PHOTOS & VIDEOS: Asamankese turns black as Obour Dwan festival officially begins with retrieval of sacred stone

Asamankese was draped in black on Monday, December 1, 2025, as the annual Obour Dwan Festival officially commenced in the capital of the West Akim Municipal Assembly in the Eastern Region.

Residents, clad in black attire, joined the chiefs and people of the traditional area in a solemn traditional procession to retrieve the sacred Obour stone from Asuokaw, the next town before reaching Asamankese.

According to oral history, the ancestors of Asamankese originally settled around the Asuokaw area before the town’s founder, Asare, later relocated them to their present location.

At about 2:00 pm, the Chief of Asamankese, Osabarima Adu Darko III, accompanied by his sub-chiefs and elders, led the procession toward Asuokaw.

Upon reaching the Abukyen River, which serves as the boundary between Asamankese and Asuokaw, the delegation paused as fetish priests and selected persons crossed over to retrieve the sacred stone.

When the stone arrived at the riverbank, traditional rites were performed, followed by the slaughtering of a sheep by the river as part of the purification rituals.

The sacred stone was then carried in a grand procession to the Asamankese Palace, where further rituals were performed amid drumming, chanting, and jubilation.

The entire town came to a standstill during the ceremony, as vehicular traffic was completely restricted, forcing residents to move on foot in solidarity with the traditional procession.

Asamankese serves as a major commercial gateway, linking the Eastern Region to the Central, Greater Accra, and Ashanti regions, making the temporary shutdown significant.

The Obour Dwan Festival will be climaxed on Sunday, December 7, 2025, with a grand durbar of chiefs and people, cultural performances, and traditional activities.

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Credit to Isaac Oppong Awuakye for photos and videos