During a Fire Festival celebration in Aboabo, a community situated in the Asokore Mampong Municipality of the Ashanti Region, a tragic incident unfolded, resulting in the loss of a 14-year-old boy’s life.
According to a report from citnewsroom.com, the victim, Masawudu Abdul-Aziz, was attending the joyous event when a stray bullet struck him amidst a mesmerizing display of celebrants firing muskets while engaging in enthusiastic chanting, dancing, and lighting of fires.
The devastating occurrence has plunged the community into a state of shock and mourning, as this young teenager fell victim to the otherwise festive occasion.
The sorrowful aftermath of the incident is further compounded by several others who were also injured during the incident, prompting them to receive immediate medical attention to address their wounds and trauma.
The deceased boy’s uncle, Muaz Abdul-Baki, recounted the moment he received the news from his wife.
According to him, he rushed to the scene to find his young nephew lying in a pool of blood. “My wife called me last night to inform me that the boy attended the ceremony and had been hit by a stray bullet, so I quickly moved there and confirmed it was true,” citinewroom.com quoted him to have said.
The Fire Festival, also known as the Bugum Festival, holds significant cultural importance among the people of Dagbon, Mamprugu, and the Nanumba ethnic groups. It is an annual celebration that marks a historical event on the Mole-Dagbon calendar. Those who have migrated from the North and now reside in the Southern part of the country participate in the festival each year to honor their heritage and traditions.