I am very happy that I had the possibility of attending the annual SASADU Festival of this year at SOVIE. For a long time it looked like, because of business reasons, that I couldn’t come. As all of you will know, Ghana became my second homeland. My heart is beating for it so much and if I can’t come here for a longer time, I am feeling homesick. Today Ghana and my development work here became an important part of my life even if I am staying in Germany. I have to thank my destiny for it, because it is enriching me so much. The SASA areas have honoured me in electing me as their Paramount Queen in 2006. We have built so many projects in Alavanyo, the Orphan and Foster home at Sovie has been finished right now. The next steps will be that I have to continue in doing projects in Akrofu and Saviefe to complete the development work of the first steps into my new areas. So I will be closer to my areas there during next year and I will be happy to spend some days in the two regions, talking to the chiefs, the queenmothers and the people to get more involved into the circumstances of their communities. It is my personal wish to be more part of my areas than my time sometimes allows. At the moment it is not very easy to get donation money from Europe, because of the world-wide financial crisis, but let’s hope and pray that my visions for next year can be realized. Many of you will know that I also started and already finished some projects in other parts of Ghana. If European donators ask me to start projects in areas which they are related to by relatives, because of business or other reasons, then I will not refuse the money because it will not be given for another project. I am the Paramount Queenmother of SASA areas and my work is focussed on that fact. Development work in my areas has priority. But I am as well a queen in Ghana and my work cannot be limited because of circumstances. I will do as much as I can and I am allowed to. Helping somebody no matter where is one of the credos of my life. And now I want to present a special gift for the Ewe people and the SASADU. The book, written by Paul Kwami Dzathor with the title “The Ewe Nation and the SASADU”, has been translated by me into the German language. I already printed some copies; the final edition will be printed soon. In Germany we are having only a few books about Ghana, but you will find nothing about the history of the Ewe people. This book could even attract tourists coming to Ghana to walk on the old Ewe paths up to Notsie, if we add a map to it. I have translated my foreword in the book, written in German, for you: “Some years ago, when I have been honoured by the people of the SASA areas in Ghana in electing me as their Paramount Queenmother, I didn’t immediately realize, that through this challenge my own goals and visions for development in Ghana would find an unexpected continuation. The Sovie Alavanyo Saviefe Akrofu Development Union (SASADU) stands for development and progress since so many years now. First discussions of the founder, Amega Tsekpo started already before the independence of Ghana. The idea of founding a union to develop the different areas together at a time that Ghana was still a colony deserves all our respect and admiration. The SASA people never lost sight of their goals, the Ewe people by themselves started it already hundreds of years ago, which is showed on their long migration trips. Always looking for a better life, better education and progress, they had already a very early developed consciousness for the environment too. Hundreds of years before the discussions in Europe started in the last century only. Today it is showing us the intelligence and the future thinking of the Ewe people. I am very proud to be a part of them. But like I am a German, I am a Ghanaian too. Our areas are part of a country which in Europe is mentioned as the “country showcase” of the African continent. Ghana stands for stability and an increasing economy. Even if the development has not reached the farthest corner – compared to other African countries it is clearly visible. As the Paramount Queen of the SASA Areas I feel very happy that I already could realize some of my visions in organizing projects, mainly for education and health care. I hope that I will be able to continue this for a long time. This book, given to me about six years ago, has been my entrance into the world of the ancestors of the Ewe people, nobody ever translated it into German language. It has been my deeply wish to merit the work of the author and the founder of SASADU in publishing this book in Germany, so that the grandchildren of the former colonial masters will be able to read the history of the Ewe people. Just some weeks ago the Ewefiaga, Togbui Agokoli IV. invited me to Notsie. I am feeling very honoured and I will go there very soon to the old historic places. I want to close with some words of thanks. First of all to the people of my areas Sovie, Alavanyo, Akrofu and Saviefe, that they always had confidence in my person. I am thanking them and the author, Mr. Paul Kwami Dzathor, that they gave me the chance to learn so much about customs, traditional rites und particularly the culture, which altogether broadened my mind. Further to them I have to thank the former German Ambassador to Ghana, his Excellency Mr. Peter Linder and the current German Ambassador to Ghana, his Excellency Dr. Marius Haas Linder, for their kindly support to my activities. His Excellency, Mr. Grant Ohemeng Kesse, the Ghanaian Ambassador to Germany, I have to thank for his support too. I want to close my foreword with a quote of the President of the Federal Republic of Germany, His Excellency Mr. Horst Koehler: “It is in our own interests that people in Africa have a future. We live in one and the same world, and the peoples of this one world are dependent on each other. Dialogue with Africa needs to take place on an equal footing.” Thank you. God bless you. God bless Ghana. Mamaga Nyonufiaga Akosua I. Paramount Queen of SASADU areas, Ghana.