The Central Planning Committee of the 2025 Hogbetsotso Festival has announced that the Akwamuhene, Odeneho Kwafo Akoto III, will be the Guest of Honour at this year’s celebration, a historic gesture aimed at deepening ties between the Anlo and Akwamu traditional states.

Held under the theme “Building Bridges: From a Common History to a Common Destiny,” the 2025 edition of the Hogbetsotso Festival will run from October 25 to November 3, 2025, with the Grand Durbar taking place on Saturday, November 1, 2025, at Anloga, the traditional capital of the Anlo State.

The invitation to the Akwamuhene was extended by a high-powered delegation from Anlo, led by Togbi Agbelom Agbotokor II, and supported by Togbi Baku IV, Togbi Loli II, Mama Wotorbe II, Mama Ewi Nyatseku II, Mama Dewuafe II, Godsway Hanyabui, and Freeman Gobah.

The delegation was warmly received at Akwamufie, where both traditional authorities reaffirmed the historical friendship and shared ancestry between the Anlo and Akwamu peoples, two great kingdoms whose cooperation has long shaped the cultural and political fabric of southeastern Ghana.

According to a statement signed by Togbi Agbesi Awusu II, the Awadada of Anlo and Chairman of the Central Planning Committee, the Akwamuhene’s participation at this year’s Hogbetsotso will “rekindle ancient bonds of friendship and re-establish the festival as a major platform for promoting Ewe solidarity and national unity.”

His presence, the statement added, symbolises “a renewed commitment to the values of peace, dialogue, and inter-ethnic cooperation, in line with the vision of using Hogbetsotso as a bridge between Ghana’s diverse cultures.”

Over the years, the Hogbetsotso Festival has evolved from a purely traditional celebration into a national cultural event that attracts thousands from across Ghana and the diaspora.

It showcases the vibrancy of Ewe heritage, celebrates Anlo’s migration history, and serves as a platform for promoting unity and development.

The 2025 edition is expected to draw an even larger audience, bringing together chiefs, citizens, and well-wishers from across the country and beyond.

Cultural performances, traditional drumming and dancing, and colourful processions will mark the weeklong celebration, culminating in the Grand Durbar at Anloga.

The Central Planning Committee expressed profound appreciation to all chiefs and elders who represented Anlo in extending the invitation to the Akwamuhene, as well as to the many supporters working to ensure a memorable and dignified celebration.

Dr Mary Ayim-Segbefia, Chairperson of the Media and Publicity Subcommittee, said the Committee is working closely with traditional authorities and partners to ensure a smooth and well-coordinated event.

She encouraged the public to participate in the celebrations, describing this year’s festival as “a symbolic reunion of cultures, history, and shared destiny.”

Hogbetsotso, one of Ghana’s oldest and most colourful festivals, commemorates the historic migration of the Ewe people from Notsie in present-day Togo to their current settlements in Ghana. The festival’s enduring message — unity, freedom, and progress — continues to resonate across generations.

As the Akwamuhene joins the Anlo State for this year’s celebration, Hogbetsotso 2025 promises to be not just a festival of heritage, but a renewed call for togetherness and peace — a fitting reflection of its theme, “Building Bridges: From a Common History to a Common Destiny.”