2 month long Asogli “Te Za” (Yam Festival) underway in Ho.

The Chiefs and People of the Asogli State in the Volta Region of Ghana have kicked start activities to mark the 20th anniversary celebration of the Enstoolment of Togbe Afede XIV and the events towards the celebration of the 2023 Asogli Yam Festival .
The annual teyuyru (yam-hailing carnival) as always expected pulled a great crowd, and presented residents and revelers with exciting moments, as experienced in previous years.
The procession, held at sundown, is the main attraction for the fertility rites of the popular traditional area’s annual yam festival, and marks the maturity of the root tuber, which is a national staple.
Traditional prayers and sacrifices were made at various shrines before a convergence at the Ho RTC Park for the start of the procession, led by chiefs and traditional warriors bearing tubers of the new yam.
This year marks the 20th Anniversary of Togbe Afede XIV, the Agbogbomefia of Asogli State, and many anticipated rains during the procession- a phenomenon that was believed to symbolise the wholesomeness of the prayers and sacrifices.
The yam hailing had received heavy publicity and several tours to the Region had been curated to enable patronage, causing a heavy influx of both natives and non-natives, and which gave this year a record attendance.
Rain clouds had formed hours ahead of the event, and the showers that came with the start of the march at around 1630 hours were received with wild jubilation.
The various divisions of Asogli in their processions were soaked in the heavy downpour that held until nightfall, as the unending crowd made their way slowly to the Mawuko girls school park where it would end.
There were vans blasting loud music and youths on roller skates waving flags of the Asogli State swept ahead, while others scaled buildings, cramped porches and crowded balconies, to view the historic attendance.
This year’s yam festival and enstoolment anniversary is on the theme: “20 Years of Selfless and Inspiring Leadership,” and an anti-corruption day celebration, a youth forum, and a summit of Ewe traditional leaders in West Africa, forms part of the lineup of activities.
There are tennis tournaments, a marathon, and almost all pubs in the municipality are lit with loud music and endless revelry.
Togbe Afede is expected to launch an aviation training academy and a humanitarian foundation to mark the celebration.

It is one of the main highlights of activities lined up to mark the 20th-anniversary of
Togbe Afede’s reign over the Asogli State.
The occasion, which would also mark the 2023 Asogli Teza (Yam Festival) celebrations starts from Saturday, August 16th to Sunday, October 8, 2023.
Thousands of revelers are expected to throng the Asogli state, which constitutes four traditional areas in the Ho Municipality to participate in the memorable event.
The reinstating of Miss. Asogli is expected to be the icing on the cake after being suspended for over 5 years.
The two-month-long celebration is laced with sports tournaments, constituting soccer and tennis competitions.
Other captivating activities include Exploring the Adaklu Mountain, Youth Empowerment and Entrepreneurship Day, Anti-Corruption Forum, Women’s Day Celebration, Peace, Unity and Development Summit, and a Summit of Ewe Chiefs from Ghana, Togo and Benin, among others.
Asogli Te Za, popularly known as Asogli Yam Festival is essentially a harvest festival celebrated by the Asogli State (Ho) and its surrounding areas such as Sokode, Abutia Klefe and Akrofu. This year’s festival will be climaxed in October 2023 by the Togbewo, Mamawo) and the people of Asogli State in the Volta Region of Ghana to thank God and also the gods and ancestors for a bumper harvest, and as an occasion to offer prayers for good health and prosperity.
History has it that the cultivation of yam among the people of Asogli started when the yam that the hunter hid during his hunting expedition later germinated and grew bigger. The celebration was brought into Ghana by the Ewe people of Ghana when they migrated from Notse in the Republic of Togo, where it is still celebrated.
In 2004, Togbe Afede XIV brought back the celebration of the Yam Festival which had been abandoned for over a decade. With the goal of educating and entertaining both Ghanaians and visitors about Asogli traditions, the Yam Festival provides an opportunity for experiencing traditional music, dance, storytelling and a grand durbar to end the festival.