Agbogbomefia of Asogli and President of the National House of Chiefs, Togbe Afede XIV has organised his annual banquet for hundreds of aged people and about 2,300 children from the Asogli State at his residence in Ho, the Volta Regional capital.
The event which was in celebration of the yuletide had the children taking their turn on Boxing Day, Wednesday December 26, 2018 before the elderly, who had their turn last Sunday, January 6, 2019.
Last Sunday’s feast attracted the aged, opinion leaders, elders and chiefs from the traditional area who were treated to sumptuous meals including “akple” and “fetridetsi”, a staple food of the people, and good music.
In a similar fashion, the children, mostly basic school pupils, enjoyed good food and music spiced with storytelling sessions, thus, making the day one of fun for them.
However, unlike the event for the aged yet in a very humbling way, the children had the opportunity to be served by chiefs of Asogli State including Togbe Afede who led the team of his chiefs to ensure every child that showed up on the day had something to eat and drink.
Speaking on behalf of Togbe Afede on Sunday, Chief of Ahoe, Togbe Kasa III, called on the senior citizens to train their children and grandchildren into good leaders, setting them on the right path to build the nation in future.
According to him, there would be no bright future if the youth who will be the future leaders tomorrow lack the right upbringing and through the use of drugs and improper dressing among others, waste their youthfulness.
Togbe Kasa therefore charged the aged to put their feet down and ensure they correct the young ones and discipline them into responsible people capable of taking up the challenge to build the nation in the future.
Mama Agblatsu III, Afetor-nyornufia of Bankoe on behalf of Shepherd’s Centre of Ageing, a group of aged Christians with branches in various parts of the region, who were also in attendance at Sunday’s event, commended the Agbogbomefia for his initiative to annually host the aged to a dinner table and in effect, uniting to create a joyful old age for every aged person.
Mama Agblatsu also touched on the admonishing by Togbe Kasa to parents and decried the challenges of modern parenting, saying the younger generation nowadays, with the help of technology, find ways of doing things at the blind side of their parents making the issue of discipline and character building problematic.
She nonetheless added her voice by tasking parents to among other things ensure their children go to the bed before them and asked that parents desist from forcing their children to look for means to fend for the family.
In the ealier event for the children, Togbe Afede XIV urged the children to be obedient, respect their parents and persevere in their academic studies to become important people in future so as to play useful roles in the society.
He called on them to learn at the feet of accomplished personalities in the Asogli State and beyond and aspire to be like them and even more in future, plegding the Asogli State’s readiness to support needy but brilliant pupils and students to attain every height in their academic pursuits.