The chiefs and people of the Lawra Traditional Area are gearing up for the 2024 Kobine Festival, an annual event to showcase the rich and diverse cultural heritage of the people. The 46th edition of the festival, scheduled for October 7-10 in Lawra, is also an avenue for family reunion, to galvanise the people in the area for development and promote friendship between the traditional area and the rest of the country and beyond. Naa Edwin Irekakpier, the Secretary to the Kobine Festival Planning Committee, who revealed this to the Ghana News Agency in an interview in Lawra, added that the festival was also to thank the gods for the protection throughout the year. 'The festival serves as a period of sacrifice and thanksgiving to our gods and ancestors for the favours and bounty harvest received during the farming season,' he added. The 2024 Kobine festival is celebrated on the theme: 'Recognising the Impact of NGOs and Development Partners in the Development of the Lawra Traditional Area.' Naa Irekakpier, also the Chief of Yagpele, explained that the theme was to acknowledge the immense support and contributions of Non-governmental Organisations and development partners to the development of the Lawra traditional area and to strengthen that relationship. 'It will also provide us the platform to lobby and appeal to stakeholders for more support and developmental projects to improve the living conditions of people within the paramountcy,' he stated. He indicated that the festival had become a significant event, promoting unity, friendship, and development. Naa Irekakpier expressed gratitude to Mobile Telephone Network (MTN) Ghana who had been a headline sponsor of the festival over the years and other partners for their continuous support in making Kobine celebrations a success. The five-day-long celebration would feature a health walk, quiz competition for junior high schools in Lawra, finals of the MTN football gala and farmers' forum on October 6, 2024. There would also be a youth forum and 'remembrance night' on the 7th of October 2024 and the grand durbar of chiefs on October 8, 2024, and street jams in the evening. The celebration would also feature a 'Culture and Heritage Day' on the 9th of October 2024, to exhibit the culture and heritage of the traditional area. Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, the Vice President and Presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party, ministers of state, Council of State Members, Upper West Regional House Chiefs, Members of Parliament, and a delegation from Burkina Faso among others were expected to grace the occasion. Source: Ghana News Agency