The Odwira festival[1] is celebrated by the chiefs and peoples of Fanteakwa District and Akuapem in the Eastern Region of Ghana.
[3] Customarily, the scheduling of the festival occurs simultaneously with the reaping season when there is bumper food; during which gratitude is shown to the Ancestors by the people.
Being a yam festival, thanksgiving for the bumper reap is principally demonstrated in the "giving food to the ancestors".
[4] For nearly 200 years, generations of Akropong, Amanokrom and Aburi have annually celebrated the Odwira festival which was initiated by Nana Addo Dankwa 1 (1811 - 1835), the 19th Okuapehene of Akuapem.
The celebration is linked to the victory of the people of Okuapeman over the then-powerful Asante army during the historic battle of Katamansu near Dodowa in 1826.
For forty days preceding the Odwira festival, there is a ban on all forms of noisemaking and funerals across Akuapem.
This sacred private event involves the clearing of the ceremonial path from the centre of Akropong, the capital of Okuapeman, to the Royal Mausoleum also known as Amanprobi.
The Okuapehene visits each of the seven stool houses in Akropong – Aboasa, Asona, Twafo, Benkum, Kyeame and Akrahene to sympathise with them.
Beginning at dawn, the memory of all Ancestors (Nananom) and all citizens from every household in Akropong who have died over the preceding year are honoured.
Odwira da Thursday Okuapeman practically believes in the supreme God and while they offer thanksgiving to him, they also affirm their loyalty to the Omanhene – occupant of the Ofori Kuma stool.
On this day, Okuapehene cloaks himself with colourful and some of the finest robes, he sits in state and receives all who wish to pay homage to him.
During this period, a young maiden, one of the traditional wives of the omanhene publicly parades through the principal streets of the town as she journeys to present a special dish of “Eto” to her husband.
Later in the day, the custodian of the royal mausoleum – Banmuhene with a procession of his people takes “Eto” to Nsurem – the first sacred resting place of the first omanhene of Okuapeman, to feed the ancestors.
The Mpeniase, hence remains a living symbol of the spirit of the Akuapem Traditional Area) to publicly pay homage.