The Akuapem North Municipal Security Council (MUSEC) has prescribed to Chiefs and Kingmakers in Akropong – Akuapem in the Eastern Region to hold on with all public traditional events that are likely to pull a crowd.
The Council has also directed that Nananom strictly adheres to social distancing and gathering protocols if the event is being done in private.
Hundreds of people on Friday thronged the Akropong Township to witness the installation processes of Nana Kwadwo Kesse as Okuapemhene. The situation which was a slap in the face of President’s directive banning large gatherings as a measure to contain the spread of coronavirus, attracted harsh criticism from many Ghanaians although four traditional rulers who organized the event were subsequently arrested and granted bail.
Akuapem North Municipality has recorded three (3) confirmed cases of coronavirus out of the total 87 recorded in the region as of May 2, 2020.
According to the Municipal Chief Executive for Akuapem North, Dennis Aboagye who is chairman for the local security council, “with this experience, any other activities that Nananom wants to perform, of course, the traditional chiefdom they are our partners and key stakeholders. So if there are additional activities they are going to perform, we need to have a conversation with them”
He continued that “If it is one that will be done in Privacy then, of course, there is no problem but the one that is likely to pull the sort of crowd we saw, then we will have a conversation with Nananom as much as possible if they could or they should hold on with such public event that could draw so much crowd and put all of us our lives at risk.”
Traditional processes to enstooled a new Okuapemhene started Friday, May 1, 2020, at Akropong Akuapem in the Eastern Region amid tight security.
The swift enstoolment of Nana Kwadwo Kese, 34, as the new Okuapemhene follows nullification of nomination and enstoolment processes of Odehye Kwasi Akufo by the Judicial Committee of the Eastern Regional House of chiefs on Thursday.
The Abrewatia of Sakyeabea Royal Family and eight of the eleven Kingmakers presented the Paramount Chief elect to the Asonahene, the Krontihene -Osahene Ofei Kwasi Agyemang and Baamuhene -Nana Kwame Asare Bampoe to perform the necessary traditional rites and slaughtering of sheep on the feet of Nana Kwadwo Kese signifying their endorsement.
The Paramount Chief Elect will swear to the Krontihene and all five divisional chiefs will also swear an oath of allegiance to him before outdooring on Sunday.
Background
The Ofori Kuma Stool has remained vacant for almost five years after the demise of Oseadeeyo Addo Dankwah III, Okuapemanhene due to dispute among the Sakyeabea Royal family over who is the rightful candidate to ascend the Ofori to succeed the late Oseadeyo Addo Dankwah III, who reigned for 41 years.
The stool has three ruling houses, Nketia, Amogyaa, and Sakyibea. Currently, it is the turn of the Sakyeabea ruling house to select a candidate to be installed as Okuapemhene
In 2017, while Odehye Kwasi Akufo was nominated by the Paramount Queen-mother Nana Afua Nketia Obuo and began processes to install him as the successor to the late Okuapemhene, the Abrewatia of Sakyeabea Royal family also nominated Nana Kwadwo Kese for the same stool.
This chieftaincy dispute led to several clashes and destruction of properties in Akropong. The Palace was closed down and taken over by the security.
Lilian Nana Agyemang who is the Abrewatia of the Sakyeabea Royal family petitioned the Regional House Chiefs challenging the traditional capacity of the Paramount Queen-mother in selecting and installing Odehye Kwasi Akufo as Okupemhene.
Delivering the landmark judgment Thursday, April 30, 2020, the Eastern Regional House of Chief upheld that, selection of a legible royal to be enstooled as Paramount Chief is the prerogative of the Abrewatia of the ruling family whose turn it is to select a candidate and submit the name of the chosen royal to Asonahene to be sent to the Queen-mother.
The House upheld that the Queen-mother failed to provide evidence that the right traditional procedures were followed before initiating processes to install Odehye Kwasi Akuffo as Okuapemhene.
The House also stated that the Queen-mother alone cannot select a candidate from the Royal Family without the involvement of the Abrewatia, adding that, the involvement of the Abrewatia and the elderly female is an aged-custom which does not take away the powers of the Queen-mother in presenting the candidate for final enstoolment, therefore declared that the nomination and processes to install Odehye Kwasi Akufo are null and void with no traditional effect hence should not parade himself as Paramount Chief.
The house directed that due traditional processes must hence be followed in enstooling a successor.
The Regional House of Chiefs awarded Ghc25,000 cost against the Queen-mother.
The judgment was delivered amid tight security of armed Police and Military Personnel at the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs and Akropong Township. The security personnel deployed from Accra were to maintain a presence at Akropong and its surrounding areas.
History suggests that processes of enstooling a paramount Chief whenever the stool is vacant has never been smooth in the last 100 years.
Source: Mybrytfmonline/Obed Ansah
