The Osu community of Accra, Ghana recently celebrated its annual Homowo festivities. As part of that celebration, on 10 August, 2024, they enjoyed a contribution of food and supplies from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
Donation of food and supplies at the Osu Stool Secretariat on 10 August 2024.
Donation of food and supplies for the Homowo celebration, made at the Osu Stool Secretariat on 10 August 2024.© 2024 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.The Osu people are part of the larger Ga community, who are the indigenous inhabitants of the greater Accra area in southern Ghana. Their annual celebration of Homowo, which can be loosely translated as "hooting or jeering at hunger," celebrates thanksgiving for relief from a devastating period of drought and famine suffered by their ancestors in generations past. This festival of thanksgiving and joy is also a time to renew and strengthen relationships.
- Donaiton-hand-off-at-the-Osu-Mantse-residence-on-10-August-2024.
- Elder-Samuel-Annan-Simons-offers-prayer-of-thanksgiving-at-donation-ceremony-on-10-August-2024.
- Elder-Flint-Ekyeh-Mensah,-Director-of-Temporal-Affairs-for-West-Africa,-and-Elder-Samuel-Annan-Simons,-Area-Seventy,-make-presentation-to-Osu-Mantse-Chief-of-Staff-on-10-August-2024.
- Donation-ceremony-at-the-Osu-Stool-Secretariat-on-10-August-2024.
- Sister-Brenda-Mc-Saawa,-Church-Communications-Employee-in-the-Africa-West-Area,-speaks-on-the-local-radio-about-the-Church's-donation-on-10-August-2024.
- Church-employees-loading-up-vehicles-with-donation-items-on-10-August-2024.
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To affirm and strengthen their relationship with the Ga, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints donated rice, drink, computer tablets, rakes, wheelbarrows, shovels, health screening items, and other goods to the community. Elder Samuel Annan-Simons, an Area Seventy, made the formal presentation first at the Osu Stool (a council of leaders and influencers) Secretariat, where the donation was received. Then, a ceremonial presentation was made at the residence of the Ga Mantse (chief or king), where Justice Julia Sarkodie-Mensah, Chief of Staff for the Office of the Ga Mantse, graciously received the donation and reaffirmed the friendship between the Ga people and the Church.
In his presentation, Elder Annan-Simons explained that the Church was pleased to support the festival and emphasized that "we present this to you as a token of our love and appreciation for welcoming us onto your land." The Accra temple, missionary training center, stake center, area offices, and various other buildings are all built on Osu land. Additionally, an important purpose of the contribution was, as a church employee expressed, to help families in need, especially children, "so that they can grow up to be people who contribute to their community."
In gratitude for the donation, a member of the Osu Stool reassured The Church: "Just so that you know that whatever you bring, the purpose for which it is brought is used so that the benefit that is expected is gotten." Overall, the experience not only benefitted the Osu community, but it again reaffirmed and strengthened an already strong bond between the larger Ga community and the Church.