AKYODE TRADITIONAL AREA STATE YAM FESTIVAL (GYOGYIBELƐ)

Gyogyi is the annual yam festival celebrated by the people of Akyode, in the Oti Region of Ghana. The Akyode as an ethnic have a unique culture which is very pivotal for socio-politico-economic development. Gyogyible on the other hand is the climax of all the yam festivals of the individual towns.

The origin of the celebration is the conscious acknowledgment of the blessing bestow on men through yam by the supernatural and the Brukum Stool. Men were able to change the wild yam into the current yam with varieties which produce big tubers within a few months against any other such root tuber crops known by the Akyode people.

Thus, it is believed that the crop is imbued with supernatural spirits which must be cleansed in a rite before its consumption. If the rite is not performed to free the tuber of its spiritual power before consuming it, the powers that be, especially the Brukum stool and the ancestors might feel slighted. Its consumption becomes a taboo, and instant death or other calamities awaits any Akyode and or any settler within the Traditional Area who flouts this anciently held belief. For that matter, it has become necessary that every year, they acknowledge the stool and the supernatural being hence the festival. The yam festival is celebrated every year from August to September and the climax is last Saturday in October.

The Gyogyi or yam festival is therefore both a religious and social event and it is also used to settle disputes and do acts of charity for the aged, widows, orphans and other less privileged in the society. It is an occasion for the renewal of the blessings of the Stool and the ancestral spirits and thanksgiving for their benevolence. There is also feasting, drumming and dancing among others during the festival. The Akyode after the celebration then embrace the New Year with hope, confidence and peace.

During colonial era, the Akyodes maintained resistance to the German rule for a long time after the first inland station had been established at Bismarkburg in by Dr. Wolf in 1888, and it was according to Count Zech’s account, till 1896, that they were compelled to acknowledge German authority in consequence of the chief of Shiare practicing the odum poison custom. Knowing that the Brukum Stool or the Black Stool was the power and the unifying spirit of the people of Akyodes, the queen demanded to take the stool away, in other words, to render them powerless. Several requests, force and intimidations were made in getting the Black stool which all yielded nothing.

The German governor in one of his attempts entered the Gikyangbon, the sacred room of the gods where the stool lays. History has it that the stool turned into yam and because it was the stool the governor needed and not yam, the governor captured the leader of the Akyodes and the chief of Shiare, Nana Kwantene and took him away to Bismarkburg, a German Fort at Kasanga on the East Coast of Lake Tanganyika.

Before the celebration is done, the Overload - the Paramount Chief, Osulewura who is also the chief of Shiare, (the Akyode paramount seat), invites all the divisional chiefs:

Asidowura (Adontenhene) - Kyillinga

Gyisewura (Nifahene) - Abrewanko

Binewura (Benkumhene) - Nyambong

Gamarawura (kyidomhene) - Keri

Atorwura (Gyasehene) - Kromase

Adiibowura (Ankobeahene) - Odomi

Apulebowura (Bamuhene) - Pawa

Okpawura (Ntentanhene) - Nkwanta

Gesanbuewura (Sanaahene) - Gekorong

Gekpenwura (Akwamuhene) - Bonakye etc.

and the herdsmen of the settlers on the Akyode land to his palace to plan for the occasion. A special day called Gekpaga is set aside for the cleansing of the stool and announces the date of the Gyogyible to the citizenry (natives).

A day, prior to the festival, all the people from the indigenous villages and other Akyode communities arrive at the overloads palace amidst singing, drumming & dancing throughout the night. The following day, which is the D-day, a special yam is prepared and mashed into 'ɛto' called 'Gyofunya'. This gyofunya is then carried to the durbar ground. The Gebunonowura pours libation to the ancestors and offers them the gyofunya. After the libation, all the divisional chiefs and the sub-chiefs then take oath to the overload. Music and dancing follow till the following day.

It is an occasion for the renewal of the blessings of the ancestral spirits and thanksgiving for their benevolence.

It is also important for the paying of homage to the ancestral shrines at the various groves: Brukum in Shiare, Gegon in Kyillinga and Gegyoga in Abrewankor.

Some Tourist Attraction in the Akyode Traditional Area

1. The Kyabobo Range National Park (pronounced as ‘Kyaa-bor-bor’)is particularly noted for foot safaris. The two “breast-mountains” viewed from the Nkwanta Township is a welcome signal to the park. On top of these mountains, a panoramic view of the underlying plains, villages and the Volta Lake offer the climbers a unique impression of the natural beauty of the park and other parts of Ghana. There are also in the park, camping sites to suit the taste of lovers of nature and eco-tourism.

The Laboun Waterfall situated in the Kyabobo Park is about 30 meters high. There is the upper fall and the lower fall and the accompanying singing of birds, shrills of monkeys and cries of animals and the forest canopy give tourists a wonderful sense of satisfaction.

The “Hanging Village” situated a few kilometers east of Nkwanta and so called because of its architectural design. The houses are built in a sort of layers into the mountain making them look as though they are hanging.

2. The unique culture of the Akyode. The dances food natural way of life of the Akyode is a tourism attraction on its own.

3. The hanging Village (Shiare)

This village is the paramount seat of the Akyode people and is affectionately called the 'hanging village' as a result of its architectural design. The houses are virtually built into the mountain making them look as though they are hanging.

4. The Kyaminte Cave

The Shiare people first stayed in the kyaminte cave when they arrived in the area, under the leadership of Nana Sei. Shiare was first pronounced as “sei-ade”, meaning the followers of Sei. All Akyode communities started from Shiare before migrating to their day communities. Evidence of this is the sacred grove/forests that surround Shiare and this still link them to Shiare.

5. The Natural Water Bodies

The water bodies around the Akyode communities still remind unpolluted and serve as drinking water for the communities, especially Shiare and Kyillinga.

Some key Challenges in the area

1. Bad road network is impeding commercial, intra community and social activities. The road network discourages tourist from visiting the unique tourist sites and visiting the communities within Akyode Traditional Area.

2. Unemployment. Most of the youths in the area are unemployed. We believe the development of the identified tourist sites within the area will create decent jobs for the youths within the area, reducing rural urban drift and directly enhance the revenues of the Nkwanta South Municipal Assembly.

Source: akyode Heritage