BRONG AHAFO MARKS 50TH BIRTHDAY (SHOWBIZ, SPREAD, NOV 4)

By Akwasi Ampratwum-Mensah & Samuel Duodu

Hundreds of resident and non-resident citizens as well as friends and well wishers of the Brong Ahafo region, last Saturday, converged at the Jubilee Park in Sunyani to participate in a grand durbar of chiefs that climaxed the activities marking the 50 years anniversary celebration of the creation of the region.
As early as 5am, the people had started making their way to the durbar grounds from their homes and it was a delight to watch the retinue of paramount chiefs dressed in their rich kente and other expensive clothes and riding in their palanquins.
It was a beautiful sight as chiefs and queenmothers with their large followers, danced to fontonfrom and kete music even as they sat gorgeously in their palanquins while riding at a snail pace to take their respective seats at the durbar grounds.
Apart from the accompanying kete and fontomfrom performers of the chiefs and queens, the Tanokrom Agromma at the Sunyani Centre for National Culture performed traditional dances while the All Saints Choir of the Catholic Church and the Abesim Brass Band, also provided music to the admiration of some of the people who could not contain their emotions and feelings to dance.
Food vendors of all kinds had also pitched their temporary tents to take advantage of the market provided by hungry revellers.
Among the large number of guests were Ministers of State, Members of Parliament, Members of the Diplomatic Corps, Members of the Council of State, Municipal and District Chief Executives, Heads of Departments, Assembly members, and the Clergy.
The President and his entourage arrived at about 2:45p.m and in accordance with tradition, went round to exchange pleasantries with the chiefs, an item on the programme which lasted for almost one and a half hours.
In a short address, he announced that, the government would establish a University of Energy and Natural Resources in the Brong Ahafo Region, and that a committee had already been set up to work on the project, saying, “Very soon, you will see signs of that”.
Speaker after speaker called for unity among the people to ensure an effective development of the area.
The Brong Ahafo Region, which was formerly called Western Ashanti, was created by an Act of Parliament on April 4, 1959, as a result of a sustained agitation mounted by the Brong Kyempim Council.
The chiefs who fought for the creation of the region are Osagyefo Oseadeeyo Dr. Agyeman Badu of Dormaa, Nana Akumfi Ameyaw III of Techiman, Nana Kofi Bosea Gyinantwi II of Drobo, Nana Yaw Frimpong of Kukuom, Nana Fosu Gyeabour of Bechem, Nana Kwasi Apraku of Odumase No. 1 and Nana Kwame Agyeman II, Abeasehene. They are all deceased.