CEANA 2013 Attractions!

Former President of Ghana, His Excellency, J. J. Rawlings to Grace the occasion, and Live Multi Cultural performances by cultural troupes from Ghana, Washington DC and Chicago!

June 20, 2013 - Chicago, the windy city of the Midwest will be buzzing and sizzling hot on US Labor Day weekend as the Ewe Association of Metropolitan Chicago hosts the ever popular and ever growing Council of Ewe Associations in North America (CEANA) 2013 Convention at the luxurious McCormick Center, 2233 S. Martin Luther King Drive, Chicago IL 60616. The event is scheduled from Thursday August 29 through Monday September 2, 2013.

Yes, Chicago will be at its best gain! Chicago the Windy City; we will chill your bones with excitement at this year’s CEANA 2013 Convention! Amongst the dignitaries expected to grace the occasion are the former President of the Republic of Ghana, His Excellency, Flt. Lt. Jerry John Rawlings and his wife, Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings, Dr. Enyonam Padmore Agbemabiese (Ghanaian prolific writer, poet, playwright, scholar and professor at Ohio State University, US) and Dr. Prosper Doamekpor (Youth Specialist, Tuskegee University, US) and Rev. Dr. Cyril G. K. Fayose (President, EP Church University College, Ghana). The former President has accepted an invitation to be the keynote speaker at this year’s convention and also intermingle with members of the Ghanaian community! If you have not yet planned your 2013 summer vacation, start planning now; start packing your bags and get ready to head towards Chicago. The Labor Day weekend presents an opportunity to mingle and exchange greetings with your fellow Ghanaians, Togolese, Beninese, invited guest, enjoy the variety of traditional Ghanaian, Togolese and Beninese dishes, join or sit back and enjoy the beautiful spectrum of Eweland cultural dances lined up to entertain you and your family. Cultural troupes are flying in all the way from Ghana including Washington DC and Chicago’s own “Borborbor Girls and Boys”. They will make your Labor Day weekend, a weekend to remember. Experiences that will have everlasting memories that will connect you to your roots and or the opportunity to enjoy the rich Ghanaian, Togolese and Beninese traditions and culture, all at your doorstep here in Chicago! Don't miss the opportunity to find out why the CEANA experience in Chicago is a game changer that attracts every Tom, Dick and Harry! CEANA convention is a special phenomenon, and it will take years to come back to Chicago, so please make your best effort to witness, participate and enjoy it now!

The late Major (Rtd.) Courage Emmanuel Kobla Quashigah’s aha moment at CEANA led him to meddle a little with the lyrics of the song “In the land of strangers, whither thou art gone; Hear a far voice calling, my son! my son!” when he observed the superb organizational skills of CEANA officials, the show of patriotism and support for mother Ghana. That is what CEANA is all about! That chilling and joyful experience is what you will be missing when you miss CEANA 2013!

Program Highlights

After the COR and the General Assembly meetings on Friday August 30 through Saturday morning of August 31st, the Saturday evening program will turn the luxurious ballroom at the Hyatt Regency, McCormick Place, into a mini African cultural theater! It will usher in dignitaries such as His Excellency, President Rawlings and his wife, Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings, Torgbe Venya I and Mama Kyirebea Ameyibor, other visiting Chiefs and Queens amidst culturally invigorating drumming and dancing! Next, will be a three course menu of delicious meals and free “booze”. The cultural groups from Ghana, Washington DC and the Chicago Borborbor Girls and Boys will treat the audience to traditional and variety of Ghanaian, Togolese and Beninese music and dances. The best of Chicago area DJ’s will also show their DJ mixing skills as they dole out the best selections in their arsenals to the enjoyment of the expectant large audience.

Crowning the Convention activities will be a picnic at 154th and Torrence, on Sunday afternoon, September 1, 2013 after a non-denominational Thanksgiving Church Service in the morning! An array of traditional Ghanaian, Togolese and Beninese food such as aboloo, yakayeke, kaklo, waatse, garifortor, fufu, akple, gbor la detsi (goat meat soup), shitor, azi detsi (groundnut soup) and many others will be served! Once again, there will be cultural drumming, dancing and merry making. The evening of Sunday will be time for the all-and-ever famous “toli’ or “mise gli lo” sessions! Please you would not want to miss this! The “experts” on story telling will crack your ribs with a host of funny jokes and spiritually uplifting stories!

For more information about CEANA 2013 please visit www.ceanaonline.org, www.ewechicago.org or www.sankofaonline.com.

Signed:

Chairman and Secretary of the Publicity Committee, Ewe Association of Metropolitan Chicago Rev. Dzifanu Agbenya, Chairman