- Title: GHANA: COLOURFUL DURBAR OF CHIEFS AND PEOPLE OF AKWAPIM AT AKROPONG
- Date: 22nd September 1966
- Summary: CHIEFS AND PEOPLE AT DURBAR; THE QUEEN MOTHER IN A PALAGUIN; THE OMANHENE IN A PALANQUIN; PROCESSION; OMANHENE GREETS HIS GUESTS; CHIEF NANA KOFI OBONYAA PAYS HOMAGE TO THE OMANHENE. Initials RM/VS/MR/PC Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 7th October 1966 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: AKROPONG, AKWAPIM, GHANA
- Country: Ghana
- Reuters ID: LVA65BRBCGP4PR7T1NQ5JQQOJ1EK
- Story Text: THE PEOPLE OF AKWAPIM, IN EASTERN GHANA, HAVE CELEBRATED THEIR ANNUAL ODWIRA FESTIVAL WITH TRADITIONAL POMP, PAGEANTRY, AND GAIETY. THE CLIMAX OF THE CELEBRATION WAS A DURBAR OF CHIEFS AND PEOPLE AT AKROPONG, THE CAPITAL OF THE REGION, DURING WHICH THE OMANHENE OF AKWAPIM WAS GREETED BY HIS SUBJECTS.
THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE AND THE CHIEFS FROM ALL OVER AKWAPIM GATHERED AT AKROPONG FOR THE FESTIVAL. THE DIVISIONAL CHIEFS RODE IN PALANQUINS IN A LONG PROCESSION THROUGH THE STREETS OF AKROPONG TO PAY HOMAGE TO THE OMANHENE OF AKWAPIM, NANA KWAME FORI THE SECOND, WHO WAS ACCOMPANIED BY THE QUEEN MOTHER, NANA DOKUA.
THE CHIEFS INCLUDED GHANA'S FIRST WHITE CHIEF, NANA KOFI OBONYAA, THE ODIKRO OF ONYAASE. THE ODIKRO WAS BORN RONALD JAMES MOXON IN SHREWSBURY, ENGLAND, AND WAS OFFICIALLY INSTALLED IN 1963.
IN A SPEECH, THE OMANHENE THANKED THE ARMED FORCES AND POLICE FOR SAVING GHANA FROM "THE TYRANNY OF KWAME NKRUMAH", THE FORMER PRESIDENT, WHO WAS OVERTHROWN IN A COUP ON THE 24TH OF LAST FEBRUARY. THE OMANHENE APPEALED TO THE PEOPLE TO GROW MORE FOOD AND CONTINUE TO UNDERTAKE MORE SELF-HELP PROJECTS.
- Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
