The Nae Wulomo of the Ga State, Nuumo Akwaa Mensah III, has urged the youth to take pride in learning and upholding Ga customs and traditions, stressing that it is their identity.

According to him, although they have shown interest, the process has been slow as a result of their involvement in church activities, due to the thinking that these customs and traditions are fetish.

But the Nae Wulomo insist­ed that, “these customs and traditions are not fetish. It has been with us for ages and our ancestors have kept them sacred before handing over to this generation.”

He said this in an interview with The Spectator in Accra last Saturday as the people of Ga Mashie celebrated their Homowo festival.

The festival attracted scores of people from all walks of life to observe the rich culture of the Ga people and other activities lined up as part of the festival.

The Nae Wulomo said it was important for young peo­ple to equip themselves with knowledge of the Ga customs and practices so they are not misled or disconnected from their roots.

The Nae Wulomo, who is the Highest Chief Priest of the Ga State, also cautioned the youth against violence and involvement in chieftain­cy disputes.

He said many of these young people end up either as victims or perpetrators of crime when they allow them­selves to be drawn into such conflicts.

“No girl or boy should be involved in fights or any con­fusion. If you are not killed, you may kill somebody and the punishment and agony that follow are the same,” he warned.

He decried the growing menace of drug abuse among the youth, describing it as a practice that destroys both the body and the mind.

“Drugs weaken the youth, ruin their appearance, and damage their mental and physical health. We need all young people alive and strong to build the future of our communities and na­tion,” he cautioned.

Nuumo Akwaa Mensah III also expressed concern about young girls being exploited as juvenile sex workers, appeal­ing to them to pursue educa­tion instead.

“My beautiful girls, please stay away from such practic­es. Return to the classroom and prepare yourselves for a bright future. Education will open the doors to great­ness,” he urged.

Turning to the Homowo cel­ebrations, the Nae Wulomo praised the peace and unity experienced in this year’s festival, commending lead­ers of the communities for resolving some of the issues through dialogue and with the support of the Police and National Security.

“Yes, there were disputes in some areas before Ho­mowo, but they were re­solved. With unity and secu­rity involvement, everything went on successfully and peacefully,” he indicated.

He concluded with prayers and blessings for the people of Ga State and the nation as a whole.

This year’s Homowo was marked with pomp and pageantry at James Town and other areas of Ga Mashie amid drumming, dancing, chanting and firing of mus­ketry.

Homowo means ‘hooting at hunger’ and also commemo­rates the triumph of the Ga people over famine during their migration to present day Accra.

 By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu