By Edzorna Francis Menssh
The Chiefs and people of Agbozume in the Ketu South Municipality have launched this year’s Sometutu Za, dubbed unifying all of Somey for her total development, slated for November 25, 2023, at Agbozume-Somey National Park, two weeks after the Hogbetsotso Za celebrations.
It is celebrated by the Somey people of Agbozume, three town-Denu, Hedranawo, and Adafienu as well as surrounding communities to commemorate their migration from Keta in 1792-94 after the Keta–Anloga War. It is usually celebrated on the third Saturday in November.
A two-week-long festival will officially start with an open day at Mama Ana Shrine and reconciliation day throughout the Agbozume Township on November 11, 2023, and be followed by Church activities in all the Somey towns on November 12, 2023.
Other activities include visitation to tourist sites, unity touch light relay, Mini Durbar, fun games, boat race, beach soccer women’s forum, health walk, and quiz completion among students.
The rest are the joint solidarity political rally, youth forum, SHS debate, cultural display, beauty pageant, Art and craft exhibition, Torgbiga to sit in state to receive homage, Children’s durbar, and the grand durbar.
Speaking at the launch, the Makorsor of Somey and the President of Somey Traditional Council, Torgbiga Adamah III, called for peace and unity among his subchiefs and people in the larger interest of the area.
He said, for about 19 to 20 years, the celebration has stopped due to the prolonged chieftaincy dispute, but we are celebrating it this year “to bring unity to us, the chiefs, and the people of Somey, and without unity, we cannot build. For over 8 years after the demise of my predecessor, the late Makorsor II, a lot of things have gone on within Somey, which has brought a lot of divisions among the chiefs and the people.”
Torgbiga set the record straight by submitting that, “so after 8 years in the courtroom, struggling to see who is the legitimate chief is over, now because I have won all the cases against me that I am not the Paramount chief. Now the Court has settled it all, and I am the Gazette Paramount Chief of The Somey Traditional Area and also the president of the Somey Traditional Council.
It is for this reason that myself and the elders, my royal family, and Somey people think that it is time we forget fighting and embrace peace by bringing everybody on board to celebrate this festival in order to bring us together to smoke the peace pipe for development,” he added.
In his welcome address, former acting CEO of the National Pensions Regulatory Authority, former General Manager in charge of operations at SSNIT, and private legal practitioner, Laud Senanu reiterated the need for the Somey people to put their past behind them and forge ahead as peace-loving people in order to attract both local and international investors.
He mentioned the fact that Someytutu Za is celebrated to commemorate the migration of Someywo from Keta to their current location, Agbozume, as he emphasised that the festival, which is currently celebrated in all Somey towns, is not only a period of joy and merry-making but also brings together all Somey Chiefs to deliberate on matters affecting individuals and also how to develop and improve the lives of its citizens.
Chairman of the occasion, ACP Wonder Dogbevia (RTD), CEO, Wondock Logistics limited at Tema, appealed to the youth of Somey, both home and abroad, to participate in all the activities lined up on their own to learn and arm themselves with basic facts on culture, arts, and tourist sites.
He also asked them to support the chiefs and elders during this period so that the overall goal could be achieved as dreamed of by the Paramount Chief.
