The annual ban on drumming and noisemaking, as part of preparations for this year's Hogbetsotso Festival commences from September 10 to October 01, 2023 The Anlo Traditional Council, which announced date said all forms of noisemaking and drumming from religious and social events would be prohibited within the three-week period. In a press release issued by Togbi Zewu IV, Chairman, Local Planning Committee, 2023 Anlo Hogbetsotsoza and copied to the Ghana News Agency, the Council urged churches to carry out their premises and avoid making noise through musical instruments. 'During the period of the ban, churches are expected to carry out their activities within their premises and refrain from the use of musical instruments. The positioning of loudspeakers outside the premises of churches, mosques and pubs are banned. Roadside evangelists are to cease their activities during this period.' 'Other guidelines by the Anlo Traditional Council include a ban on funeral rites and their related activities,' the release said. The release alerted that 'apart from the Ghana Police Service and representatives from the Anlo Traditional Council with tags, no other person or group of persons should be seen or found enforcing this ban.' It entreated all persons, towns and villages within the Anlo Traditional Area to cooperate and comply with the directive in the interest of peace, harmony and national security. The festival, also known as Hogbeza which commemorates the legendary exodus of the Ewe-Dogbo folks from Notsie in present-day Togo, is celebrated every first Saturday in November at Anloga, the ritual and traditional capital of the Anlos with activities and ceremonies including reconciliation, cleansing, enactment of the departure and escape, mini Hogbe and mini durbar of schools preceding the main durbar.

Source: Ghana News Agency