The Sambultiib clan of the Konkomba ethnic group in the Saboba District in the Northern Region have celebrated the 27th edition of the Ndipoandan Festival at Sambuli displaying rich cultural performances.
The annual festival, organised under the auspices of the Chief of Sambuli, brought together sons and daughters of the community from across the country and the diaspora to celebrate their heritage and strengthen communal ties.
Ndipoandan, which translates as the “New Guinea Corn Festival”, is held every year to mark the harvest of guinea corn, a staple crop among the Konkomba people.
The festival symbolises the end of a farming season and the beginning of a new agricultural cycle.
This year’s celebration was held on the theme: “Our Culture, Our Heritage: Using Culture as a Tool to Bring Our People Together for Development.”
The event served not only as a platform to celebrate culture but also to highlight pressing development needs in the community and mobilise support from government, development partners, and other stakeholders.
Among the projects highlighted for support were the completion of a maternity block, a community centre, and a Junior High School block initiated by the community.
Ubor N-Yabi Malibei, Chief of Sambuli, whose speech was read on his behalf during the festival, raised concerns about the poor network connectivity in the area.
He lamented that residents often had to climb trees or move to specific locations before they could make or receive phone calls.
He said this was not healthy for growth, adding it adversely affected communication and the flow of information.
Ubor Malibei also highlighted the poor road network linking communities in the area, noting that it hindered trading activities and other economic opportunities thereby deepening poverty and hardship among residents.
Touching on the water situation, he said the community relied on a single borehole, which was originally constructed for students but now served the entire population increasing human traffic at the borehole site.
He appealed to the government to prioritise the establishment of a Senior High School in the area to improve access to secondary education for young people.
He reminded government, through the District Assembly, that communities such as Yacho and Gbator were still not connected to the national electricity grid, a situation, he said continued to slow development in the area.
Ubor Malibei urged residents to live in peace and harmony with one another and neighbouring communities to foster unity to accelerate development.
Ubor Dr Tassan Konja VI, Paramount Chief of the Kpasa Traditional Area in the Oti Region and guest of honour at the event, emphasised the importance of peaceful coexistence in driving development.
He encouraged the youth to prioritise education and acquire entrepreneurial skills to enable them to create jobs and employment opportunities for themselves.
He advised them to refrain from violence and criminal activities and rather channel their energies into productive ventures that would contribute to the growth of their communities and the country.
The celebration featured colourful cultural displays, traditional music, storytelling, and dance performances as well as the showcasing of local foods and customs of the Konkomba people.