Hogbetsotso Za!

It’s yet November and the people of the Anlo, located in the Volta Region are celebrating their festival; Hogbetsotso za. Hogbetsotso is a festival celebrated by the Anlos to commemorate their escape from the tyrannical rule of the once infamous King Agorkoli of Notsie in present day Togo when they migrated from Southern Sudan. 

The festival also known as festival of exodus is a great time for the people because it marks a great time in their history and also serves as a time for settling disputes and also getting to know each other. There is a general cleaning in town which starts from the estuary of the Volta Region to the Mono River in Benin.

The Anlo state is made up of 36 states with Anloga as their Chief City. The Anlos can be located in the southern part of the Volta region in Ghana with most of the towns lying along the Gulf of Guinea. Their economic activities mostly includes fishing, farming and a well-developed Kente weaving industry and until recently retailing of already made goods.

This year’s festival is the second in succession after about 13years strife among the Royal Clans after the demise of their Awoamefia Togbui Adeladza II. This situation halted developments in all the state as there was no Awoamefia to push for developmental agendas until the traditional Council and the people of the Anlo State loosened up to iron out their differences for the Paramount Chief, the Awoamefia Togbui Sri III to be installed and hence the re-enactment of the festival.

However, the month long festival which is supposed to be the 50^th celebration of the Hogbe was launched at the British Council in Accra under the kingship of Togbui Sri III, the Awoamefia of the Anlos has reached its peak as its illustrious sons and daughters from around the world are returning home to witness their culture on display. 

The event will be marked by a colorful durbar of chiefs, elders and the people of Anlo-land amidst drumming and dancing and the crowning of the Miss Hogbetsotso za at Keta on Saturday after a grand durbar in the afternoon, followed by an inter-denominational church service on Sunday and finally the beach fiesta on Monday meanwhile school children dressed in traditional outfits paraded the principal streets earlier in the day to kick start the last strings of activities to climax the Hogbetsotso za.

Finally, the celebration every year marks the burning desire of the Anlos to remember, celebrate and re-affirm their identity as Ewes and re-enact the historic character of the journey.