them to rededicate themselves to virtues of development and should eschew tendencies of division and animosity that hindered development in many places.
The Paramount Chief of the Gbi Traditional Area, Togbe Gabusu, made a passionate appeal to Dr Obed Asamoah to champion efforts to withdraw all cases pending in the courts for amicable settlement at home.
The chairman for the function, Nana Kweku Aboagye, who is the Mankrado of Likpe Agbozume, said the people had been thirsty for the festival and that the celebration had made them a great people of the time.
As part of the celebration, a pilgrimage was organised to the ancestral caves at Likpe Todome. A football gala was also organised, with the Likpe Mate town team emerging the champions.