“Amidst growing concerns over cultural erosion, National House of Chiefs President, Ogyeahoho Yaw Gyebi II, along with Paramount Chiefs, calls for prioritizing cultural preservation over Western influence, advocating for youth engagement in safeguarding heritage.

National House of Chiefs President Ogyeahoho Yaw Gyebi ll Advocates for Cultural Preservation

Ogyeahoho Yaw Gyebi ll, the Paramount Chief of Sefwi-Anhwiaso Traditional Area, has advised the youth not to shy away from their rich cultural heritage that distinguishes them as unique people in society.

“The youth of today have thrown away their traditions for western culture. It is important for them to rather embrace their true cultural identity,” he said.

Ogyeahoho Gyebi gave the advice during this year’s Allie Festival in the Sewi-Anhwiaso Traditional Area of the Bibiani-Anhwiaso-Bekwai Municipality of the Western North Region, which was offer sacrifices to the gods and ancestors of the land.

He said: “Culture and tradition are what identify people and their ancestors and, therefore, neglecting them means rejecting one’s own identity”

The Paramount Chief, who is also the President of National House of Chiefs, urged the people to embrace their culture rather than abandoning it to assimilate foreign ones.

Nana Ebiri Kwaku III, Chief of Hwenapori, gave a brief history of the Festival and said Allie was a harvest festival celebrated annually by the people and chiefs to express gratitude to the Almighty God and ancestors for blessing them with bountiful harvest as well as in other spheres of endeavour.
He said it was a period to feed their ancestors with their preferred meals and to ask for protection, blessings and a better harvest in the ensuing year.
Nana Kwabena Obeng Ankoana ll, the Head of the Sefwi Anhwiaso Aduana Royal Family, in an interview with the media, called on the chiefs and people of Sefwi Anhwiaso Traditional Area to continue to peacefully coexist to ensure more development.
He advised the community members against indulging in homosexual activities, saying; “It is a taboo in the Ghanaian society and against the culture to indulge in such an unclean behaviour and attitude, which comes with numerous health issues.”
He appealed to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo not to allow the foreign support the country may lose to dissuade him from assenting to the anti-LGBTQI+ bill into law to criminalise such acts.