Announcing OKUSACA 2015 Odwira / Ohum in north America

Source:  - The Okuapemman Association of USA and Canada (OKUSACA) proudly announces the 30th Anniversary of the founding of the Association which will be commemorated with a celebration of the North American version of the Akuapem / Asuogya Odwira / Ohum Festival in Columbus, Ohio over this year’s Labor Day Weekend, from Friday, September 4 to Monday, September 7, 2015. 

The venue will be the plush Crowne Plaza Columbus North-Worthington Hotel,

6500 Doubletree Avenue, Columbus, OH 43229.

More than just a hosting of another gathering of Ghanaians of Akuapem and Asuogya descent to celebrate our annual ODWIRA / OHUM Festival, the choice of Columbus, OH for this year’s festivities signifies the10th Anniversary celebration of the Ohio Chapter of OKUSACA, which is based in Columbus. Thus, this concurrently-marked dual anniversary is expected to lend a special flavor to this year’s ODWIRA / OHUM celebration and make the 2015 festivities one of the best OKUSACA events ever in its 30-year history. 

OKUSACA is a non-profit, charitable organization registered in both the U.S. (501(c)3 status) and Canada, comprising mainly people of Akuapem and Asuogya descent from the Eastern Region of Ghana. It also has Ghanaians from other parts of the country who identify with shared cultural heritage and values and have therefore chosen to join our organization. 

Dedicated to fostering close social, cultural and economic inter-relationships between its members and the host communities that we live in here in North America (U.S.A. and Canada), OKUSACA also has as its major focus the improvement of the quality of lives of the people living in the Akuapem and Asuogyaman areas (in particular, and Ghana in general), and we do this by organizing activities and holding events that are aimed at raising funds and soliciting donations in-kind, which we use to initiate and support socio-economic programs back in Ghana that are geared towards the implementation of this endeavor.

The theme for this year’s ODWIRA / OHUM celebration is “AKUAPEM / ASUOGYA YOUTH – OUR HOPE, OUR FUTURE”, chosen specifically in recognition of the fact that the backbone of our organization’s future is the youth – how we educate and train them, how we prepare them to face the challenges of the future, and more importantly, how successful we are in encouraging them to accept and imbibe the mores and cultural values that identify us as Akuapem / Asuogya people.

High-lights of the ODWIRA / OHUM Weekend will include a durbar of chiefs and dignitaries (from the U.S., Canada, Ghana and Europe) on Saturday afternoon, a mega fund-raising dinner-dance on Saturday evening, the usual Sunday afternoon picnic (to be held at a beach – yes, for those who don’t know, Columbus, Ohio has a beach) and an after-picnic fun party on Sunday evening (for those who really came to have a full weekend of fun and don’t leave early on Sunday!). 

There will also be a crowning of Ms. ODWIRA / OHUM and Mr. ODWIRA / OHUM (competition rules to be announced through the leadershipof the various OKUSACA Chapters), raffle-draw with fantastic prizes, and an all-round fun galore! 

Without dampening the spirit of the celebration of the festival and in addition, upon consultation with custodians of Akuapem cultural and traditional practices back home, OKUSACA has been counseled to also duly observe appropriate cultural protocols during the festival to honor and celebrate our beloved Okuapehene, His Majesty Oseadeeyo Addo Dankwa III, who recently passed-on to eternal glory and is yet to be ushered into his ancestral resting place. Odupon Atutu! Nana, Damirifa Due!!!

In short, if you are from Akuapem / Asuogya (and especially an OKUSACA member) – or even if you are a Ghanaian or non-Ghanaian who just appreciates our motherland’s rich culture and also loves to have fun, then this year’s North American ODWIRA / OHUM celebration is not the event to miss! All roads lead to Columbus, Ohio for the upcoming Labor Day Weekend! See you there!!!

Source: OKUSACA National Secretariat, New York.