The Bissa Development Association (BDA) has held the “Zekula Poore” (Mini Zekula) program to commemorate the annual Zekula Day.
It comes after the cancellation of the annual Zekula Festival, following the security situation in the Bawku Municipality.
A conference attended by the Chiefs and people of the Bissa fraternity was held at the GNAT Hall in Accra to reflect on the purpose of the Zekula
It is the first of many other Zekula Poore” to be held across other regions as an alternative to the main Zekula Festival, which had to be cancelled due to the ethnic conflict between Kusasis and Mamprusis.
In his open remarks at the gathering, BDA Chairman Alhaji Shaibu Musah Gutare Zanni said while the decision to call off the Zekula was not made lightly, “the life of the Bissa people was paramount.
“It was a painstaking decision to cancel the Zekula for the 3rd time after Covid had prevented us from celebrating the previous two editions,” he said.
“Zekula is considered as one of the biggest festival in northern Ghana. It attract well over Two hundred thousand participants each year.
“We could not celebrate the Zekula Festival in 2020 and 2021 and just we were going to enjoy it this year, we could do it because of the conflict in Bawku.
“As leaders, the safety of our people was Paramount and unfortunately Zekula couldn’t have been held properly in hometown of Kulungungu under these current situations and restrictions.”
Chairman Gutare Zanni further urged the two warring tribes to embrace peace as it has affected the development of the Bawku Communities.
Zekula which means “Unity” is a Festival annually celebrated by Bissas at their traditional hometown of Kulungungu.
This year’s celebration was scheduled for Saturday 16th April.
It was the 3rd time in succession the annual Festival held in Kulungungu had been cancelled after the two previous edition could not be held due to the Covid Pandemic.
The Association therefore decided to organise mini events at the various regions in other work towards the Unity of the Bissa people.
Themed “Reflecting on the purpose of Zekula”, Saturday’s mini event at the GNAT Hall in Accra was used to launch the Bissa Tutorial Hub, an online portal for the teaching of the Bissa language.
The BDA also used the day to launch the NUNA payment Platform to facilitate automatic dues payment to the association.
Present at the gathering were the members of the Council of elders the Lemagan Dominic Sori Payida, Mr Sumani Musa Yemboni, Kir Adam Yurusah of Madina and Mr Karim Dubiure.
Other were the Chiefs from both the Greater Accra and Central Regions such as Kir Abdullai Zakari Bayire of Nyannyano, Kir Abdul Razak Umar Bambara of Darkuman, Kir Mustapha Dawuda Lengani of Gomoa Fetteh and kir Suallah Saeed Sari of New Bortianor, Bortanor and New Weija communities.
According to the BDA, it is set to organise similar events at the other regions in a date to be announced later.
We thank the Almighty for allowing the ‘Zekula Poore’ to come on peacefully. We also thank our Lemagano for all their efforts on this fabulous gathering. May the Almighty reward them, make all their eforts fruitful. We also plead and pray for our brothers to fear God and put grudges behind them and let us come together and allow peace to rain in Bawku and its environment. We should not allow the DEVIL to incite us to destroy the only home we have with our own hands. Otherwise, the Creator will forgive us!