Various basic schools within Anloland in the Volta Region are buzzing with excitement as they prepare for 2025 edition of Children’s Hogbetsotso durbar   scheduled to take place on Wednesday, October 29.
The event, seen as a significant part of the larger HogbetsotsoZa festival, also commemorates the exodus of the Anlo-Ewe people from Notsie in Togo to their present settlement in Ghana.
Mr. Selasi Kpormegbey, a basic school teacher at Keta told the Ghana News Agency, that the Children’s Hogbetsotso durbar plays a vital role in promoting cultural heritage and traditions among young ones which enable inculcate into children the history, cultural values, and traditional practices.
“The children’s Hogbetsotso durbar helps to instill a sense of pride and identity in the children for continuation of Anlo’s rich cultural legacy,” he said.
He explained that all children are expected to dress in traditional attire that showcase the vibrant cultural heritage of the Anlo people while the festival provides a unique opportunity for students to experience and appreciate their cultural roots and provide deeper understanding of their community’s history and traditions.

Mr. Kpormegbey said that HogbetsotsoZa was a celebration of the Anlo people’s journey to freedom and to their present-day settlement and the festival comprised of various activities, such as traditional drumming, dancing, and a durbar of chiefs which the younger generation needed to learn.
“Due to the population and the congestion during the main Hogbetsotso durbar, children durbar is initiated to focus and teach basic school children about the culture and tradition of the Anloland.”
Ms Fafali Amenuvor, a students of Tetekope Globa Evangelical Basic school told the GNA that the festival provides an opportunity for cultural exchange and education.
She added that, “last year we had an opportunity during the festivity period and visited historical sites, such as Fort Prinzenstien and the lighthouse at Woe to learn about our forefathers and colonial history, the experience has broadened our understanding of cultural identity and the significance of the festival.”
The GNA also gathered that the event is expected to draw large crowds from various schools and communities to participating in the celebrations to demonstrate the rich cultural heritage and preservation of the Anlo people, the importance of unity, cultural preservation, and community involvement.
GNA also observed that several schools within the area were actively preparing for the event, with teachers guiding students through traditional drumming, music, and dance practices and teaching of ancestral history of and the traditional regalia they will wear.
The main Hogbetsotso festival is expected to be held on November 1, while children’s durbar will be held at the various circuit capitals on October 29.
The theme for this year’s Hogbetsotso festival is “Strengthening the Bond and Embracing Our Shared Heritage,”