Hundreds of residents in Akropong-Akuapem embarked on a vigil procession to celebrate the gazette of Okuapehene Oseadeeyo Kwasi Akuffo III.
Oseadeeyo Kwasi Akuffo III was gazetted on October 5, 2022, following a judgment by the Judicial Committee of the National House of Chiefs on September 29, 2022, dismissing an appeal filed by the Queen-mother of Okuapeman Nana Obuo Nketia I and three other petitioners challenging the legitimacy of Abrewatia Lilly Agyemang is selecting a candidate for enstoolment as Okuapehene.
The committee mulcted the petitioners with Ghc50,000.
Clad in all-white apparel, the residents marched on the streets of the Akropong amid singing and dancing.
Addressing the gathering, the convener of the vigil, Barima Asiedu Offei, presiding member for Akuapem North also a Businessman said Okuapehene has been duly gazetted after all the divisional chiefs and Kingmakers signed in agreement that he is a legitimate chief.
“By God’s grace, Oseadeeyo Kwasi Akuffo III has been gazetted. Before every chief is gazetted, the process begins from the traditional council. It is the Kingmakers and the divisional chiefs who will sign before it is sent to the Regional House of Chiefs in Koforidua. Otoobuor Gyan Kwasi was part, Benkumhene was part, Krontihene, Gyaasehene, and Nifahene were all part of the signatories. So it was forwarded from Koforidua to the National House of Chiefs in Kumasi. So those insulting president Akufo Addo and insulting the House of Chiefs why aren’t they attacking the Kingmakers and the Divisional-chiefs too”.
Barimah Asiedu Offei stated that Okuapeman has a gazetted chief therefore anyone who says otherwise is being disingenuous.
“So anyone who tells you there is no chief in Akropong, writing letters to Abrewatia to bring a new Candidate seems to be at a loss they don’t understand the process. Because if there is no Okuapehene why will the divisional chiefs swear to him and he also swore to them? So there is no place for the petitioners will win this case.All that we need is peace and unity. Nobody should fight over this chieftaincy issue. We are one people”
Barima Asiedu Offei, Presiding Member of Akuapem North, and an Elder in the Okuapeman Palace had earlier urged the Queen-mother of Okuapeman, Nana Obuo Nketiaa II, and petitioners in the Okuapeman Chieftaincy dispute to apologize and reconcile.
He said the Queen-mother must render an unqualified apology to President Akufo Addo over their unwarranted insults on his personality and false accusations of allegedly meddling in the Akropong chieftaincy affairs.
Barimah Asiedu Offei said, the judgment vindicates President Akufo Addo that he never meddled and manipulated tradition and customs in the enstoolment of Oseadeeyo Kwasi Akuffo III as Okuapehene.
“They have to apologize to His Excellence the President because he hails from the town but they lied against him and made false accusations about him. So if we want proper unity, they have to apologize to the President, they have to apologize to Nana Kwasi Akuffo III they have to apologize to all of us.”
He said Okuapeman needs peace to develop therefore the petitioners must reconcile.
“We don’t need that money that has been slapped on them. It is not the fine that we need Unity we need peace but they have to apologize to all of us so we can all move together because if we don’t unite there will not be developed so we need that peace and unity”
Source: Mybrytnewsroom.com/Obed Ansah
