Basic students from various schools in the Somè Fugo circuits within the Ketu South Municipality of the Volta Region have celebrated the 49th Somètutuza with grand style.
The durbar, which primarily took place on at the Denu Chicago Basic School Park in the municipality was designed to be the curtain raiser, leading up to the main durbar, which is expected to take place on Saturday, September 27, at Agbozume Some National Park.
Madam Martha Nukegbe,the Chairperson of the ceremony, in her remarks, commended participating students, tutors, and parents for adorning children in their valuable kente clothes and traditional beads that showcased rich culture of Some Traditional Area and the Eweland at large.
“The Somètutuza or Somè Festival is a vibrant, two-week cultural event deeply rooted in the Somè Traditional Area, Volta Region, originated in 1976 under Torgbui Hotor II of blessed memory,” she said.
Madam Nukegbe emphasised that culture described identity and the way a group of people in a community behaved and urged students and the people of Somé traditional area to preserve the cultural roots of the area for the next generation.
She said Somètutuza reflected on the efforts of the forefathers and their cultural traditions which were needed to be inculcated into the younger generations in the area and beyond to blend cultural pride with community engagement for brighter future.
Torgbui Geli, the Festival Central Planning Committee Chairman, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, described the event as a promising one, which would pave the way for the upcoming mega Somè Wego students’ durbar as well.
“Children festival, which comes before the main Somètutuza festival is specially designed to teach the younger generation the culture of the Somè traditional to replicate the cultural displays of the area.”
Mr. Prosper Mensah, the Headteacher of Denu Chicago Basic School, who also witnessed the programme expressed gratitude to Torgbuiga Adama III, Makorsor and President of the Somè Traditional Council, for choosing the school to host the Somè Fugo students’ durbar.
He also appealed to the government, stakeholders, philanthropists, group of companies and individuals to help solve some of pressing challenges of the school which include completing a three-unit classroom block which was started by the school’s PTA over five years and was yet to be completed due financial problem.
He said the challenge when solved would help alleviate overcrowding of students in one classroom as well as provide required space needed for easy teaching and learning to promote and improve academic activities.
GNA also observed that a total of eight basic schools which took part in the ceremony were Agavedzi Basic, Adina Number 1 Basic, Adina Number 2 Basic, Tettekope Basic, Adafienu R/C Basic, Adafienu E.P Basic, Denu R/C Basic, and host Denu Chicago Basic School.
The ceremony was also marked with activities such as drumming, dancing, poetry recitals, and dramas which highlighted the rich cultural heritage of the traditional area.
GNA
