Feok Festival held in grand style as Sandema Nab advocates development and allowances for Sub-Chiefs and Queen Mothers
The annual festival, held under the theme “Justice, Heritage and Reparation: Honoring the Resilience of the Bulisa People and People of African Descent,” brought together sons and daughters of Buluk from far and near on Saturday, December 19, in Sandema.
The Chiefs and People of Buluk in the Upper East Region have held the 2025 Feok Festival to commemorate the victory of their ancestors against slave raiders.
The annual festival, held under the theme “Justice, Heritage and Reparation: Honoring the Resilience of the Bulisa People and People of African Descent,” brought together sons and daughters of Buluk from far and near on Saturday, December 19, in Sandema.
Headlined by the Overlord of the Bulisa Traditional Area and Sandem Naab, Nab Azagsuk Azantilow II, the celebration showcased the rich culture and traditions of the Bulisa people. Speeches were delivered by traditional authorities and government officials as part of the event.
Naab Azantilow II used the occasion to advocate for accelerated development in Buluk, calling for improved road networks, educational facilities, and agricultural infrastructure.
In a speech read on his behalf, the traditional leader also called for the establishment of an agricultural training college in the area to enhance local capacity and boost food production.
Additionally, Naab Azantilow appealed to government to upgrade allowances for paramount chiefs and introduce allowances for sub-chiefs and queen mothers.
“It is my humble plead that the President upgrade and adjust allowances for paramount chiefs and also institute allowances for divisional chiefs and queen mothers to empower them be able to shoulder their governance responsibility.”
In his address, the Upper East Regional Minister, Donatus Akamugri Atanga, praised the people of Buluk for preserving African cultural heritage through the Feok Festival, emphasizing that culture is not a relic of the past but a living asset that must be protected, celebrated, and leveraged for development.
“Foak is not just a celebration it bis a sacred remembrance of the unbreakable spirit of the people of Buluk.”
The Regional Minister, who represented President John Dramani Mahama, assured the people of Buluk of government’s commitment to complete the Sandema–Chuchuliga–Waise road project.
“Government remains firmly committed to the development of Buluk and the Upper East Region. In the 2026 budget an amount of eight hundred and eighty-eight million has been allocated for the construction of thousand kilometer of agriculture enclave roads across the country, for us in this region the investment includes the strategic, Navrongo- Chuchuliga -Sandema-Fumbissi road.” Atanga said.
The Member of Parliament for Builsa South and Deputy Minister of Education, Clement Apark, addressing the issue of teacher deficits in the Bulisa area, pledged that the National Democratic Congress would resolve the challenge.
“As your deputy minister of education, as a son of Buluk who knows the teacher’s deficit which over the years have affected education I assure you that we are already arresting this challenge, very soon there will not be a school in Buluk that will lack teachers.” Apark stated.
James Agalga, the Member of Parliament for Bulisa North, also assured the gathering that government had dismissed claims that the Chuchuliga–Sandema–Fumbisi–Wiesi road was not captured under the government’s Big Push agenda.
“Works commenced in 2016 but unfortunately stalled for eight years, some have said that the Chuchuliga–Sandema–Fumbisi–Wiesi road was not captured under the big push, mark my words our roads was captured under the big push, I want to assure all that those who started the road are the same people to complete it.”
The celebration featured colorful displays of traditional drumming, singing, and dancing, with the war dance taking center stage. A refurbished cenotaph was also commissioned in memory of men who lost their lives during the great war of 1914–1918 while serving with the Gold Coast Regiment.
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