Ada: The Ada Traditional Council has launched the 2025 edition of the annual Asafotufiami Festival, marking the 88th celebration of one of Ghana's most prominent and widely attended cultural events. This year's celebration is scheduled to take place from July 31 to August 8, 2025, on the theme 'Peace, Unity and Justice: The Pillars of Our Progress'.
According to Ghana News Agency, Nene Agudey Obichere III, Manklalo of the Ada State and Chairman of the Ada Asafotufiami Planning Committee, in a speech delivered on his behalf by Asafoatsengua Osraman Gadugah VI, said the festival reaffirms the enduring values of the people of Ada, shaping their identity and legacy. He emphasized that these values were not just ideals but living and breathing pillars of Ada's progress.
Nene Obichere recounted the historical roots of the Ada people, noting their ancestral lineage through ancient traditions, including links to Israel and migratory journeys across deserts to the unified settlement of Lorlorvor and finally Ada, a land where 'the Volta River meets the sea, and the earth brims with promise.' He recalled heroic battles such as the Torjuenya, Adidome, and Kantamanso, describing them as moments of courage and unity, which the Asafotufiami Festival commemorates.
'Asafotufiami honours these sacrifices and reminds us that peace is hard-won, justice must be pursued, and unity across clans and generations is our greatest strength,' Nene Obichere said. The Manklalo urged the people of Ada to be ambassadors of peace in their homes, farms, and workplaces, advocating for transparency and fairness in both traditional and civic governance. 'Whether you are Adi, Lomo, Korley, Okumo, Kabu, Agudey or Ofoe; today, we are one: Adali,' he emphasised.
He extended a warm invitation to friends and relatives from Accra, Nungua, the diaspora, and beyond to participate in the celebration and experience the rich Ada heritage. He also called for a collective effort to transform Ada into a premier destination for tourism, modernised salt production, agriculture, innovation, and entrepreneurship. 'Together, we can build an industrialised, resilient, and prosperous Ada,' he added.
In an interview with the Ghana News Agency, Naana Adiki Manyeyo Adi I, President of the Ada Queen Mothers Consortium, highlighted several key activities lined up for the festival. These include traditional rites, candlelight processions, the Soobi-Soobi homecoming float, visits to the ancestral forest (Aplaneaye), a grand durbar of chiefs, cultural expos, music concerts, business and youth forums, among others.
