Benkadi Kurubi Festival 2025: Celebrating Wangara Heritage and Islamic Legacy in Ghana
The Benkadi Kurubi Festival is one of the most sacred and culturally significant celebrations of the Wangara people, deeply rooted in Islamic history and the spiritual heritage of Mande-speaking communities across West Africa. Originally, the festival was instituted to commemorate the “Night of Power” (Laylatul Qadr), the blessed night during which the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessings Be Upon Him) received the first revelation of the Holy Qur’an.
The Wangara (Ouangara), renowned for their profound Islamic scholarship and long history of trade and migration, adopted the commemoration of Laylatul Qadr as Kurubi. In the Duula/Wangara language, Kurubi means “What is closer to me,” symbolizing the spiritual nearness of Allah to His servants on this holy night. Throughout Wangara communities in Ghana, the eve of the 27th night of Ramadan is observed with a full recitation of the Holy Qur’an from dusk until dawn. Elders and Imams lead devotional recitations, while youth and children participate in cultural displays reflecting the richness of Wangara identity.
A notable cultural feature of Kurubi is the adolescent girls’ dance on a raised wooden platform, a centuries-old tradition symbolizing purity, discipline, and moral upbringing. Girls who maintain balance on the platform are celebrated as embodiments of modesty and admirable conduct. Alongside this, songs, drum rhythms, and youth dances animate the night, blending spirituality with cultural expression.
Historically, the Wangaras played a central role in introducing and expanding Islam in precolonial Ghana, particularly in the Asante territories. Their influence is reflected in relationships with the Gonja, Chokosi (Anufo), and other northern groups, sharing linguistic, cultural, and even facial marking similarities. Clans such as Koulibaly, Ouattara, and Soganorgo trace deep ancestral connections that continue to shape their identity today.
The festival was revitalized in 1999 under the Benkadi Association, the national body of Wangaras in Ghana. Benkadi, meaning “unity brings happiness,” emphasizes collective identity and cohesion. Since then, Kurubi has evolved into a major national event celebrated annually in Kintampo, under the leadership of Masaaba Fanyinama III, President of the National Council of Wangara Chiefs and acting President of the National Council of Zango Chiefs. The festival now draws thousands from across Ghana and the diaspora, including traditional authorities, political leaders, cultural groups, and international visitors. The Gonja Kingdom, led by the Yagbonwura, serves as custodian and chair of the festival, symbolizing the historical alliance between the two peoples.
The 2025 edition of the festival embraced the theme “Resetting the Spirit, Rekindling the Legacy,” reaffirming the spiritual essence of Kurubi while calling on Wangaras to reconnect with the meaning of Laylatul Qadr, uphold knowledge, discipline, purity, and unity, preserve cultural heritage, and strengthen bonds that have sustained the Wangara people over centuries.
In his address at the grand durbar on 29th November 2025, Masaaba Fanyinama III urged the Wangara people to realign their values, rebuild unity, and reinforce the foundations laid by their ancestors. He emphasized that Kurubi has long been a platform through which forefathers taught the youth timeless values of faith, honesty, respect, hard work, and peaceful coexistence.
This year’s festival also marked the 31st anniversary of Masaaba Fanyinama III’s ascension as the 3rd Fanyinama. Leaders from across the political divide use the festival as a convergence point to preach peace, unity, and national development. In recognition of his contributions, the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) awarded Masaaba Fanyinama III as one of Ghana’s key promoters of tourism at the 2024 National Tourism Awards.
The National Council of Wangara Chiefs, alongside the GTA and the Benkadi Association, has appealed to President John Dramani Mahama to elevate the Kintampo College of Health and Wellbeing into a full-fledged university and to improve the township roads. Such measures, they argue, will expand academic programs, enhance research, boost youth opportunities, strengthen national health systems, improve mobility, protect lives and property, and generate revenue from national assets like the Kintampo Waterfall.
The festival’s success is attributed to the support of stakeholders including GTA, GCB Bank, the National Commission on Culture, the Municipal Assembly, political leaders, institutions, sponsors, volunteers, and the media. The Benkadi Kurubi Festival continues to serve as a vital celebration of Wangara heritage, Islamic faith, and collective identity, ensuring that the cultural legacy is preserved for future generations.
Compiled and shared by Alhaji Khuzaima Mohammed Osman, PR Officer of Masaaba Fanyinama III, and Hajiya Khadijah Umar Baba Issah, National Magajiya of the Wangara community in Ghana.
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