Restore ‘Saltpond Odambea’ to August, angry youth descend on chiefs

A group, calling itself the 'Concerned Nkusukum Youth and Citizens for Development' (NCYCD) have descended on their Chiefs for changing the date for the celebration of the Odambea festival from August to October.The festival date was changed to alienate it from the Abeadze-Dominase festival, which is also celebrated in August.But the youth are claiming that the chiefs of Nkusukum Traditional Area were coerced to effect the change, with the reason that it overlapped with that of Abeadze -Dominase Traditional Area.However, the youth found the decision unacceptable since both traditional areas had celebrated their festivals the same month over the years without disruptions.At a protest march to register their disapproval, Mr Ernest De-Graft Egyir, the Leader of the Group, said Odambea had been celebrated over the past 48 years in August in line with their traditional agricultural cycle and rites, therefore moving it to October severed the historical connection and diminished the festival's cultural sign ificance.The Youth marched through the principal streets of Saltpond and submitted a petition to the chiefs, urging them to rescind their decision to reverse the festival to its original date in August.The group proposed an open dialogue or restoration of their festival to its original date and threatened to reject the proposed date change for the festival.Mr De Graft called for the inclusion of the youth in decision making to stop creating generational division, which could weaken the community's unity.There must also be community consultation for better understanding of new strategies to ensure the festival's success.Professor Ransford Yaw Gyampo, a concerned citizen, noted that the decision of the Chief was an unacceptable 'excuse.'He said their tradition could not be to please anyone's selfish gain or interest.Source: Ghana News Agency