23rd Emancipation Day marked at Assin-Manso.
The 23rd edition of the Emancipation Day celebration is on Monday at Assin Manso in the Assin South District of the Central Region, with the usual pomp and pageantry.
The international event is observed on August 1, every year to commemorate the resistance and liberation of Africans in the Diaspora from chattel slavery and human rights violations.
The Assin Manso community hosts the event at its Memorial Park and later participants mostly Africans from the Diaspora visit the Nnonkosuo (Slave River) where the slaves from the Northern parts of the country were taken for their last bath before being sent to the Cape Coast and Elmina castles to be transported overseas.
The Town also has the slave market where slaves were sold, historical edifices and the Reverential Garden hosting the tomb of three renowned African slaves including Carson and Crystal whose remains were transported overseas and have been reinterred there.
This year’s national celebration was held on the theme: “Emancipation, Our Heritage Our Strength, with a sub-theme: ‘Re - Engaging to Consolidate Our Developmental Agenda”.
It is mostly organized under the auspices of the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture in collaboration with the Ghana Tourism Authority, Assin South Assembly and the traditional authorities.
Unlike last years own which was brief and solemn, this fanfare, pomp and pageantry amidst wonderful cultural display of the rich Ghanaian culture, this year’s celebration is going to be detailed.
A mini durbar of the chiefs and people of Assin Apimanim will be held.
In remembrance of the gallant Africans who died during the trans-Atlantic slave trade, wreaths solemnly laid on the tombs to immortalise their souls and resilience for the inhumane act of slavery, oppression and injustice meted out to them.
The Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts will be present to lay a wreath on behalf of Government and the people of Ghana, Acting President of Assin Apimanim Traditional Council and the Chief of Assin Nsuta will also lay a wreath on behalf of the traditional authorities, whiles a representative will do same on behalf of the youth of Africa.
Rabbi Halevi kohain, Executive Secretary of the PANAFEST Foundation, will be present to lay a weath on behalf of Africans in the Diaspora.
“The relevance of the Day across the world may be lost on us unless we grasp the full impact of the trans-Atlantic Slave Trade on Africa. By so doing, we would also appreciate the struggle and the humiliation of the enslaved African in the new world over three and half centuries the slave trade persisted.
This years Emancipation is fully powered by CEO of BOHYEBA FM- 97.5MHZ ( HON. REV JOHN NTIM FORDJOUR, MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT FOR ASSIN SOUTH CONSTITUENCY AND DEPUTY MINISTER IN CHARGE OF GENERAL EDUCATION)
Source:seanraygh.blogspot.com