Togbe Afede XIV, Agbogbomefia of Asogli, at the weekend called on political leaders of Africa to evolve practical measures to remove artificial barriers inhibiting trade and commerce among African nations. He said while other regions and sub-regions in the world had progressively removed such barriers, political leaders in Africa remained inactive, while their citizens suffered inhumane treatments at the various borders. Togbe Afede was addressing a grand durbar to crown the 2012 Agbogboza of the chiefs and people of Notsie, said to be the ancestral home of the Ewes. He observed that bribery and corruption were responsible for the inability of African countries to meet their aspirations. Togbe Afede, who is leading a large delegation of Ewes from Ghana on pilgrimage to Notsie, therefore, called for the reawakening of leaders at the traditional, religious and state levels to reverse these negative trends to speed up economic development of the continent. “Traditional and political leaders must evolve strategies to curb the hopelessness, poverty, and disease emanating from bad governance and replace it with selflessness,” the Agbogbomefia said. He counseled the youth to resist the urge to cut corners to succeed at all cost and that the view that participation in mainstream politics was where to hit the jackpot was misplaced. Togbe Afede said the Asian tigers and tigresses did not actualize development through such aspirations but hard and honest work under purposeful leaderships. He called on chiefs to inspire the youth if political leaderships were in a dilemma. Mr Kwadjo Senou, Togolese Minister of Arts and Culture, said it was important to harness the different cultures of the continent for development. He said the bonding and binding of the people using culture for development had enormous potentials. Togbui Agorkorli IV, Ewe Fiaga of Notsie, bemoaned the continued fragmentation of ethnic groupings in the area when in other areas bonding was strengthening. He expressed optimism that the ancestral spirits will shower Ewes in Africa and the Diaspora with good health, bumper harvests and prosperity. Komla Agbeke, General Secretary of the Union of Ewes in Ghana and Togo, urged the youth to strive to be resourceful and self-reliant. Togbe Afede, on his installation a decade ago, rekindled ties between the Ewes of Ghana and Togo as part of his bridge-building across traditional areas within and outside Ghana. Every year he leads a delegation to celebrate the Agbogboza with the chiefs and people of Notsie who return the visit when the Asogli’s also mark their Yam Festival.