By: Rachel Quartey
The 2025 Agotime Kente Festival was marked by a powerful call to preserve cultural heritage and advance development, as the Special Guest of Honour, Alex Segbefia, extolled the significance of kente cloth and affirmed the government’s commitment to infrastructure, tourism, and regional development.
Speaking at the grand durbar in Agotime-Kpetoe, the Chief of Staff at the Office of the Vice President, Alex Segbefia, described the Kente Festival as a celebration of Ghana’s history, identity, and global cultural influence. He said Kente, long before the national flag, served as a marker of identity and pride, playing a central role in Ghana’s independence movement and now has been embraced worldwide, particularly within African diaspora communities and global fashion circles.
“Kente weaves history and politics into a material that is both local and global,” he noted, while commending the people of Agotime for curating a festival that promotes not only their heritage but Ghana’s broader cultural footprint.
The Chief of Staff at the Office of the Vice President, Mr. Segbefia, emphasized the government’s broader development agenda, linking cultural celebration to national progress. He highlighted the recent inauguration of the Ghana Tourism Authority Governing Board by the Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Abla Dzifa Gomashie, describing it as a strategic move to transform Ghana into a competitive tourist destination.
Mr. Segbefia said the Agotime Kente Festival exemplifies how modern, intentional cultural events can drive development and tourism. He underscored the importance of infrastructure, stating that access to transportation, affordable food, and reliable healthcare are essential to unlocking the full potential of Ghana’s cultural and tourism industries.
In that regard, he reaffirmed the government’s “Big Push Agenda,” a $2 billion annual investment over five years targeting education, health, and transport infrastructure. “A tourist is more likely to visit when they know they can move around safely and access reliable services,” Mr. Segbefia said.
The Volta Region, he assured, will not be left behind. Mr. Segbefia cited the President’s recent meeting with the Volta Regional House of Chiefs, where he outlined key projects including the Eastern Corridor Road, Blekusu Sea Defence Project, agricultural investment, and completion of the Ho-Denu Road.
He also announced plans to connect Agotime to the Adidome Water Project, in response to water challenges raised by Nene Nuer Keteku, Paramount Chief of Agotime Traditional Area. Additionally, he highlighted the government’s ambition to develop Ghana as a medical tourism hub, with the Ho Teaching Hospital expected to play a lead role following the appointment of a new governing board to modernize its operations.
Concluding with a call to action, Mr. Segbefia encouraged all Ghanaians to deepen their understanding of cultural traditions and integrate their values into daily life. “Let us be curious about their origins, preserve them, and celebrate our cultural output,” he urged.
The Chief of Staff at the Office of the Vice President, Alex Segbefia, was later enstooled as a Development Chief in Agotime.
Other speakers at the festival called for a spirit of patriotism, unity, and humility while serving the nation. They also appealed for more development for the Volta Region.
It was a display of beautiful, authentic Ewe Kente, rich tradition, and cultural brilliance at the 2025 Agotime Kente Festival, also known as Agbamevorza. As part of the programmes lined up for the 30th anniversary celebration of the festival, there were live Kente weaving and exhibitions, traditional dances and music, Kente Queen pageantry, oral histories, and storytelling.
The 2025 edition of the Agotime Kente Festival drew traditional leaders, political dignitaries, tourism stakeholders, and cultural enthusiasts from across Ghana and the diaspora, united in celebration of one of the country’s most iconic cultural legacies.
The festival was celebrated under the theme: “Woven Together: Kente, Agotime’s Creative Gift to the World”.
