Manya Jorpanya celebrates festival

/ 25 September 2019 / 0 Comments

The chief of Manya Jorpanya, His Royal Majesty Nene Dr.Tei Djahene, has led his people to carry out a number of activities to mark this year’s celebration of the Manya Jorpanya festival.

The celebration which began on Monday,17th September 2019 had natives living outside the town being welcomed back home.

On the second day, the people of the town came out in their numbers to undertake a clean-up exercise.

Wednesday was set aside to remember the dead relatives and ancestors of the land. The event took place at the town’s Event Centre and saw both the chiefs and indigenes of the town cladded in mourning clothes.

The place was filled with mourning songs, drumming, wailing and the display of pictures of relatives who had passed on.

Visit to the Ancestral Home

On Thursday, 19th September, the people of Manya Jorpanya, with their chief, Nene Tei Djahene Korabo IV, paid a visit to their ancestral home, located at the Shai Hills.

At the entrance to the hills, the chief with the fetish priests poured libations and offered sacrifices to the ancestors before climbing the hills. That was to signify that they are not intruders but the people of the land.

The chief explained that the purpose of the visit was to pay homage to the ancestors and tell their history to the people. Sacrifices were made at the Holy Water, cave rock, the tree with one root and three stems among others.

After all sacrifices and rituals had been performed, the chief and his people descended the hill back to the town.

GRAND DURBAR

The climax of the celebration was grand durbar held on Saturday, September 12.

The colourful event, which was under the theme, “National Development: The Role of Traditional Leaders in the 21st Century”, was graced by several dignitaries and as well as people from all walks of life.

The District Chief Executive for Shai-Osudoku District Assembly, Hon. Daniel Teye Akuffo, in his speech, stated that this year’s theme was significant because, over the years, the contribution of traditional leaders in the development of Ghana have been enormous, adding that they have shown great efforts in governance and development.

He commended the chief, Nene Dr Tei Djahene Korabo IV, for his hard work and determination in making Manya Jorpanya an industrial hub.

He pleaded with the chief in his district to be ready to give out lands for developmental projects. The DCE donated some items and a sum of money to the chief and his people.

The Guest Speaker for the event, Hon. Kennedy Agyapong, MP for Assin Central, applauded Nene Tei Djahene Korabo IV for striving for development and peace in his community.

He advised the chiefs, elders and people of Manya Jorpanya that lands sold should not be for personal gains but for the benefit of the community and the generation to come.

He also urged them to live exemplary lives for the youth to learn from them. And to the youth, he asked them to be responsible, pursue education as well as chase their dreams.

He promised to bring investors to the town and donated a sum of GHC10, 000 each to Nene Tei Djahene Korabo IV and the queen mother for developmental projects in the community.

Nene Tei Djahene IV thanked the Regional Minister, the DEC, Hon. Daniel Akuffo, and Hon. Kennedy Agyapong for honouring his invitations to join him and his subjects in the celebration of their festival, and also for their contributions.

He further stated that this year marks his 21st anniversary of his enstoolment as a chief.

He said things were not easy for him during his early reign, adding that with the help of his sub-chiefs, he has been able to identify the natural resources of the land and used them for the development of his community.

He said some developmental projects he has done for his community include the provision of pipe-borne water, electricity, schools, and hospitals, among others.