The 2022 edition of the annual Feok Festival celebration came off successfully as usual. The grand Durbar came off on 20th December 2022 at the Durbar grounds in Sandema. This year's celebration witnessed significantly low patronage, with the dire economic situation of the country being the major contributor.
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| Feok Festival 2022 |
The Feok Fun Games were organized by Prime Buluk Consortium [PBC], a private entity in Buluk, in partnership with The Traditional Council and the Feok Festival Planning Committee. PBC did a wonderful job and this year's games were the best organized compared to previous ones. Bilinsa won and Kori came second.
A "Feok Invasion" entertainment program was held at Conifah Guest House in Sandema about three days before the grand durbar of the Feok festival. Talented young musicians from far and near exhibited their talents to the youth. Aside from the distance to the program venue which greatly affected patronage, the program was also gated.
A "Feok Wrestling Champion" competition was also organized by a private citizen at the Main Lorry Station on the eve of the Feok festival grand durbar to mark the 10th anniversary of the enskinment of His Royal Majesty Nab Azagsuk Azantilow II. This program witnessed massive patronage as it was the first time a program of such nature was organized as part of the Feok festival celebrations. However, the organizers need to up their game as many glitches made patrons not to enjoy the program fully.
The annual Buluk To The World concert was also held at the Sandema Lorry station in the evening after the grand Durbar and witnessed a very good attendance as well.
Read also: Feok Festival 2021 Review
The president of Ghana, H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, was in attendance. His attendance at this year's event was greeted with mixed opinions by patrons. Many people were not aware that the president would grace the event as no information on that was communicated earlier, only for them to hear speculations on the morning of D-day that suggested he was attending the event.
Later, at around 10 am, the president arrived in Sandema in a helicopter! The president's arrival thwarted the day's program outline. People heard about his arrival and hurried to the venue to hear about his plan for Buluk's development only to meet his absence.
The people who rushed to the grounds only heard the paramount chief thanking the president for making time out to grace the occasion without actually seeing the president at the event grounds because he [the president] spoke first and left the grounds immediately.
Patrons wondered why organizers did not advise the president to come later during the program, by which time patrons would have gathered at the venue in readiness to listen to his message for Bulsa, knowing very well that many people were not aware of his coming.
Some patrons even said his coming was needless as it brought a distraction to an otherwise orderly celebration. Whatever plan he had for Buluk could have been executed without actually wasting resources in the name of gracing the event only to make 'empty promises'.
The archery competition which often comes off the next day after the grand durbar did not happen this year. No reasons were given.
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1. Many people were of the view that the Paramount Chief's 10th-anniversary celebration should have been detached from the main Feok festival celebration to ensure transparency and proper accountability for donated funds.
2. Why the annual celebration still doesn't have a tangible development project in any community baffles many. Some people have begun pointing accusing fingers at the leadership of Buluk for misappropriating funds meant for development.
3. The presence of a national leader [e.g. the president] at the Feok festival celebrations will mean nothing in terms of Buluk's development if we, Bulsa, fail to do our 'homework' well. Buluk has witnessed several presidents grace the event at different times in the past but not a single major development project came out of those visits. The roads in Buluk continue to deteriorate at a speedy rate as the citizens continue to play political football on them.
What do you also think about the Feok Festival 2022 celebration? Leave comments below.
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