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Showing posts from 2020

Senya Beraku Concerned Youth Chronicle their achievement over the last ten years.

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 Ten years ago we the youth of Senya Beraku began a revolution - a mega call for traditional, economic and social reform. We have not achieved all the dreams but we have come very far so far. 1. We facilitated the entrance of great men and women from Senya back to Senya. For example, Dr.  J. K. Esibu (Prof), Mr. Kwaw Ansah (TV Africa), Ipi Kwa Bentum (Tufuhene) etc.  2. We played major role in the establishment of scholarship scheme by Dr. Esibu and we have seen not less than 600 youth achieving their academic dream both home and abroad.  3. We have played key roles in some youth gaining employment opportunities both in private and public institutions. 4. We played key role in ensuring Senya Beraku revives and rebuilds its traditional council.  5. We played key role in the filling in of certain vacant stools in the Senya Traditional Area, eg., the installation of the Tufuhene, Ipi Kwa Bentum IV. 6. We played key role and limiting encroachment on our boundaries, example, stopping some n

27TH DECEMBER IS A WAKE-UP CALL FOR ALL PEOPLE OF SENYA - Abeiku Okai

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  The date, 27th December, is marked with a painful scar in the memory of the people of Senya. On that fateful date in the year 2011,  every single home in Senya Beraku was affected by the fatal wind that blew our brothers, sisters, friends and mothers, while they were joyfully celebrating the holiday.  We lost 27 souls with more also fatally wounded. The emotional wound was terrible and still lingers in the heart and minds of our people. But while this brings bad memories annually we ought to also realise it is a wake-up call for all of Senya to rise up, unite and build a common future and destiny. We need to lay aside all difference and acrimony from any divide, be it political, chieftaincy, asafo, religious, etc. Our elders ought to wake up and ensure that we consolidate every gain so far and find a new path away from all that draw us back.  The youth also need to wake-up first to the acknowledgement of the fact that life is not all about today and tomorrow but rather God and the li

Ase Pramaso Founder sends Christmas greetings.

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  The founder of Ase Pramaso Women's Movement, a women's group originating from Senya Beraku in the Central Region with members across the globe,  committed to empowering women and increasing their participation in community and national discourse and development, Rev. Mother Aba Folson, sends seasonal greetings:  "Christmas is a moment when Christians around the globe celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. This celebration is not a carnal attempt to merely be happy, eat,  dine and wine. It is rather a demonstration of our great joy and appreciation to God for giving us His only begotten Son.  The Bible says we love Him because He first loved us. Therefore, the celebration of Christmas is a reaction to how greatly God saved and celebrated us with angels in heaven when we became born again.  As we go to our various churches, visit family and friends, spend time and joyful moment with our loved ones, let us continue to reflect on all the goodness of God towards us. An

Gloria J. Willingham-Toure (USA) Sends Warmest Greetings to the People of Senya Beraku.

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Entering the new year comes with love messages from loved ones to loved ones. The people of Senya Beraku have received this warmest message from Gloria J. Willingham-Toure of the USA.  Gloria is the CEO of Afram Global Organization Inc. and a great support to the Senya Beraku community through Becky's Foundation.  Gloria writes: "To everyone in Senya Beraku, may you enter the year 2021 in a spirit of gratitude and love for each other. You are amazing people and always in my prayers . Meeting all of you has been a blessing in my life. I will always be grateful to Seth and Vivian Asiedu who first introduced me to Senya years ago now.  "Thank you BIC for introducing us to the history of Senya, for always welcoming all of us, for sharing your amazing translation talents during the Women’s Conferences as that allowed us to communicate more and inspires us to want to learn more Twi. Thanks to Aba for welcoming us into her home and treating us like family. Thanks to all the chil

THE ROOT MEANING OF "NANA" IN SENYA LANGUAGE.

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In my previous post I made reference to "Nana" as a Senya word but many readers sought clarity on that assertion since it is largely known as an Akan word. And in fact, being the most common but revered title of all Akan chiefs, my assertion caused a bit of confusion.  However, it must be noted that no language stands in isolation. For example, the word "Papa" cuts across many local languages and all means, father. The Gas of Accra call cassava, 'duade' and the central Guan states, ie, Awutu, Senya and Simpa  (Winneba), also have same word, 'Dwadi', with same meaning. In the same breath "Nana" is a Senya word but it  carries a completely different meaning in Akan. While to the Akans it is a title for kings and refers to ancestors, in Senya it refers only to "Good Ancestors" while the title for a chief is "Nenyi". A bad ancestor is referred to as "Sombi", meaning "child of slavery".  Several Senya word

KEK spirit still lives on as insurance company picks four CIIG awards.

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The poet, Abeiku Okai, wrote about the late Mr. Kwesi Essel Koomson (KEK) and said, "KEK never dies; he lives on in our hearts. "  Even though the astute businessman and great philanthropists who lifted many from poverty, especially the people of his 'holy' hometown, Senya Beraku, by giving them hope, education, jobs and opportunities, went into eternity ten years ago, his name and legacy still remains among the living as the blessed soul that can never depart.  Among his legacy is the thriving KEK Insurance Brokerage Limited, which is serving the Ghanaian, African and international communities with high efficiency, best practices and quality service in the insurance industry.  The company has added to its strides the picking of the following  awards at the maiden edition of  the Chattered Insurance Institute of Ghana (CIIG),  # CIIG Best Insurance Broker, - General  #CIIG Best Insurance Broker - Life  # CIIG Best Reinsurance Broker # CIIG Most supportive Broker. The

SENYA BERAKU SE-YE ADA (Clan Names) || Akrama Ano Clan in Focus

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In Senya Beraku there are two basic forms of family relations and they are 'Se-ye' and 'Ni-ye'.  Literally Se-ye means father's house while Ni-ye means mother's house. When a Senya refers to his Ni-ye he is actually referring to his family, which is maternal. When he refers to his Se-ye he is referring to his clan, which is paternal. Children in Senya are named from their paternal clans by the senior member of the clan or his/her grandfather. Thus the child's father receives the name from his father or his father's brother if his father is late. This is important because in Senya tradition everybody from your father's clan is your father. Each Se-ye in Senya Beraku has peculiar male and female names that can be traced directly to the deity of the clan. And it enables easy identification of a person's background and father's clan. In this series I will be releasing Senya Beraku Se-Ye and their names starting with the Akrama Ano Clan. THE AKRAM

Senya Community Logo and Meaning.

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  Writer/Researcher: Apostle Abeiku Okai The whole concept and idea of Senya Beraku logo struck a cord in my heart when throughout my research on Senya history, culture and tradition I never saw anything of such for the community. I noticed most of the symbols used by people were arbitrarily chosen and used to fit one's personal purpose for the particular used at the time. Besides several people began consulting me on what Senya logo is and they had great expectation that I was their last resort. For I noticed that my inability to produce the logo for them caused a great disappointment for them.  One day in 2016 Ipi Kwa Bentum, the Tufuhene, and some Asafo members picked up a healthy discussion with me on the need for the logo and I remember very well the Ipi charging  me it is needful for me to search  and bring out a logo for the community. Honestly, just at that moment I saw something like a quick vision of a traditional logo. I drew it on the ground for those around to see. Tha

Senya Beraku late Queenmother to go home in February, 2021.

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Naase Nkwantah Otuba II, Queenmother of Senya Beraku Traditional Area, to go home on 17th -20th February, 2021. This was unveiled by the Royal Twidan family of Senya Beraku during the weekend, 12th September, 2020 at the 40 Day Celebration of the journeying of the Queenmother, who served the traditional area faithfully from 1985 till the beginning of her royal journey to be with her ancestors. According to tradition no family is to hold any funeral rite in the period as it is expected that nobody obstructs the journeying of Naase to her ancestral home. Source: #RadioOracleNews

REPORT: Senya Youth Parliament participates in District Youth Parliament formation and orientation.

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The District Youth Parliament orientation program was held under the auspices of the District Youth Secretariat & the National Youth Authority. It was commenced by a short task given to participants who were partitioned into groups to propose a name for the district youth parliament and also suggest ways to enhance the smooth running of the District Youth Parliament (DYP). The orientation had two phases: one consisting of the following; introduction to Parliament, introduction to the youth Parliament, and the legal framework of the youth Parliament. The other phase comprised the youth parliament model and the leadership of the District Youth Parliament.  Delving into the various components,  Mr. Tunde  explained that, the word 'parliament' was derived from the French word 'Parler' meaning, the supreme legislative body of a usually major political unit that is a continuing institution comprising a series of individual assemblages, simply put, an assembly for public d

TRACING THE FAMILY TREE OF SENYA BERAKU KWEKU ESIBU APAA ANONA OKUSU BENTSIR CLAN. - FOCUS ON KWESI ESSEL KOOMSON'S (KEK) ANCESTRY.

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Researcher by Abeiku Okai (0249287855), Author of Senya Akumase Festival and other books works on Senya History and Culture. In the 17th century, the people of Senya Beraku welcomed into their midst a daughter from the Anona Okusu Bentsir clan of Apaa (present day Apam), out of whom would come, about 300yrs later,  the man *KWESI ESSEL KOOMSON (KEK)* who changed the destinies of several young people around the globe, especially from Senya Beraku.  This daughter of Apam came to be known as *Apaa Ekude.* The whole epic began when a son of  Senya Beraku traveled with his fishing team to Apaa (Apam) on a fishing expedition. Apaa Ekude was a fishmonger. Her trade therefore brought her  into contact with this son of Senya. By knowing and loving each other, they married and she had to come to stay with him in Senya.  She settled at Senya Alata, in the Tuawo Asafo province, even though she was from the Dentsiwo Asafo division of Apaa. (Like Senya, Apam also has its traditional warrior groups c

Senya Youth Parliament sets up a five Member Committee to resolve conflict between Senya Diaspora groups.

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  The Senya Youth Parliament has set up a five member committee on 12th August, 2020, to resolve a recently developed conflict between two diaspora groups from Senya Beraku. All Senya Beraku citizens abroad converged as one group, called Senya Beraku Diaspora (SBD), in the wake of the novel corona virus outbreak early this year, 2020. They contributed financially and donated food items to every family in Senya Beraku during the lockdown in Ghana. However, soon after that effort the group had a split over the decision to build a general hospital in the Senya Beraku community with some members forming the second group called, Think, Love and Support Senya (TLS). This resulted in further disturbing happenings that is gaining ground into the already existing chieftaincy  stalemate in the Senya traditional area. At the moment SBD has acquired acres of land from the Traditional Council to build the hospital while TLS has also acquired acres of land from the office of the Paramount Chief to b

Membership Application to Senya Youth Parliament

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Click Application form SENYA YOUTH PARLIAMENT Proposed rules and regulations for regulating and managing the activities, actions and inactions of Parliamentarians of this August House. A || MEMBERSHIP RULES ON WHATSAPP || 1. An official member of SYP  must be abreast with the mission, vision and composition statements as well as all other relevant guidelines necessary to Parliament. 2. A member shall not at anytime, anywhere, anyhow release or reveal any sacred information to any entity outside the jurisdiction of Parliament without due protocols. 3. Prior to rule 'A2', A member of SYP is therefore, mandated to remain very confidential on issues and information available to the House. 4. Members must at all time be circumspect in delivering comments and submissions during sittings and among our sister platforms, ie, SB Youth Constituency, Oma Senya Politics, Senya Pramaso, ASTES etc.  5. A member is obliged to contribute to issues being discussed during sittings, members who be

HOW SENYA-BONSUOKU GOT ITS NAME.

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B.I.C. Abeiku Okai WhatsApp: +233 0249287855 www.facebook.com/Abeiku.bic Bonsuoku is one of the strongest villages of Senya. It is the last of Senya villages that you would drive through to enter the principal town of Senya Beraku. The dwellers of Bonsuoku are basically hunters and farmers. They are the forest inhabitants of the Senya Beraku State. And this should disperse the notion that Senyans are only fisher folks. By virtue of being hunters, the dwellers of Bonsuoku boast of their skill in shooting. And of course, they are brave, bold and accurate in hitting their targets with any bullet from the nose of the gun. The village had its name through a very dramatic and historic event. It happened that the Asantehene, Nana Osei Kwame, waged various wars on the Fantes in his reign. In 1824, having won one of such wars and entered Anomabo, "Asantehene Osei Kwame is reported to have walked to the beach of Anomabo after his meeting with the British. This time he put his leg into the s

Senya Youth Parliament Calls for Reduction in Transport fare from Senya to Kasoa.

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The Youth Parliament of Senya Beraku is asking the Senya Beraku transport union groups to review their increament of transportation fare from Senya to Kasoa. According to the youth, increasing the fare from Gh₵5 to Gh₵ 7 is too hash. In a letter to all the four transport unions, signed by the Acting Clark, "Hon. Ebenezer Doughan, the Parliament said, "Previously, the fare was five Ghana cedis [5.00] per passenger...; the expected fare increament should have been 15%, which could have been approximated to six Ghana cedis [6.00], if anything at all. Currently, transport operators within these parameters charge seven Ghana cedis [7.00], which is 40% increament. Senya Youth Parliament [SYP] considers this act as harsh, taking into account the current global situation and economic stress. "The Youth Parliament of Senya Beraku is by this petition humbly appealing to the executive body to review their earlier decision to make it quite affordable to commuters in Senya and Kasoa.

Senya Beraku Chieftaincy stalemate to be ended by a three member committee.

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Mr Kwamena Duncan, the Central Regional Minister, on Tuesday, inaugurated a three-member arbitration committee to resolve the protracted chieftaincy dispute stifling development in Senya-Bereku in the Awutu Brereku District. The Committee is chaired by Professor George Hagan, a prominent academic and former Chairman of the National Commission on Culture.  Others are Osagyefo Kwame Akonu X, Omanhene of Enyan-Abaasa Traditional Area, representing the Regional House of Chiefs and Mr Paul Atsu Agbezudor, the District Coordinating Director of Awutu Senya, representing the District Assembly.  The work of the Committee scheduled for completion in two months with full report and recommendations to the Regional Minister and Ministry of Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs would ensure parties agree on the proposed roadmap to settle the protracted dispute.  There has been a protracted chieftaincy dispute in the Senya Bereku area as to who was the rightful heir to the throne.  Inaugurating the Commi

Senya Youth Parliament

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SENYA YOUTH PARLIAMENT (SYP) 1. Who we are 2. Mission 3. Vision 4. Composition  5. Membership Process and Application  WHO WE ARE Senya Youth Parliament is an organisation of visionary and duty-driven youth from Senya Beraku, both home and abroad, striving with persistency and determination to cause a better change towards the development of Senya Beraku for the betterment of the youth and the society at large.  SYP offers its members the opportunity to share knowledge, and convictions in a very decorous manner, debate critical cases apropos to Senya Beraku community and be involved in community socio - political and economic engagements." MISSION STATEMENT "To build a formidable youth, who are poised to employ their knowledge, skills and power to contribute meaningfully, thus, effectively and efficiently to the upwards of Senya Beraku via integrity, selflessness, patriotism and moral ethics." VISION STATEMENT "To be

Senya Beraku Traditional Council calls for chieftaincy conflict resolution.

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Traditional leaders of Senya Bereku in the Central Region have appealed to the Central Regional House of Chiefs to intervene and find a lasting solution to the protracted chieftaincy dispute in the town. The 20-year dispute between Anona and Twidan family in Senya Bereku traditional area, as a result, has stalled the town’s development for decades as well as the economic activities of the people.  Addressing the media during a press conference, the Tufuhene who doubles as the Acting President for Senya Bereku Traditional Area, Neenyi Ippi Kwao Bentum, appealed to government and the Central Regional House of Chiefs to form a committee that will help resolve the impasse and bring peace to the area.  However, the Central Regional House of Chief directed the Tutufuhene and sub-chiefs of the Senya Bereku Traditional area to sign a gazetted document which will make the Traditional Council select a gazetted chief for the area. In a sharp response, the Tufuhene on the ticket of the Traditional