People of Suma to celebrate revised Akwantu Kese

All is set for the celebration of the first ever Suma Akwantu Kese Festival of the Chiefs and people of Suma Traditional area in the Jaman North District of Brong-Ahafo Region.

According to Odeneho Dr Afram Brempong III, the Paramount Chief of the Suma Traditional Council (STC) had repackaged the content of the festival, and diverted attention from venerating and glorifying ancestors to focusing on contemporary methods of facilitating accelerated development.

Addressing Journalists at a news conference in Sunyani, on Thursday about the outlined programmes for the festival, scheduled for March 23rd -29th, Odeneho Dr Brempong emphasised that the STC was not in any way abandoning the rich cultural heritage of the people.

Rather, the Paramount Chief explained that, it considered the need to ensure that that the annual festival was used as a tool to spur development in the traditional area.

He said it was importance to avoid outmoded traditional cultural practices that were not beneficial to current generation and re-direct attention to programmes and activities that would bring remarkable improvement to the living conditions of the people.

Odeneho Dr Brempong, who is a lecturer at the University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR), explained that a number of programmes, including a fund raising rally for the establishment of education endowment fund and clean up exercise had been outlined for the celebration.

He said the Council would also launch a magazine showcasing the cultural heritage and other tourist attraction sites, as well as available economic opportunities in the traditional area.

The Paramount Chief reiterated the need to create opportunities for the people to depend on the numerous economic potentials in the area to improve on their living conditions.

He observed that because of the high level of poverty and illiteracy in the area, many of the people were engaged in peasant farming and petty trading, which could not sustain them.

Odeneho Dr Brempong appealed to Suma citizens resident at home and abroad to contribute in diverse ways to support the Traditional Council in its developmental efforts of the area.

Historic accounts are that the chiefs and people of Suma migrated from Akwamu in the in the Eastern Region in 1650, went through successful wars, and finally settled at their present location, with Suma-Ahenkro as the traditional capital.

The traditional area comprises 38 towns and villages with 44 divisional/sub-chiefs.