On Saturday, the residents of Kpong, a municipality in the Lower Manya Krobo District of the Eastern Region, celebrated the tenth anniversary of their "abolo" celebration.
The "abolo," which is composed of maize and consumed with tilapia, prawns, anchovies, and lobsters, is offered for sale every day in Kpong along the Tema-Akosombo Highway, which connects Kpong to other regions of the nation.
The Kpong Awareness Team (KAT), a group of young people from various backgrounds—including carpenters, teachers, traders, tailors, and painters—started the festival in 2013 to raise awareness of the crucial function Kpong plays in the entire Kroboland as a centre for transport and small businesses.
"The Role of the Youth towards the Rapid Development of Kpong" was the topic of this year's event.
The festival, which aims to discover the skills of young people, is often observed for three days and includes durbars, a street funfair, a display of goods and services, and other side events like a football competition, card games, and climbing on Mount Yogaga, among others.
This year's celebration, which was sponsored by the Multi Hotel in Kpong, drew dignitaries from different regions as well as the Konor (Paramount Chief) of Manya Krobo, Nene Sakite II, the various transport unions, and youth organisations.
Along with 'abolo' goods, beads, sandals, and other creations by Kpong youngsters were on display.
Durbar
The Chairman of KAT, Shamun Dzanado, stated the founding members' goal and ambition were to unify the people of Kpong and celebrate the festival's tenth anniversary with a durbar.
Abolo, the most popular culinary item that goes with "wevi," oysters, fried turkey tail, and fried tilapia, and from which many women in the region make a meagre livelihood, was the rallying point that sprang to mind, he said.
In conclusion, the chairman said, "The 'Abolo' Festival provides a platform to promote all companies in the Kpong region, regardless of one's sex or vocation.
Although Kpong brings in a lot of money for the Lower Manya Krobo Municipal Assembly, Mr. Dzanado observed that the neighbourhood lacked any social facilities commensurate with its rank as the most populated place in the municipality and the whole nation.
The only large town without a functional market is Kpong.
As a result, food exhibits are held along the road, and we occasionally organise discussions in the church because there isn't a place for the community to assemble, he emphasised.
The chairman claimed that local people's narrow interests presented a challenge to the "Abolo" Festival's leadership since some of them were undermining their efforts. He asked for a unified front because the goal was to bring development to the area.
Nene Sakite II, the Konor of Manya Krobo, praised the festival's organisers for bringing the community together each year.
The sub-chief he placed is a qualified chief who can manage and oversee the people of Kpong, he claimed, so chieftaincy concerns shouldn't separate them there. He promised to work with them to solve any issues that could arise in the region.
The Ewes and Dangmes are only a couple of the many ethnic groups that call Kpong home.
At the event, these groups performed traditional dance and drumming.
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