The first Saturday of November each year is a remarkable day for the people of Anlo in the Volta Region, as they celebrate the Hogbetsotso Festival.
The festival commemorates the escape from Notsie in Togo to their present settlement between the 14th and 15th centuries.
The Anlo township came alive on November 1, 2025, as thousands of people thronged the town to celebrate the 2025 edition of the Hogbetsotso Festival.
The event was held under the theme: “Building Bridges: From a Common History to a Common Destiny.”
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The grand celebration was presided over by Awoamefia of Anlo, Torgbui Sri III, who has held the throne since 2007.
In a display of royal pride and cultural elegance, Torgbui Sri III led traditional leaders, chiefs, and subjects of the Anlo State in marking the occasion, appearing resplendent in kente and adorned with traditional regalia.
He was joined by the Awadada of Anlo, Torgbui Agbesi Awusu II, and several dignitaries including Vice President Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, Akwamuhene Odeneho Kwafo Akoto III, Chief of Staff Julius Debrah, and NDC National Chairman Johnson Asiedu Nketiah.
The festival also celebrated the bond within the Anlo Dukor (Anlo State), a confederation of traditional areas stretching from Aflao to Dzodze, Wheta, Some, Ave, and Avenor.
One notable takeaway from the 2025 celebration was the rekindling of the Anlo–Akwamu alliance, a gesture of renewed peace and cooperation across Ghana’s cultural landscape.
From the sacred Nugbidodo purification rites to the powerful agbadza and kinka dances echoing through Anloga’s streets, the festival was a vibrant display of Anlo tradition.
See photos below of Awoamefia Torgbui Sri III at the 2025 Hogbetsotso Festival:
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