The Manya Krobo Traditional Council has unveiled the 132nd Ngmayem Festival. This captivating celebration showcases the Krobo people’s rich cultural heritage and community spirit. The festival happens during October’s final week and honors the bountiful millet harvest that helped their ancestors survive their journey to present-day Ghana. “Eating of the new millet” – the festival’s meaning – represents gratitude, unity, and steadfast dedication to community development.
“Celebrating Our Heritage, Building Our Communities with a Purpose” sets the theme for this year’s October 2nd celebration. The Manya Krobo Traditional Council has expanded its reach by hosting launch ceremonies both in Accra and the United States. This move shows how this cultural tradition resonates globally. These events feature fundraising activities to help complete the Manya Klo Palace project at Odumase-Krobo. Educational programs will tackle the community’s pressing social challenges. Nene Domesiako Odidja, Chairman of the Festival Planning Committee, captured the essence perfectly: “Ngmayem is more than a celebration, it is a reminder of our heritage and a guide for future generations.”
Unveiling the 2025 Gmayem Festival: Launch Highlights
The Ensign College of Health in Kpong buzzed with excitement during the official launch of the 132nd Ngmayem Festival on Thursday, August 21, 2025. Spectacular cultural displays lit up the ceremony with traditional drumming, dancing, and vibrant exhibitions that showcased the rich Krobo heritage. Chiefs, queen mothers, political leaders, clergy, and residents from Odumase and nearby communities gathered in magnificent traditional regalia and beads.
The Festival Planning Committee’s Chairman, Nene Gilbert Odjidja, highlighted the importance of cultural preservation and social responsibility. “This year, our focus is on our Krobo and Dangme culture. We are celebrating ourselves in love and unity,” he stated.
The festival spans from October through December and brings several compelling events. The organizers have brought back the Miss Ngmayem Beauty Pageant that celebrates Krobo’s womanhood, elegance, and tradition. The program features visits to sacred ancestral mountains and the traditional Aklame—a warlike procession to the royal mausoleum Yokama.
Okpatakpla Sasraku IV, speaking for Konor Nene Sakite II, emphasized their cultural values’ significance in modern times: “Ngmayem is more than a celebration; it is a reminder of our heritage and a guide for future generations”.
The Roots of Ngmayem: History, Meaning, and Traditions
Image Source: TransAfrica
The Ngmayem Festival, 79 years old, came into being when Nene Azu Mate Kole replaced the “Yeliyem” celebration that focused on yam consumption. “Ngmayem” means “Eating the New Millet” and celebrates the pearl millet (ngma) harvest. The Manya Krobo people consider this agricultural celebration deeply spiritual.
The Krobo people’s story begins in Notsie, in today’s Republic of Benin, where they migrated with Ewe and Adangbe groups. A hunter named Akro Mawuse found that there was Krobo Mountain, which became their home until British colonists forced them to leave in 1892. The community then split into two ethnic groups: Manya and Yilo Krobo.
The festival gives thanks to the Creator for protection and abundance. Priests and priestesses perform traditional rituals through libation pouring and prayers that bring fertility to the land and prosperity to the community. The festival’s special dishes come from fresh harvest crops and represent the season’s abundance.
Ngmayem helps resolve family disputes and brings reconciliation to the community. Traditional drumming, dancing, and storytelling are a great way to get insights into the Krobo’s cultural identity. This harvest festival now stands as a powerful symbol of Krobo’s heritage, unity, and cultural continuity.
Leadership, Legacy, and the Future of Manya Krobo
Nene Sakite II, the fifth and current Konor of Manya Krobo, has led his people since 1999. His 25-year-old leadership as President of the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs has substantially influenced the community’s growth.
The Manya Krobo Traditional Council began building a modern palace under his leadership. The project, now 60% complete, includes residential facilities, a traditional council hall, offices, a museum, guest rooms, and a library. This building represents the Krobo people’s unity and shared purpose.
“This new palace remains a monument and a testament to our collective effort to forge ahead; the beauty in unity which is being displayed through these initiatives is particularly refreshing,” noted Nene Sakite II.
The Konor has created educational funds and taken steps to address HIV prevalence beyond infrastructure development. He now focuses on electricity problems that caused previous unrest and the deteriorating Oterkporlu bridge between Odumase-Krobo and Asesewa.
The Traditional Council prioritizes youth development through mutually beneficial alliances with organizations like the Lions Club, Rotary, and FDA to curb rising drug abuse. They run awareness campaigns in senior high schools. The revival of cultural activities like the Miss Ngmayem pageant shows their steadfast dedication to preserving heritage while embracing progress.
The Ngmayem Festival is evidence of the enduring cultural heritage of the Manya Krobo people. This celebration has grown from a simple harvest thanksgiving into a detailed cultural showcase that unites communities worldwide. The 132nd edition will, without doubt, uphold this rich tradition while tackling current challenges the Krobo people face.
This festival’s importance goes way beyond simple celebration. It provides a vital platform to preserve ancestral wisdom, resolve community disputes, and strengthen cultural identity. Participants find a deep connection to their roots through the ceremonies—from the Aklame procession to the revived Miss Ngmayem Beauty Pageant—as times change faster.
Nene Sakite II has led for 25 years and turned the festival into a catalyst for community growth. His vision encompasses a new palace project, educational initiatives, and social programs that show how traditional celebrations can tackle modern challenges. The Ngmayem Festival has become both a life-blood and developmental framework for the Manya Krobo people.
Launch ceremonies in Ghana and the United States show how this celebration surpasses geographical boundaries. Krobo people worldwide stay connected to their ancestral traditions through this yearly observance, despite migration and modernization.
“Celebrating Our Heritage, Building Our Communities with a Purpose” captures Ngmayem’s essence perfectly—a celebration that honors the past while shaping the future. Centuries after the Krobo people migrated from Notsie, their steadfast dedication to preserving cultural identity remains strong. The Ngmayem Festival serves as a vibrant celebration and powerful reminder of heritage that guides new generations of Krobo people toward a meaningful future.