The chiefs and people of the Bono regions have marked the fifth anniversary of the Mek Bono Homecoming & Cultural Festival, climaxed at the Unity Grounds in Atebubu, with the Kwakye Adeɛfɛ Grand Durbar, the principal royal and ceremonial gathering of the event.
The event brought together traditional rulers, government officials led by the Vice-President, Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, cultural groups, invited dignitaries, sons and daughters of Bonoman and participants from across the country and beyond.
The 2026 edition of the annual festival, hosted by Atebubu, was celebrated on the theme: “Honouring our roots, shaping our future through active participation.”
The event gave the people of Bonoman an opportunity to celebrate their rich heritage, culture and identity through united active participation, with development as the goal.
As hosts, Atebubu pioneered an international launch of the festival in the United States in April 2026, and a launch in the town in March.
he festival celebrated culture, infused with contemporary entertainment, featuring a high-energy street carnival, the “Lake Experience”—a fun boat trip in Yeji—and a star-studded artistes’ night.
Many people participated, reflecting the diversity Meko Bono sought to promote.
From ancestral traditions and indigenous cuisine to preventive health care, tourism and music, the festival gave different generations opportunities to reconnect with their heritage while building new relationships.
Homecoming
Activities for Mek Bono 2026 began on Saturday, August 15, with a community clean-up exercise ahead of the official festival week. On Sunday, August 16, a football match took place, and the festival formally opened on Monday, August 17.
The opening brought together Nananom, government officials, community leaders, residents and visitors, with the Bono East Regional Minister, Francis Owusu Antwi, chairing.
Subsequently, Atebubu was transformed into a vibrant hub of Bono culture, spirituality, entertainment and community engagement.
The event featured Bono Nkomo, a strategic dialogue focused on the progress of Bonoman, alongside a health screening exercise.
A lively indigenous foods cooking contest and a prestigious Bono Hemaa Pageant followed, led by esteemed queen mothers — Atebubumanhemaa, Nana Afia Donyina II; Sunyanimanhemaa, Nana Akosua Asor Duah Brayie; Wenchimanhemaa, Ohemaa Pokua Afoa Dankoto II; Odumase No. 1 Manhemaa, Nana Yaa Adansi Puduo II; Abease Manhemaa, Nana Abena Frimpomaa Kese, and Chiraahemaa Nana Yeboah Pene II.
Vice-President
Prof. Opoku-Agyemang, whose presence reflected the national significance of the festival, commended the people of Bonoman and the organisers for sustaining a festival deeply rooted in culture, identity and community participation.
She encouraged the people to remain focused on the broader objectives of Mek Bono and to continue using culture as an instrument for strengthening peace and social cohesion.
The Vice-President emphasised that development could thrive only in an atmosphere of peace and cooperation. She, therefore, urged traditional leaders, political actors, the youth and all citizens to protect the peace enjoyed within their communities and work collectively toward national development.
The Minister of Tourism, Culture, and Creative Arts, Dzifa Abla Gomashi, conveyed her pride in and support for the united celebration of Bono culture.
She reiterated the commitment of her ministry to continue celebrating and elevating Ghana’s rich culture as an important, distinct element in the rich tapestry of African identity.
The Bono East Regional Minister, Francis Owusu Antwi, congratulated Nananom, the Mek Bono leadership and the people of Atebubu on successfully hosting the fifth Mek Bono festival.
Welcoming the participants to the durbar, Ohempon Dr Yeboah Asiamah, (Atebubumanhene), who chaired the Mek Bono Advisory Board, reminded the gathering that Mek Bono was conceived of not merely as another festival, but as a platform through which the Bono people could reconnect with their common ancestry and culture and turn that renewed sense of identity into a force for collective development.
“Mek Bono seeks to bring our people together, reconnect with our roots, celebrate our heritage and most importantly, use that unity to advance the development of our communities,” he said.
He also challenged the different generations to see the festival from a broader perspective.
“The elderly,” he said, “should take pride in seeing the stories and vision of the ancestors preserved; the youth should understand that progress towards a brighter future must remain informed by roots, and leaders must channel the energies of both young and old into building a dignified future for Bonoman, Ghana, and Africa.”
The Nsawkawmanhene, Daasebre Okogyeaman Duodu Ampem II, who chaired the event, commended the organisers of Mek Bono, the host traditional area (Atebubu), and all those who contributed to the successful celebration of the festival.
He stressed the importance of maintaining unity among the Bono people and urged Nananom and citizens alike to strengthen the bonds that have historically connected the various Bono states and communities.
A major feature of the Grand Durbar was the Fundraising and Development Appeal, led by the Dormaahene and President of the Bono Regional House of Chiefs, Osagyefo Oseadeeyo Agyeman Badu II.
