Ghanaian, Nigerian Kings in Uganda for Imbalu Festival

With only a day to this year’s highly anticipated Imbalu Festival on August 3 at Mutoto Grounds in Mbale City, King Fiti Torgbui Adzonugaga Amenya V, the paramount chief of the Aflao Traditional Area and his Nigerian counterpart His Royal Majesty Dr Suanu Timothy Yormaadam Baridam of Ogoni Traditional area have arrived in the country to grace the festivities.

While addressing journalists upon arrival at Entebbe International Airport in the wee hours of August 1, His Highness Adzonugaga said there is need to respect and preserve traditions which are the root of African culture.

“We are here to celebrate a traditional event for the Bamasaba people, tradition is something we have to honor and celebrate. You can’t ignore your traditions, ignore your roots, it’s just like a crop that has to be planted, cultivated and when it grows everybody has to take part in it. So tradition has to be respected and am so happy that the Government of Uganda acknowledged chieftaincy and kingship according them such a respect that we are seeing today,” he said.

His Highness Fiti, the current president of the forum of Kings and traditional leaders of Africa was escorted by his wife Fiti Queen Enyonam. They arrived aboard Ethiopian Airlines at 1:30am. He urged the youth to embrace African tradition which flows within their blood as Africans.

“There has always been a lot of collaboration between Uganda and Ghana for a very long time from the times of Nkwame Nkrumah and Dr Milton Obote and such collaborations still exist between the current president Museveni and Nana Akufo-Addo, we are building up from that place and strengthening it traditionally,” he said.

His Royal Majesty Dr Suanu said it’s important to understand the different African cultures that are intertwined as one and learn from each other to preserve the African traditions.

“Culture is something that is interwoven and we are here to encourage our brothers and to also have a feeling of what they have here. What is important for us is to understand the different cultures of Africans because we are one” he said.

The Bamasaba Prime Minister Charles Walimbwa Peke said the arrival of the kings is a beginning of a partnership in tradition and investment which will present an opportunity for the Bamasaba people and those from Western Africa.

“It’s a beginning in partnership in tradition, investment, it’s a very good opportunity for the Masaba people  and we as a culture of Bamasaaba and leadership, we really want to use this chance for the visiting teams from Ghana, Togo, Nigeria, Kenya and other parts of the country to build greater relationships for our people,” he said.

Mr Walimbwa added, “We hope to have joint ventures with them not only in culture but also in investments between the two kingdoms. We want to thank President Museveni who has given us Shs 300 million to support our celebrations and others who are partnering with us in this festival.”

Mr Peter Christopher Werikhe, the MP Bubulo West and Bugisu Parliamentarians representative in the Umkuka House (King’s Palace) said the King’s presence at the festival is of significance to understanding how culture plays a developmental role in Africa by exchanging visits that strength relations between Uganda and Africa as a cultural group.

“It’s of significance to understand how culture is carried out in Africa, we are exchanging visits of strengths between Uganda and Africa as a cultural group and above all the issue of tourism is now key which improves on our economy. This friendship goes along way where we want to enjoy the rest of Africa with our friends,” he said.