Winneba Masquerade Festival : The First Party Of The Year In Ghana

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If you want to start your New Year with colour, celebration, and pure energy, there is only one place to be on 1st January, Winneba . While everybody is still sleeping after 31st Night, Winneba is already awake. Drums, brass band, costumes, masks. This is the Winneba Masquerade Festival, locally called Fancy Dress. It is the first major festival in Ghana every year. And it is the second biggest festival in Winneba after Aboakyer. There is a morning in Winneba that does not feel like any other morning in Ghana. By 7am, you can hear it. The brass band far away. The drum, shouting and the crowd. If you are in Winneba on that day, you cannot stay in your room. The sound will drag you out. I remember the first time I followed the sound. I thought something had happened. I thought maybe there was a funeral. But when I reached the road, I saw something I had never seen before. Men wearing masks. Big, colourful, scary, beautiful masks. Some looked like animals. Some looked like old white men ...

Statue in Honour of Ofarnyi Kwegya unveiled in Winneba by Hon. Alex Afenyo Markin.


Who is Ofarnyi Kwegya?

According to oral traditional history, Ofarnyi Kwegya was a master fisherman and a friend of Asebu Amanfi. Ofarnyi Kwagya and Asebu Amanfi were part of  group of people that arrived from the Ancient Egypt to present day Asebu( Ghana, Central Region).

Ofarnyi Kwegya

Ofarnyi Kwegya and Asebu Amanfi were considered giants because of their extraordinary stature. Ofarnyi Kwegya on his arrival  settled at a coastal town called Moree(also known as Kwegyakrom) due to the abundance of Stingray in the rivers to continue his fishing activities. Asebu Amanfi also moved to the boondocks and founded Asebu.Ofarnyi Kwegya mastered his trade and was able to capture huge number of fish  due to his size. His fishing activities took him and his men to several parts of the coast of Ghana. He settled in Moree, Simpa(Winneba) and other coastal towns of Ghana.

Winneba  is a town and the capital of Efutu Municipal District in Central Region of  Ghana. Simpa was founded by Efutu settlers under the leader of Osimpa, hence the name Simpa . Winneba is a historic fishing port of Ghana. Ancient Efutu fishermen from Oguaa and Edina used Winneba as their place of rest before they continue their journey in search for fish.

Ofarnyi Kwegya was the greatest fisherman ever to have lived in Ghana  and no fisherman has been able to equal his achievements.


Ofarnyi Kwegya

Ofarnyi Kwegya

Ofarnyi Kwegya

Ofarnyi Kwegya