Bagbin shakes Kwahu with 'adowa' dance

Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Mr Alban Kingsford Sumana Bagbin, continues to show himself as a man of culture as he carried his dancing skills from the Agbadza tempos of the Volta region, to the Adowa formations of the Eastern region.

A prominent Dagaati, Bagbin danced the Adowa marvellously to a standing ovation from Chiefs and people of Kwahu over the weekend at the funeral of the late Abena Afi, mother of Nana Asiedu Kweku Donkor, former Nkosuohene of the Kwahu Traditional Area.

Her passing had been marked with celebration because she had lived to the ripe old age of 110.

It was at this same funeral that the bereaved royal defended Mr Bagbin’s observation that former President Mahama’s appointment of visually challenged Dr Seidu Danaa as Chieftaincy Minister was inappropriate, as it was against Ghanaian tradition in which chiefs were not allowed to associate with disabled persons.

The Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament’s memorable visit to Kwahu Mpraeso started on a hectic note, as his supporters, admirers and townsfolk thronged the funeral ground to welcome him in the morning of Saturday.

After a long hold-up in which the admirers spent time singing his praises and taking selfies with him, he was finally allowed to proceed to the main funeral ground, where Adowa dancers met him with a welcome formation.

A cultured Alban Bagbin responded with a dance-along, to the excitement of his supporters and chiefs at the funeral grounds who stood up in a standing ovation, with most holding up the traditional encouragement sign which is also the peace sign in Western culture.

The whole showcase was concluded with the MC of the occasion, bellowing several times that Bagbin is the in-coming President of Ghana, with the crowd responding in affirmation.

Mr Bagbin later expressed humility over the unexpected, colourful reception and was not too surprised because the people of the Eastern region were a people with a sense of proper tradition.

He praised the sense of industry of the people, especially the entrepreneurial spirit of the Kwahus, noting that as citizens of Ghana they had contributed immensely to the development of the country.

Before that however, a number of people had taken turns to celebrate him, with Nana Asiedu Kweku Donkor, praising his fearless honesty by pointing out that former President Mahama’s appointment of a visually challenged as Minister of Chieftaincy was not right.

According to Nana, Bagbin had been spot on with the explanation that Dr Danaa was more than qualified for any other Ministry apart from the Chieftaincy Ministry, simply because of the established culture in Ghana.

Mr Kofi Adusei, former MP for Bekwai, also described Mr Bagbin as a man of exceptional leadership qualities that he worked with while he was in Parliament.