Two people have reportedly been killed and several others injured following violent clashes at Sowutuom in Accra on Saturday, August 30, 2025, during this year’s Homowo festival.
Eyewitnesses told JoyNews that the confrontation erupted when residents of Dwenewoho attempted to sprinkle Kpokpoi the traditional Homowo dish—in Sowutuom, an act local traditional leaders opposed. The disagreement escalated into a bloody clash, with heavy gunfire reported.
“After the Chelsea game, we heard gunshots from the junction. For almost 30 minutes, bullets were flying everywhere,” one eyewitness recounted. Another resident alleged that the deceased included the Obrafor of Sowutuom and the son of the local chief.
Several residents said armed men stormed the area, forcing people to flee and lock up their shops. “About five of them entered here with serious guns, shooting left, right, center. One man they were chasing ran into my place, but later went back out and was shot,” a witness narrated.
Police later intervened to restore calm, but many shops in the area remained closed on Sunday as residents feared further violence.
The Homowo festival, celebrated annually by the Ga people to mark the end of famine and the harvest season, is characterised by the sprinkling of Kpokpoi. In recent years, however, disputes over where the rites may be performed have triggered tensions in some communities.
This year alone, two other deaths have been reported in Teshie following violent clashes linked to the festival.
