Tension is looming in Cape Coast in the Central Region as the Oguaa Traditional Council and Cape 93.3 FM, a local radio station are fighting each other over the organisation of a street carnival dubbed “Orange Friday.”
Cape FM, which is said to have been organizing the carnival during the annual festival has been asked by the Traditional Council not to host the event this year.
The 2016 Oguaa Fetu Afahye is scheduled to take place from 27th August to 4th September.
The Oguaa Traditional Council told the press that the local radio station disrespected them hence their decision to remove the carnival from the week-long celebration.
“It has come to the notice of the Oguaa Traditional Council that Cape FM and Yes FM Stations are making denigrating and abusive pronouncements about Nananom, the Afahye Planning Committee and the Traditional Council regarding the celebration of the so called Orange Friday,” Nana Kow Amoasi III, the chairman of the 2016 Oguaa Fetu Fahye committee said.
Nana Kow Amoasi III, after citing the chieftaincy act banned the two radio stations from organizing any activity during the festival.
“Violation of this order by the council implies a legal sanction as well as disobeying the traditional laws of the Oguaa Traditional Council,” he added.
But the Public Relations Officer of Cape FM, Paul Anyaba, said they can’t back down.
“Nananom cannot also replace the Orange Friday carnival as it is has never been their brand since its inception. Cape FM remains the originators of the carnival concept on the Afahye Friday and I must emphasize that no one can rid us off that title. The Oguaa Traditional Council cannot in the name of traditionalism engage in illegalities and expect us to fold our arms and kowtow to such oppression.” he explained.
According to him, many efforts made to engage the chiefs on the celebration of the Orange Friday have proved futile.
“In short, the management of Cape FM has met the OTC/Planning Committee for not less than 10 times this year. It is therefore a falsity for anybody to posit that we have never met the OTC/planning committee. We are therefore not surprised that they gave contrasting accounts on the same matter when asked about meeting Cape FM on the Orange Friday during their press conference.”
He said the radio station has secured a police permit to organize the street Carnival notwithstanding the opposition from the Oguaa Traditional Council.
Orange Friday replaced
Orange Friday which has become an attractive part of the annual Oguaa Fetu Afahye for the past four years was championed by Cape 93.3 FM.
Reports indicate that the Traditional Council has replaced the event with Cape Coast carnival.
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By: Akwasi Koranteng/citifmonline.com/Ghana