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• jojo 12 years ago

  I was in Ga Mashie this year for the Homowo it was incredible and very very well attended,what on earth is this writer talking about.yes you have the Chieftaincy problems which I agree is a disaster for the Ga state,howver th ...
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  I was in Ga Mashie this year for the Homowo it was incredible and very very well attended,what on earth is this writer talking about.yes you have the Chieftaincy problems which I agree is a disaster for the Ga state,howver the festival is bigger than any chief nor chiefs in dispute.This tears Homowo was proof of that.

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• MV.Dodoo, usa. 12 years ago

  JoJo, you served my heart good. I was so worried with this article. Any it is good the writer is calling people attention. I my self in the 60's when is Homowo, Gas from other region organize them with join trotro line themse ...
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  JoJo, you served my heart good. I was so worried with this article. Any it is good the writer is calling people attention. I my self in the 60's when is Homowo, Gas from other region organize them with join trotro line themselves from Nsawam through Pokuse coming to Accra for this festival, it was nice to watch. All are no more.

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• JOSEPH GANYOBI 12 years ago

  What are you talking about...I WAS IN NEW NEW YORK CITY...AND THIS HOMOWO WAS ENJOYED AMONG ALL THE GHANAIAN TRIBES NOT ONLY THE GAS....SO WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT...NEW YORK IS THE PLACE TO BE FOR THE HOMOWO FESTIVAL...CR ...
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  What are you talking about...I WAS IN NEW NEW YORK CITY...AND THIS HOMOWO WAS ENJOYED AMONG ALL THE GHANAIAN TRIBES NOT ONLY THE GAS....SO WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT...NEW YORK IS THE PLACE TO BE FOR THE HOMOWO FESTIVAL...CROTONA PARK IN THE BRONX....

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• NAA4U 12 years ago

  SERIOUSLY, WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT OUR SOCIETY AS GAS. OUR CULTURE, OUR FESTIVAL AND OUR CHIEFTAINCY ISSUES. WE NEED TO GET BACK OUR LOST GLORY.

  SERIOUSLY, WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT OUR SOCIETY AS GAS. OUR CULTURE, OUR FESTIVAL AND OUR CHIEFTAINCY ISSUES. WE NEED TO GET BACK OUR LOST GLORY.

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• Soomui 12 years ago

  Jojo very clearly you dont know what you are talking about.
  
  May be you were impressed with the watered down version of whats left of the once great festival of Homowo that you might have witnessed around the Ga Mashie are ...
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  Jojo very clearly you dont know what you are talking about.
  
  May be you were impressed with the watered down version of whats left of the once great festival of Homowo that you might have witnessed around the Ga Mashie area this year. I can however assure you that Homowo has seen grander times when every Ga family throughout Accra and the country, joyously cooked the festival food for one and all.
  
  To begin with, this year, as in recent years, the state authorities had banned the local chiefs in the Ga Mashie area from performing the necessary rites that would herald the Homowo into full swing. That, for starters, did not happen.
  
  And as for the Ga Mashie area, whether it is Homowo or not, the streets are always choked with people and a rare visitor could easily mistake such a scenario during the Homowo period as being exceptional.
  
  Many years ago during the era of the Kufuor Presidency, the celebration of the Homowo was raised to the point where even the President and the entire govt and Chiefs from all over Ghana got involved in the celebration of this festival. The visibility and values of the Homowo festival was raised to such heights that people of other tribes and nationalities freely and happily partook in the festival.
  
  Perhaps this is the scale of celebration that the writer Kpakpo Allotey was rightly alluding to.
  
  I am looking forward to Kpakpo Alloteys anticipated write-up on Ga Chiefs who are clearly the main cause of the decadence of the Ga State.

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• GHAZI 12 years ago

  Ga Mashie has been sold to the Ashantis, and Jake Obetsebi Lamptey has been made a puppet in the NPP. Until the Gas' stop allowing the Ashantis' from hand picking and installing their chiefs, not only the Homowo tradition wil ...
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  Ga Mashie has been sold to the Ashantis, and Jake Obetsebi Lamptey has been made a puppet in the NPP. Until the Gas' stop allowing the Ashantis' from hand picking and installing their chiefs, not only the Homowo tradition will die, but the entire tribe will perish. Nobody speaks Ga in Accra, all you could hear spoken is Twi. The Ga pride has been sold to the bush people(Ashantis). We need to recover the Ga pride and dignity, and reclaim Accra to revitalize the Homowo tradition.

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• Nii Tsokor 12 years ago

  The Ga Homowo is strong and alive as never before. Could you be some Twi- speaking man posing as a Ga man with a Ga name ?
  All your articles are negative ones against Ga people.
  
  I am beginning to believe you are not a Ga ...
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  The Ga Homowo is strong and alive as never before. Could you be some Twi- speaking man posing as a Ga man with a Ga name ?
  All your articles are negative ones against Ga people.
  
  I am beginning to believe you are not a Ga man.Use your proper name.I think your real name is Kweku Tweneboah-Koduah

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• Akosua Ampomaa 12 years ago

  You said the Ga Homowo is strong and alive as never before? How old are You?
  When we were growing up, the whole nation knew it was time for Homowo. Even the presidents/head of states were aware of it and each time they offer ...
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  You said the Ga Homowo is strong and alive as never before? How old are You?
  When we were growing up, the whole nation knew it was time for Homowo. Even the presidents/head of states were aware of it and each time they offered cartons of katamanto dry gin, schnapps, Goulder, star and club beer to Ga Mashie, Osu, La, Teshie, Nugua, Tema, Kpone.
  In 1974, Colonel I. k. Acheampong(later promoted himself to General) came out from the Osu castle to withness the sprinkling of Kpokpoi(kpekple)by the Osu Mantse. Also, at the Ga Mashie Homowo festival celebration in 1988, Rawlings said he wished every Ghanaian tribe would be given a "tribal holiday" to celebrate
  their tribal festivals which are more important and meaningful to us than the holidays we have for celebrating
  boxing day on 26th of December which is foreign to us.

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• Ataa Ayikwei Kojo 12 years ago

  Nii Tsokor, please don't be blind to the reality of challenges facing the Ga state. You don't even seem to appreciate how even the value of the Homowo festival has been affected. May be like Akos pointed out you're too young ...
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  Nii Tsokor, please don't be blind to the reality of challenges facing the Ga state. You don't even seem to appreciate how even the value of the Homowo festival has been affected. May be like Akos pointed out you're too young to have had any basis for comparison as far as Homowo festival itself is concerned

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• Nii 12 years ago

  I agree with the writer 100%. His observation is right and straight to the point! Every true Ga who is old enough knows what the writer is worried about.
  I would say that the Gas were able to overcome the famine that engulfe ...
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  I agree with the writer 100%. His observation is right and straight to the point! Every true Ga who is old enough knows what the writer is worried about.
  I would say that the Gas were able to overcome the famine that engulfed them in the early days by the unity with which they tackled the phenomenon. These days, that unity of purpose has eluded us... and it is a “shame unto all of us". We cannot succeed in anything if we continue to fight amongst ourselves. I believed this disunity has been caused, to a very great proportion, by land disputes within out clans and the smallest family units, amongst others. To the extent that families are not able to stand behind one of their kind to be installed as a chief for many years across the Ga state is disgraceful, to say the least. As the saying goes "Unity is strength". If we keep on disputing amongst ourselves without a compromise, I dare say that, we would continue to lose our respect and position as one of the most respected tribes in Ghana...and I say again.. it is a shame!

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• LIV 12 years ago

  GHAZI, I CAN ASSURE YOU ASHANTIS WILL ALWAYS GO BACK TO THEIR ROOTS/HOME. WORRY ABOUT THE OTHER TRIBES FROM TOGO AND BURKINA WHO HAVE TAKEN OVER TESHIE/NUNGUA, ETC. MIND YOU, THEY ALL SPEAK TWI

  GHAZI, I CAN ASSURE YOU ASHANTIS WILL ALWAYS GO BACK TO THEIR ROOTS/HOME. WORRY ABOUT THE OTHER TRIBES FROM TOGO AND BURKINA WHO HAVE TAKEN OVER TESHIE/NUNGUA, ETC. MIND YOU, THEY ALL SPEAK TWI

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• G.Dart (US) 12 years ago

  The writer is talking about something that is GENERAL and needs a permanent and lasting solution rather than a NINE-DAY-WANDER organized festival. Look and think more critically and suggest possible solutions, than take cheap ...
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  The writer is talking about something that is GENERAL and needs a permanent and lasting solution rather than a NINE-DAY-WANDER organized festival. Look and think more critically and suggest possible solutions, than take cheap consolation in how incredible the Homowo went this year. WE CAN NEVER ACCEPT THE STATUS-QUO! The Wrangglings and Opportunism in Chieftaincy affairs, esp to sell LANDS of the poor innocent generation

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• Ataa Ayikwei Kojo 12 years ago

  A good one there from G Dart. I may not know where Jojo and Joe are coming from on this very issues of great concerns raised by the write in this article.
  Of course yes, the irony of it is that the Homowo is now best celebra ...
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  A good one there from G Dart. I may not know where Jojo and Joe are coming from on this very issues of great concerns raised by the write in this article.
  Of course yes, the irony of it is that the Homowo is now best celebrated among Gas in the far away diasporas where conditions make it possible for the festival to be observed with a great sense of peace characterized with merry-making and re-union that is forward thinking .
  However, it's about time that certain negative elements that keep threatening the very surviving of Ga state, language, festival, identity and the very existence of the Gas, were arrested and nipped in the bud.
  Some of us foresaw these coming long ago in the 70s, and when we tried to blow the alarm we were rebuked, ' called to order' and even coerced into silence with threats of fatal curse and disease by the ones whose selfish interest was at stake. Now you see how far this has bought us! Most of these perpetrators of our woes are dead and gone and now it's the turn of their children to muddy the waters.
  Hmmm... I can't wait to read the writer's next article of helping to 'salvaging what is left.' Long live the Great Ga State; Long live Ghana.

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• Nii Ashitey 12 years ago

  It is interesting reminding Gas' of their great festival Homowo.Certainly the chieftaincy disputes in some of the tribal areas have taken some shine off the festival but the fact remains that generally all Gas look forward to ...
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  It is interesting reminding Gas' of their great festival Homowo.Certainly the chieftaincy disputes in some of the tribal areas have taken some shine off the festival but the fact remains that generally all Gas look forward to this festival in August notwithstanding the intrusion of Christianity on the Ghanaian psych.
  
  The historical accounts as passed on by oral tradition varies but you painted as clear a picture of the account as possible although there were some factual errors as to the present position of some chiefs or Nii Mei in the Ga townships.For example La has no chietaincy dispute and therefore celebrate the festival with pomp and jubilation with all the traditional and cultural trappings which make the festival what it is.Nii La leads traditional leaders in la to ensure that the festival is given the prominent place that it deserves.I hope other Nii Mei in the Ga traditional area will emulate the La example.
  
  For those in the diaspora,it is a festival that is looked forward to with a keener interest since it is what keeps us close to home on our sojourns abroad.It is an especially exciting time for Gas in the diaspora and what ever its waning interest back home Gas in the diaspora will keep the flame burning.
  
  Afi oo Afi and long may our festival endue.

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• Nii Nii 12 years ago

  I truly support the writter's view,a dieing tradition which was once a dominant culture now loosing it's flavour,has seen it's own turned it back against it,until we rise up as patriotic indegens and find solutions to our chi ...
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  I truly support the writter's view,a dieing tradition which was once a dominant culture now loosing it's flavour,has seen it's own turned it back against it,until we rise up as patriotic indegens and find solutions to our chieftancy quabbles we stand the chance of loosing our own identities.

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• George G Lamptey 12 years ago

  This guy is full of shit. Homowo is strong and been celebrate well among Ga's and even other tribes. Go back home and do your homework. This is garbage at its best.I just came back from Ghana speak for yourself.I am very disa ...
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  This guy is full of shit. Homowo is strong and been celebrate well among Ga's and even other tribes. Go back home and do your homework. This is garbage at its best.I just came back from Ghana speak for yourself.I am very disappointed with this junk.

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• AYITEY LAWSON 12 years ago

  HENRY, THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE GA ISSUES UP. I BELIEVE THERE ARE SIMPLY TWO ISSUES THAT UNDERLINE THE PROBLEMS OF THE GA. THE FIRST, GA CHIEFS WHO HAVE BECOME MORE ILLITERATE, GREEDY AND IGNORANT ABOUT OUR HISTORY. SOLUTION, ...
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  HENRY, THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE GA ISSUES UP. I BELIEVE THERE ARE SIMPLY TWO ISSUES THAT UNDERLINE THE PROBLEMS OF THE GA. THE FIRST, GA CHIEFS WHO HAVE BECOME MORE ILLITERATE, GREEDY AND IGNORANT ABOUT OUR HISTORY. SOLUTION, GET THEM ALL OUT AND FIND WAYS TO DEVELOP A NEW LEADERSHIP SYSTEM FOR THE GA. TWO, THERE IS TOO MUCH ILLITERACY IN GA COMMUNITIES. THE YOUTH IS ONLY INVOLVED IN PLAYING CARDS AND LUDO AND READY TO INSULT AND FORMENT TROUBLE AT THE LEAST OPPORTUNITY. SOMEBODY MUST ORGANIZE THE GA YOUTH AND FIND SOMETHING PROFITABLE FOR THEM TO DO. THE LUKEWARM ATTITUDE TOWARDS HOMOWO IS A SIGN THAT ALL IS NOT WELL IN ACCRA.

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• GANYOBI 12 years ago

  WHY DO PEOPLE ALWAYS ASSOCIATE MR. OBETSEBI LAMPTEY WITH THE GA? THERE IS NOTHING GA ABOUT HIM. HE DOES NOT SPEAK THE LANGUAGE. HE WAS ONCE GIVEN A GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY TO BEAUTIFY ACCRA AND HE MESSED IT UP. HE IS MORE CONCERNE ...
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  WHY DO PEOPLE ALWAYS ASSOCIATE MR. OBETSEBI LAMPTEY WITH THE GA? THERE IS NOTHING GA ABOUT HIM. HE DOES NOT SPEAK THE LANGUAGE. HE WAS ONCE GIVEN A GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY TO BEAUTIFY ACCRA AND HE MESSED IT UP. HE IS MORE CONCERNED ABOUT NPP THAN ANYTHING GA. HE WILL NEVER DREAM OF DOING ANYTHING TO HELP GA CHIEFS SETTLE DIFFERENCES. HE IS NEVER A REFERENCE POINT FOR THE GA. I HAVE NEVER HEARD HIM ADVOCATE ANYTHING FOR THE GA. PLEASE STOP MENTIONING HIS NAME WHEN GA MATTERS COME UP.

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• Akosua Ampomaa 12 years ago

  I have been celebrating the Homowo festival since the late 60's up till today. But it is not anything compared to the past. Gamei from all walks of life travel to Ga for the Homowo. The celebration of haadzii(twins) a yele ye ...
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  I have been celebrating the Homowo festival since the late 60's up till today. But it is not anything compared to the past. Gamei from all walks of life travel to Ga for the Homowo. The celebration of haadzii(twins) a yele yeli, fotoli yeli, kpaa shimor, gnor wala hamo which are all part of the Homowo festival have subsided.
  Also,side attractions associated to the Homowo festival which even involves non Gas such as Homowo horse racing, soccer, hockey, table tennis, boxing, volley ball,colourful canoe racing are all missing.
  Continental hotel(Golden Tulip)which houses the Bukom nite club, used the invite the Wulomei led by the legendry Nii Tei Ashietey with Maa Amanuah, Ayi Big Boy and others were delightful to watch. I still have every single song of Wulomei. Even small bars outside Accra central cash in on their beer sales on Homowo nights.
  Now, the down graded Homowo festival, both in Accra and the diaspora, are celebrated only with Twi highlife songs. Please let me end here.
  Kpakpo I am waiting for your next article.

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• Akadu Mensema 12 years ago

  Thanks! Gas should wake up!

  Thanks! Gas should wake up!

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• Ebo 12 years ago

  Funny

  Funny

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• TATALE 12 years ago

  I agree.

  I agree.

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• joe BOYE 12 years ago

  AKADU ni looo? aloo!,l hope you did not miss your way OLD BOY AKADU,you sounded very well today,...KEEP IT UP ...

  AKADU ni looo? aloo!,l hope you did not miss your way OLD BOY AKADU,you sounded very well today,...KEEP IT UP ...

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• Okainjah Cowboy 12 years ago

  "naakpe sane"you've now realised that it does'nt pay.only one love/hand in hand

  "naakpe sane"you've now realised that it does'nt pay.only one love/hand in hand

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• Nii Ablorh 12 years ago

  My brother, the problem lies with Accra being the capital, we keep losing our heritage, language and land, what we have to fight is to have the capital moved out of accra or push for the decentralization of governance to redu ...
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  My brother, the problem lies with Accra being the capital, we keep losing our heritage, language and land, what we have to fight is to have the capital moved out of accra or push for the decentralization of governance to reduce the rural drift to Accra , if we don't In time we lose all, I cry for my beloved ga-dangbes

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• Nart Jerro 12 years ago

  Nice piece....

  Nice piece....

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• NUNMO OKUNTWA 1V 12 years ago

  ATAA ALOTTEY KPAKPO YOU ARE DEADLY WRONG AS YOU THINK YOU ARE RIGHT.HAVE YOU EVER VISITED TESHIE HOMOWO? THE RESILIANT PEOPLE OF TESHIE DO NOT NEED ANY MANTSE TO SPRINKLE KPOKPOI.TESHIE HOMOWO FESTIVAL IS THE BIGGEST AND WELL ...
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  ATAA ALOTTEY KPAKPO YOU ARE DEADLY WRONG AS YOU THINK YOU ARE RIGHT.HAVE YOU EVER VISITED TESHIE HOMOWO? THE RESILIANT PEOPLE OF TESHIE DO NOT NEED ANY MANTSE TO SPRINKLE KPOKPOI.TESHIE HOMOWO FESTIVAL IS THE BIGGEST AND WELL ATTENDED FESTIVAL THAN ANY GA HOMOWO FESTIVAL CELEBRATION IN THE WHOLE OF THE GREATER GA STATES SINCE TIME MEMORIAL. DONT SIT AT ABLOTSIRI AND WRITE RUBBISH. "KAAFEE BUULU" ATAA KPAKPO TOOMER!!!

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• TATALE 12 years ago

  Manipulated by all politicians for food.
  
  Go to Kwahu and see real civilisation.
  
  Even Hearst of Oak always needed Kwahu money to survive.
  
  What a joke we are.

  Manipulated by all politicians for food.
  
  Go to Kwahu and see real civilisation.
  
  Even Hearst of Oak always needed Kwahu money to survive.
  
  What a joke we are.

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• JOSEPH GANYOBI 12 years ago

  Mohammed embarked on violent wars. Jesus Christ did not. Thus, Islam was founded on violence.

  Mohammed embarked on violent wars. Jesus Christ did not. Thus, Islam was founded on violence.

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• JOSEPH GANYOBI 12 years ago

  Kwahu pepple needs Ga people to support them from their devileshed brothers....the ASHANTIS ALL THE TIME....TRY TO KNOW THIS....ACCRA HEARTA OF OKS ITS BEEN LONG BEFORE THE KWHUS STARTED COMING TO ACCRA

  Kwahu pepple needs Ga people to support them from their devileshed brothers....the ASHANTIS ALL THE TIME....TRY TO KNOW THIS....ACCRA HEARTA OF OKS ITS BEEN LONG BEFORE THE KWHUS STARTED COMING TO ACCRA

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• LIZ 12 years ago

  Trust me,Ga Homowo is alive and well. The writer needs to do more research.

  Trust me,Ga Homowo is alive and well. The writer needs to do more research.

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• Awo 12 years ago

  The only way the GaDangme people will have peace, they should demand that only hailed from the region to stand for political positions. Take control of administration as it is done in Nigeria, India Kenya etc.

  The only way the GaDangme people will have peace, they should demand that only hailed from the region to stand for political positions. Take control of administration as it is done in Nigeria, India Kenya etc.

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• Nii Noi 12 years ago

  Ga Homowo will surely revived if this Personal interest chiefs notice the dying festival

  Ga Homowo will surely revived if this Personal interest chiefs notice the dying festival

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• AFREH MANU BERNARD 12 years ago

  I may be not be a Ga, but I must admit that the needless chieftaincy litigations, as espoused in this article, is one of the reasons why the Ga Mantse is not much revered and regarded as it ought to be.
  
  Kpakpo has shown wh ...
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  I may be not be a Ga, but I must admit that the needless chieftaincy litigations, as espoused in this article, is one of the reasons why the Ga Mantse is not much revered and regarded as it ought to be.
  
  Kpakpo has shown why his tribefolks should bury their differences and contribute to nation building. Mr. Author, more power to your elbow!

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• soccer mantse 12 years ago

  This article is a nudge to the Ga to realize all is not well with Homowo. On the other, there are several issues. 1st, it is too simplistic and reductionist. How can centuries old festival diminish in value simply because of ...
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  This article is a nudge to the Ga to realize all is not well with Homowo. On the other, there are several issues. 1st, it is too simplistic and reductionist. How can centuries old festival diminish in value simply because of chieftaincy? There are many other factors including changing beliefs, education influence, poverty etc. 2nd, needs a history check. On Tema (New Town or Manhean), Nii Adjei Krakue and Nii Adjetey Krakue are not brothers or even cousins. It's an uncle-nephew relation. Also, the chieftaincy in the town came to a head in the late 1970s when the then chief Nii Adjei Oninku died.
  
  I get your drift with the article.. but the situation as it exists now is mor complex than you posit it to be. Plus, if you gonna put something out in the media it is always helpful to verify your sources so you dont misinform or create a bad image about your subject.

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• Concern Citizen 12 years ago

  The writer may have his or her own agenda. He or she may not be a Ga.

  The writer may have his or her own agenda. He or she may not be a Ga.

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• Abola Kpatashie Ofori 12 years ago

  The writer rightly said that the Gas sojourned from somewhere but to tell us from where to where, he failed to inform us.No matter the mistakes in his facts,he had made us aware of the situation as he sees it.Other contributo ...
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  The writer rightly said that the Gas sojourned from somewhere but to tell us from where to where, he failed to inform us.No matter the mistakes in his facts,he had made us aware of the situation as he sees it.Other contributors had also made some corrections.This is the way we move forward.At least it is true that the whole of the Ga state is choked with chieftaincy disputes and this is having a telling effect on development and the festival as he mentioned it.We Gas must wake up from our long slumber.

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• Naa 12 years ago

  Be patient there will be peace among this chiefs in the name of Jesus Christ.

  Be patient there will be peace among this chiefs in the name of Jesus Christ.

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• Nii Okunka Myers-Lamptey 12 years ago

  We are wallowing in a cesspit of our own making. What a shame !

  We are wallowing in a cesspit of our own making. What a shame !

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• mantsebi odotei 12 years ago

  though there are chieftain disputes,the Homowo as a festival is very much alive. I employ the writer to visit Ga mashie during the festivities. I beg to differ.

  though there are chieftain disputes,the Homowo as a festival is very much alive. I employ the writer to visit Ga mashie during the festivities. I beg to differ.

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