The Chief of Aburi who doubles as Adontenhene and Acting President of Okuapeman traditional Council Otoobuor Gyan Kwasi has assured that he is ready to revert powers and position to Okuapehene Oseadeeyo Kwasi Akuffo III.
According to the Aburihene, this has become necessary due to the gazette of Okuapehene by the National House of Chiefs on October 5, 2022.
Aburihene became acting President of the traditional council following a petition filed by Queen-mother Nana Obuor Nketiaa II challenging the legitimacy of the Abrewatia of Sakyiabea royal house Lily Agyemang in selecting Odehye Kwadwo Kesse Antwi to be enstooled as Okuapehene.
Speaking to journalists Aburihene said
” I want to emphasize that Okuapeman must move forward so if the National House of Chiefs has ruled and gazetted the paramount chief then I have to meet the traditional council endorse him and hand over his position to him and later introduce him to the regional House of Chiefs”
Aburihene is hopeful that peace will prevail in Okuapeman.
“Initially there was some disagreement as a result of the chieftaincy issues, but since the National House of Chiefs ruled that the earlier ruling by the Eastern regional House of chief should be adhered to amust be followed accordingly, I think people are now beginning to accept the judgment and hope peace will prevail. I even heard the gazette has been done. We believe that the National House of Chiefs knows the best so they should explain the issues to the two parties so that both parties agree on the bases of dialogues”.
Otoobuor Gyan Kwasi called for calm.
“We must all remain calm, we are one people, and peace is what we want. Anybody who wishes to help Okuapeman must do that in earnest and honesty so that the Edwina festival becomes successful”
Background
Three Royal Houses namely: Nketia House, Ama Ogyaa House, and Sakyiabea House ascend the Ofori Kuma stool and that has been codified under the declaration of the customary law (Akuapem State) order, 1960, L.I. 32. The L.I. further provides that these three houses ascend on a rotational basis and when it is a house’s turn, it is that house that nominates.
Oseadeeyo Addo Dankwa III passed away in 2015 after reigning for 35 years which is the longest reining period since the formation of the Akuapem State.
Lilly Agyemang Abrewatia of Sakyiabea royal house whose turn is to nominate a candidate settled on Odehye Kwadwo Kesse Antwi ( the current Okuapehene) and presented him to the Asonahene to be given to the Queen-mother to present to the Kingmakers.
Surprisingly, the Queen-mother Nana Obuo Nketiaa II added another name Odehye Kwasi Akuffo who is the nephew of Odehye Kwadwo Kesse Antwi creating confusion which stalled the process even though eight(8) out of the eleven(11) Kingmakers backed Odehye Kwadwo Kesse Antwi.
The two candidates were all separately enstooled by the two factions deepening dispute on the enstoolment process.
This compelled the Abrewatia Lilly Agyemang to initiate a suit at the judicial committee of the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs in 2019 to set the record straight that under L.I. 32 and the customs of Okuapeman, it is not the preserve of the Queen-mother to solely nominate the Okuapehene which the Judicial committee upheld and entered a judgment in her favor on April 30, 2020, and restrained Odehye Kwasi Akuffo from carrying himself as the chief of Okuapeman.
On May 1, 2020, Odehye Kwadwo Kesse Antwi was presented to the Kingmakers and all due processes were followed for his enstoolment as Okuapehene as the consequential orders of the judicial committee of the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs directed
On May 3, 2020, Odehye Kwadwo Kesse Antwi was sworn in with the stool name His Royal Majesty Oseadeeyo Kwasi Akuffo III to become the 26th occupant of the Ofori Kuma stool.
All five divisional chiefs also swore an oath of allegiance to the Okuapehene same day.
However, dissatisfied with the judgment of the Eastern regional house of chiefs and subsequent events thereafter, the Queen-mother Nana Obuo Nketiaa II and three others, appealed against the judgment at the Judicial Committee of the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs at the National House of Chiefs.
The judicial committee mulcted the appellants with Ghc50,000.
Source: Mybrytnewsroom.Com/Obed Ansah
