ghana news Fodzoku celebrates 10th edition of Gligbaza Festival

The people of the Fodzoku Traditional Area in the North Tongu District of the Volta Region celebrated the 10th edition of their annual Gligbaza Festival, with a call on the people to promote their traditions, unity and the development of the traditional area. 

Fodzoku, a predominantly farming and fishing community with a population of 2,000, is one of the resettlement communities built by the Volta River Authority (VRA) during the construction of the Kpong Dam.

It is also one of the six traditional councils in the North Tongu District.  

The festival, which attracted the chiefs and people of the Fodzoku Traditional Area, both at home and abroad, as well as neighbouring traditional areas such as Senchi in the Akwamu Traditional Area and the Torgorme Traditional Area, showcased Ewe culture, including poetry recitals in Ewe and traditional drumming and dancing, on the theme: ‘’Driving change, community action for potable water sustainability’’.

In a brief welcome address, the chairperson of the festival planning committee, Johnson Kwame Tsatror, lauded seven individuals who, through their toil and sacrifice, had established the Gligbaza Festival 10 years ago and had come to stay.    

Addressing the people at the grand durbar to climax the events, the Manklado and the President of the Fodzoku Traditional Council, Torgbe Kwasi Misrobi III, announced that the Fodzoku community, through the efforts of stool father, Torgbe Kwadzo Amewugah Vugbagba, the secretary, Asiwome Memayor and the entire elders of the community, had attained traditional council status that would bring more development into the community.

Gratitude

He was also deeply grateful to the sons and daughters, both at home and abroad, as well as to the Fodzoku Alliance for Education and Training (FAFET) for their continued support for the development of the traditional area.

Torgbe Misrobi noted with concern that the community was compelled to cede their fertile agricultural land to the government and the VRA as a result of the construction of the Kpong Dam in 1980.

However, the promise made at that time to improve their lives had not been fulfilled.

The Principal Community Relations Officer of the VRA, Rhoda Arthur, who represented the chief executive of the VRA, presented a number of items, including drinks, water and an amount of GH₵30,000 to support this year’s festival.

She pledged that the VRA would continue to partner the Fodzoku community and support it in diverse ways to promote its development.