The Paramount Chief of the Jirapa Traditional Area, Naa Dinaa Donglabong Ganaa III, has made a firm commitment to preserving and promoting the rich culture and traditions of Jirapa, which he believes is in line with his role as a chief.

He made these comments in an exclusive interview with Info Radio.The paramount chief intimated that one thing that makes a group of people stand out is the uniqueness of their culture and how it is passed on from one generation to the next.In an interview with Info Radio, Naa Dinaa Donglabong expressed his commitment to enriching the cultural heritage of the paramountcy by reviving the beloved Bono traditional festival, all with the support of the youth, landlords and other stakeholders.

The paramount chief noted that, since the Bono festival has its essence centered around the harvesting of dawada and the preservation of the tree species same should apply to the girlchild.He bemoaned the high incidence of child marriages as well as teenage pregnancies, which have debilitating effects on society. ‘Just like the dawada tree, which is medicinal, its fruits also provide food, but if harvested prematurely, the value is destroyed, so is the girlchild, as early marriages destroy their potential’. He added.

He opined that, in the past years, the festival has lost some of its lustre due to various reasons. However, he indicated his resolve in making the festival more traditionally and culturally relevant so as to attract the requisite support and attention across the world.

He expressed delight as the youth of Jirapa have been actively involved in cultural promotion and preservation, and they pledged towards contributing their quota towards revamping and sustaining the Bongo festival.The paramount chief of Jirapa Traditional Area further called on the sons and daughters of Jirapa to renew their commitment towards the development of the traditional area.

Source: Info Radio