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‘Twerking’ not part of borborbor …Paramount Chief stops indecent dancers
Borborbor, the traditional dance of Ewes in the middle belt of the Volta Region, is a prominent feature at public gatherings. It has been in existence for years and often comes with delightful choreography that attracts many people.
Some dance groups design costumes and rehearse performances ahead of major events. However, a few youth groups in an attempt to ‘spice up their show’ have introduced sexually suggestive dance moves also known as ‘twerking’ which natives consider unacceptable.
Indeed, the Paramount Chief of Anfoega Traditional Area, Togbe Tepreh Hodo IV, would tolerate none of such ‘profane borbobor’ when he sat at a durbar of chiefs during the Easter celebrations at Anfoega Akukome on Saturday April 16, 2022.
Activities lined up for the day took off smoothly until a borborbor group from one of the towns was called upon to entertain the gathering.
The group brought on their best performance, moving to rhythm and good tunes before the Master of Ceremony (MC) signalled them to call it off, apparently due to their seductive dance move and somewhat indecent outfit.
They defied the orders and continued the performance which prompted Togbe himself to step in and show them the exit.
“There is something called protocol but I will break it,” Togbe Tepreh Hodo IV said when he grabbed the microphone from the MC.
“We don’t accept this type of dance here. Don’t come and perform this kind of dance in our midst ever again,” he fumed in the local dialect while the gathering responded with thunderous applause.
Other indigenes at the function also endorsed the ‘ruling’ of the Paramount Chief, and expressed reservations on how some young people have sought to change the face of ‘borborbor’ with ‘inappropriate’ dancing styles.
This isolated incident did not take away the splendour of the main event which was to raise funds for development and encourage citizens to reconnect back home.
Togbe Tepreh Hodo IV, in his address, highlighted various projects, including the re-construction of the Community Centre, the Catholic Hospital, and other self-help initiatives in the area.
He urged traditional leaders to lead by example and show commitment to the task they have been assigned, and further asked the citizens and political authority in the jurisdiction to support developmental efforts of the people.
Present at the celebration were Ms. Joyceline Tetteh, Member of Parliament for North Dayi, Mr. Emmanuel Kwesi Bedzrah, Member of Parliament for Ho West, Mr. Archibald Yao Letsa, Volta Regional Minister, Mr Edmund Attah Kudjoh, District Chief Executive for North Dayi, among others.
The dignitaries praised the unity among the indigenes and advised them to continue to give the traditional leaders the necessary support for the progress of the region.
By Ernest Nutsugah
Massive celebrations were recorded countrywide as the Black Stars opened their 2026 World Cup campaign with a 1-0 victory over Panama in Toronto on Wednesday.
Midfielder Caleb Yirenkyi scored the only goal of the match late in the game as he shot in a decent cross from substitute Brandon Asante.
The win gave Ghana a positive start in the competition, placing them in second position behind England, also with three points but with a superior goal aggregate.
After the final whistle, the streets and other viewing centres were turned into partying grounds as fans, mostly clad in the team’s paraphernalia, danced to several World Cup-themed music.
Others blew the vuvuzelas in joyous mood with others putting up a spirited ‘jama’ session.
Former New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary candidate for the Adentan Constituency, Akosua Manu, has urged party members to move away from what she describes as an “entitlement mentality” and focus on unity, sacrifice and hard work as the party prepares for the 2028 general election.
In a statement titled “Is Loyalty a Queue?”, and posted on facebook, Ms. Manu argued that loyalty to the NPP should not be judged by how long a person has been in the party but by their contributions and commitment to its growth.
According to her, the NPP’s history shows that many of its leaders faced significant opposition from within the party before eventually leading it to electoral success.
She cited former President John Agyekum Kufuor as an example, saying he had to overcome resistance from influential figures within the party before winning power for the NPP in 2000.
Ms. Manu noted that after the party lost power in 2008, former President Kufuor faced criticism and accusations from some party members.
However, she said supporters eventually put their differences aside and worked together to rebuild the party.
She pointed to the experience of former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, who, according to her, faced opposition from some factions within the NPP despite his long service to the party.
“His trials were ten times what Kufuor endured,” she stated, adding that Akufo-Addo eventually overcame the challenges and became President of Ghana.
Turning to the NPP’s current flagbearer, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, Ms. Manu said he also faced resistance from different groups within the party while seeking leadership.
She praised Dr. Bawumia for contributing to policy-based political discussions in Ghana and for remaining composed following the NPP’s defeat in the 2024 elections.
According to her, party members must now rally behind him in the same way they supported former Presidents Kufuor and Akufo-Addo.
Ms. Manu, however, warned that internal divisions and a sense of entitlement remain major threats to the party’s future.
She argued that some party members place too much emphasis on how long individuals have belonged to the NPP rather than on their contributions and capabilities.
“This entitlement does not question impact. It does not ask what you sacrificed or what you built. It asks only how long have you been here,” she said.
The former parliamentary candidate cautioned that such attitudes could discourage committed members and prevent the party from selecting the best people for leadership positions.
She further called on the party’s incoming national executives to strengthen the NPP’s core values of sacrifice, honesty, integrity and dedication to national development.
Ms. Manu addressed the concerns of young party supporters, many of whom she said became discouraged following the NPP’s electoral defeat in 2024.
According to her, many young people remain eager to see the party return to power but are unwilling to support internal conflicts driven by personal ambitions.
She urged party elders to place the interests of the NPP above their individual goals and to demonstrate leadership that attracts rather than alienates members.
“The NPP is bigger than any one of us. It always has been. Our collective responsibility is to act like it,” she stated.
By: Jacob Aggrey
