By Paul Adude
With only a day to go to this year’s highly anticipated Imbalu Festival slated for Saturday at Mutoto Grounds in Mbale City, King Fiti Torgbui Adzonugaga Amenya V, the paramount chief of the Aflao Traditional Area and his Nigerian counterpart His Royal Majesty Dr. Suanu Timothy Yormaadam Baridam of Ogoni Traditional area have arrived in the country to grace the festivities.
Addressing journalists upon arrival at Entebbe International Airport early this morning, His Highness Adzonugaga said there is need to respect and preserve traditions which are the root of African culture.
“We are here to celebrate a traditional event for the Bamasaba people, tradition is something we have to honor and celebrate, you can’t ignore your traditions, ignore your roots, it’s just like a crop that has to be planted, cultivated and when it grows everybody has to take part in it, so tradition has to be respected and am so happy that the Government of Uganda acknowledged chieftaincy and kingship according them such a respect that we are seeing today” he said.
His Highness Fiti, the current president of the forum of Kings and traditional leaders of Africa was escorted by his wife Fiti Queen Enyonam arrived aboard Ethiopian Airlines at 1:30am urged youth to embrace African tradition which flows within their blood as Africans.
The Bamasaba Prime Minister Charles Walimbwa Peke said the arrival of the kings is a beginning of a partnership in tradition and investment which presents a great opportunity for the Bamasaba and people from Western Africa.
Peter Christopher Werikhe the MP Bubulo West and representative to the Umkuka House said the King’s presence at the festival is of significance to understand how culture is carried out in Africa by exchanging visits of strengths between Uganda and Africa as a cultural group.
