How time flies, how the years roll by, how things change but the time for annual renewal is even more critical.
25 years is a long time in the history of a country and for an organisation to celebrate 25 years of unbroken association and service to the community is definitely an achievement that cannot be understated, so it is with some pride that i invite you the 25 years of our organisation celebrating our festival in London.
i can still remember that rainy October day in 1988, at the Highbury Roundhouse in London when a group of Gadangme people decided that we had to meet to continue with the celebration of our major cultural festival and to plant the seeds that would ensure continuity for the next generation of Gadangme in the Diaspora.
so there were several meetings, but like everything Gadangme, there were disagreements and instead of one Homowo celebration as originally planned there were two, one at a hall in Ladbroke Grove earlier in the September of 1988. But even in disagreement, the vision for a self-sustaining educational and welfare organisation emerged and we delayed our celebration till October and what a time we had even on that rainy day.
and we continued ever since
1988 – Highbury Roundhouse
1989 – Montgomery Hall, Oval
1990 – Brixton Town Hall
1991 – Selby Hall, Tottenham
1992 – Selby Hall, Tottenham
1993 – Selby Hall, Tottenham
1994 – Selby Hall, Tottenham
1995 – Selby Hall, Tottenham
1996 – Selby Hall, Tottenham
1997 – Selby Hall, Tottenham
1998 – Graveney School Hall, Tooting
1999 – Graveney School Hall, Tooting
2000 – Graveney School Hall, Tooting
2001 – Graveney School Hall, Tooting
2002 – Graveney School Hall, Tooting
2003 – Graveney School Hall, Tooting
2004 – Graveney School Hall, Tooting
2005 – Albans Hall, South Norwood
2006 – Colliers Wood Community Hall
2007 – York Gardens, Battersea
2008 – Lavendar Hill Centre, Mitcham
2009 – Wilditch Community Centre, Battersea
2010 – ThurlowStreet Community Centre, Camberwell
2011 – St Marks Church Hall, Balham
2012 – Lavendar Hill Centre, Mitcham
and this year we surely will be at Collierswood as per this notice.
I have personally missed 2 of these celebrations, one was work related and the other was when i was stranded in Ghana and could not come in time for the celebrations, but even when i was on crutches after an operation, i willed myself and got a kind person to drive me for the event.
In between these 25 years i have attended many pleasant Homowo celebrations, I have been a constant feature at La Kpee festivals, Teshie Kpee, Nungua Kpee, Ngleshie Kpee, Kpakpatse We Homowo, Atukpai Homowo and even the Homowo celebrations of Joint committee of Ngleshie, Bishop T Fan Club, La Kpee and my own Nikasemo Asafo Homowo, but truth be told, the best one that i have attended that lives in my mind for posterity was the celebration by Sempe Kpee years ago at somewhere in Rotherhithe. that was the Homowo to rival the Homowo of GaDangme Nikasemo Asafo.
Unfortunately some of these organisations no longer celebrate their Homowo in the grand style of the past and but they still persist because Homowo is a time for renewal and refortification, it is also a time for remembrance of those who have passed before us: Dr Odoi, Nene Sukluku Tettey, Mr James Boye-Doe, Mr Henry Adjei, Mr RO Clottey, Mr Dan Worbutton, Mrs Noami Ashietey, Mr Joe Tetteh, Mr Cobson.
since Homowo is also a time to look forward to the future reconstruction and reorganisation of a resurrected GaDangme as it finds its place within a Republican Ghana in an urbanised setting, i invite you again to come and taste the meal of Kpopkoi and participate in the celebration.
You are all welcome
Invites
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to the annual Festival of the GaDangme people of Ghana
date Saturday, 14th September 2013
venue Colliers Wood Community Centre
66/72 High Street
Colliers Wood SW19 2BY
time 3.30 pm prompt
attire traditional
Please bring this card with you
—————————————————————————
to the annual Festival of the GaDangme people of Ghana
date Saturday, 14th September 2013
venue Colliers Wood Community Centre
66/72 High Street
Colliers Wood SW19 2BY
time 3.30 pm prompt
attire traditional
Please bring this card with you
Transport details
Buses: 57, 131, 152, 200, 219, 655, N155
Tube: Northern Line Colliers Wood & Tooting Broadway
For more information contact
Mrs Esther Lamptey 0207 357 8891
Mrs Sarah Worburton 0207 701 6927
Ms. Diana Aryeetey 0208 674 0342
Nii Nortei Omaboe 0794745 3034
This celebration is only possible through voluntary contributions
Please send generous donations to:
GaDangme Nikasemo Asafo
211 Tamworth Lane, Mitcham, Surrey, CR4 1DH
Email nikasemoasafo@gmail.com
Web http://gadangmenikasemoasafo.wordpress.com/
