Hitherto, the celebration started in Accra, although the slave trade route commenced from Pikworo. However, a decision was taken last year that beginning this year, the annual celebration will start from the Pikworo slave camp, since that was where the slave trade activities commenced before the slaves were sold out of the country.

The well-attended durbar was graced by paramount chiefs and queenmothers, some diasporans, students and members of the general public.

Dignitaries

Notable among them were the Paramount Chief of the Chiana Traditional Area, who doubles as the President of the Upper East Regional House of Chiefs, Pe Ditundini Adiali Ayagitam III; the Kayoro Pio, Pe Oscar Batabi Tiyiam II; Paramount Chief of the Bongo Traditional Area, Naba Baba Salifu Atamale Lemyaarum, as well as the Paramount Chief of the Navrongo Traditional Area, Pe Asagpaare Aneakwoa Balinia Adda II.

The durbar

It was organised by the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) under the auspices of the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture.

The event was on the theme: “Unity and resilience; Building communities for a brighter future”. It was interspersed with beautiful cultural dance performances by the Sandema War Dancers, Sakoti Dancers and the Golob Dancers.

Unity

Addressing the event last Tuesday, the Board Chairman, GTA, Seth Adjei Baah, underscored the need for Ghanaians from all walks of life to come together to build the nation for the benefit of all.

He said “as Ghanaians, we need to put aside extreme partisanship and be united to fight against our common enemy towards building a nation where every citizen has the opportunity to thrive in their endeavours”.

He stressed that there was no doubt that when Ghanaians were able to do this, the needed development could be achieved, saying: “Let us not keep on working against ourselves and opposing positive government initiatives aimed at transforming the country”.

Further, he called on the diasporans to put their horrifying experiences of the slave trade behind them and come back home to contribute to the development of the country.

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the GTA, Akwasi Agyeman, assured the gathering that ongoing construction works intended to give a facelift to the slave camp would be completed by the end of the year.

The works, he said, included an administrative block, a car park, frontage, washrooms and other amenities ostensibly being carried out to improve the status of the camp.

He thanked the district assembly and the chiefs within the area for their immense support towards transforming the slave camp to preserve what happened as far as the slave trade activities were concerned.

Touching moment

A poetry recital moment by some pupils of the Roveca Preparatory School on the treatment meted out to the captives in the slave camp before they were sold out as slaves touched the audience.

Some of the audience who could not hold back their emotions burst into tears and applauded the school pupils as their performance pricked their senses.

In a speech delivered on his behalf, the Upper East Regional Minister, Dr Hafiz Bin Salih, urged the people to leverage their collective power to preserve their cultural heritage and identity, as well as serve as a rallying point for proper social conduct and community development.