The ban (Nmaa Dumor) and the lifting (Nmaa Faa), thus planting and harvesting of the first maize in the year by the Ga-Dangme traditional leaders, precedes the festival. 

Nii Okwei Kinka Dowuona VI, the Osu Paramount Chief and the President of the Traditional Council, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, said the success of this year’s rite is unique and foreshadows signs of victory and blessings in the coming year.

He said: “At the planting of the maize we cried, prayed and pleaded with our ancestors to take away our iniquities and sufferings and all things that had hindered our development; and we called for God’s blessings.

“As the interventions of our ancestors was heard by God who gave us life and blessings, it is our time to wake up from our slumber to position ourselves to take advantage of it, to work hard.”

On the ban on noise making for three weeks, Nii Kinka Dowuona said: “Through these periods our fetish priests and priestesses fast and pray for opportunities and the development of the entire nation, but not for their selfish gains”.

Nii Ako Nortei IV, the Osu Mankralo called for unity among the citizenry of Osu to forge ahead in development, adding that “bickering does not promote peace for progress”.