The Member of Parliament for Ketu North Constituency, Eric Edem Agbana, has appealed to traditional authorities in the Volta Region to embrace unity and pursue development initiatives rather than engage in petty chieftaincy disputes.

Speaking at the launch of the 2025 Hogbetsotsoza Festival at the Ohawu Agricultural College in the Ketu North District, Mr. Agbana stressed that the progress of the Anlo State and the Volta Region as a whole depends largely on the commitment of chiefs to peace and development.

The festival, which is celebrated annually by the Anlo Dukor was launched under the theme “Building Bridges: From Common History to Common Destiny – The First Bridge: Breaking Barriers, Rekindling Bonds.”

As part of the calendar of events, this year’s Mini Hogbe celebration will take place at Adidome in October, ahead of the grand durbar in Anloga in November.

Hogbetsotsoza, literally meaning “festival of exodus”, is the most important traditional festival of the Anlo people, commemorating their historic migration from Notsie in present-day Togo to their current settlements in the Volta Region of Ghana. The escape from the tyranny of King Agorkorli is remembered as a triumph of unity, wisdom, and resilience.

The celebration usually begins in  October and peaks in the first week of November at Anloga, the traditional capital of the Anlo State. Activities include purification rites of the ancestral stools, reconciliation among clans, cultural drumming and dancing, story-telling, and a colourful grand durbar of chiefs and people.

For the 36 States of the Anlo Dukor, Hogbetsotsoza is not merely a festival but a living reminder of shared identity and destiny. It binds the people to their common history, strengthens traditional governance, and provides a platform to discuss development.

The Festival also a showcase the rich Anlo culture, featuring Agbadza dance, traditional regalia, and the display of rich oral traditions and attracts visitors from across Ghana and the diaspora, serving both as a unifying event and an opportunity to promote cultural tourism in the Volta Region.