There IS a seemingly tense atmosphere blowing at Atweasim, a community in the Akuapem South municipality of the Eastern Region, following a renewed chieftaincy clash between two factions.
Supporters of two rival chiefs, Nana Frimpong Kodua and Nana Otutu Obrempong II, with each side claiming legitimacy to the Atweasin Amadi Afam Stool, have vowed to clash come Wednesday, during the 2020 Odwira festival of the area.
The Chronicle has intercepted a letter dated September 24, 2020 and signed by the Abusuapanin Kwame Djan of the Nana Frimpong Kodua faction, calling on the major stakeholders in chieftaincy matters to intervene, since they would not allow Nana Otutu Obrempong II to perform any traditional and customary rites come Wednesday.
Copies of the letter were sent to the Eastern Regional Police Commander, Regional Security Council, the Akuapem Municipal Chief Executive and Nana Djan Kwasi II, the Aburihene and Akuapem Adontenhene, Nana Otutu Obrempong II, to intervene in the matter
According to the Abusuapanin, the elders of Atweasin wish to bring to the attention of the Municipal Assembly the behavior of a self-acclaimed person (KwabenaAboto), Mankrado of Aburi Gyankama, who is parading himself as the chief of Atweasin.
He explained that the act of Nana Otutu Obrempong II is disturbing the peace of the people in the area, since there is only one recognised chief for the area, in the person of Nana Frimpong Kodua and known by the Akuapem Traditional Council.
Abusuapananin Kwame Djan mentioned that the self-acclaimed chief has duplicated all traditional activities in the area, thereby, undermining and serving as a sign of provocation, and forcing the youth and people in the area to take the law into their own hands, if the self-acclaimed chief does not stop his illegal behavior.
The petition, according to the Frimpong Kodua faction has become necessary since for almost two years now several complaints have been lodged at the Aburi police station and most especially, a formal petition has been made at the Akuapem Traditional Council.
He continued that the failure of Akuapem Traditional Council to take decisive action on the matter has given room to the self-acclaimed chief of the area to display his illegal and uncouth traditional behaviour, which beats the imagination of many peace loving people.
The petition reiterated that the peace of the area would be undermined if nothing is done to salvage the situation, as the area prepares for the 2020 Odwira festival, hence the urgent need for all major stakeholders to treat the petition with all the seriousness it deserves.
But in a counter petition, the supporters of Nana Otutu Obrempong II, have also sent a strong warning to their rivals to bring it on, since they are ready for them come Wednesday.
Speaking to the media on Tuesday, Nana Otutu Obrempong II, known in private life as Mr. Osae Kwabena, indicated that the Atweasin Amadi Afam Stool became vacant on July 17, 2016 after Nana Frimpong Kodua abdicated the stool.
He continued that, as tradition and custom demands, the Queen-mother of the area, Nana Afua Sarfoa I and the entire kingmakers of the three royal gates, namely Obodan, Gyankama and Bewase families met to find a credible successor.
The Atweasinhene mentioned that, he was duly nominated and installed as the chief of the area on February 19, 2017, after a thorough search at the National House of Chiefs proved with evidence that Nana Frimpong Kodua was never gazetted in the National Chieftaincy records as a chief.
According to him, he has performed all traditional and customary rites and, therefore, surprised that the Nana Kodua faction are beating war drums as the area prepares for the Odwira festival on Wednesday.
He disclosed that it would be in the best interest of Nana Kodua faction not to undermine and attempt to cause any mayhem since his men would meet them boot for boot, notwithstanding the call on the major stakeholders to intervene.
At the time of filing this report, the Municipal Security Council (MUSEC) had called for an emergency meeting between the two chiefs and their elders to fashion out modalities to avert any possible clash on Wednesday.
It would be recalled that, The Chronicle carried a story in its February 24, 2020 edition under the headline – “8 chiefs jailed over abdicated chief”.
It was reported at the time that a Koforidua High Court has sentenced eight traditional leaders, made up of five chiefs and three elders to a jail term of 14 days each, for contempt of court.
The convicted chiefs are, Nana Kwasi Ankrah III – Chief of Kitase, Nana Ntow Kwadwo -Ankobeahene of Atweasin, Nana Yaw Boadu – Akwamu Kyedomhene, and Nana Kwame Boadi – Apedwahene of Kitase and Nana Kwasi Ntow-Gyasehene of Atweasin.
The elders include: Abusuapayin Oheneba Kwame Djan – Elder of Bawase of Atweasin, Okyeame Gyimah – Okyeame for Tofohene of Atweasin and Opanin Kwaku Frimpong – former chief of Atweasin.
The eight were convicted after the Queen-mother of the area, Nana Afua Sarfoa I filed for a contempt of court against them at the Koforidua High Court (Commercial Division), where the Court passed judgment on Monday, 17th February, 2020.
In its judgment, the Court, presided over by Her Ladyship, Justice (Mrs.) Cecilia N.S. Davis hinted that one Opanin Kwaku Frimpong, who was the then Chief of Atweasin, in an affidavit informed the Queen-mother of his decision to relinquish his position as Chief.
According to the judgment, his reason for abdicating the stool was personal, after which the Queen-mother and elders of the Atweasin Amandi Affam stool subsequently performed the necessary customary rites to seal his abdication.
Nana Afua Sarfoa I, the Queen-mother, however, decided to nominate one Nana Kwabena Osae Abotow, the then Mankrado of Gyankama, as the candidate for the stool and he was subsequently installed as the new Atweasinhene, with the stool name Nana Otutu Obrempong Kumah II.
The judgment continued that, shortly after the colorful installation ceremony, some of the elders who were against the installation of Nana Kwabena Abotow as the new Atweasinhene, filed a chieftaincy petition against the Queen-mother and Nana Osae Abotow before the Judicial Committee of the Akuapim Traditional Council.
While the matter was still pending before the Judicial Committee, the discontented elders went behind the Queen-mother and re-installed Opanin Kwaku Frimpong as Chief of Atweasin.
The Court said in its ruling that, it was a willful act by the elders to spite Nana Afua Sarfoa I and the Judicial Committee stating, therefore, that the conduct of the elders was in contempt of the Judicial Committee and an affront to the administration of justice.
The court further heard that, after the reinstallation ceremony, the five chiefs and three elders later filed a motion to discontinue the chieftaincy petition, in effect to prevent the Judicial Committee from taking a decision in the case.
In her suit at the Koforidua High Court (Commercial Division), the Queen-mother prayed the court to punish the jailed chiefs and elders’ severely, since their actions and inactions amounted to contempt of the Judicial Committee.
In their statement of defence, the defendants (jailed chiefs and elders) indicated that their actions and inactions did not amount to contempt, stressing that the Atweasin stool has never been vacant and at all material times, Opanin Kwaku Frimpong has been the Atweasinhene and the occupant of the Atweasin Amaadi Affam Stool, since he was enstooled in 2009.
According to the defendants, the ceremony they performed was a reconciliation ceremony between Opanin Kwaku Frimpong and some of the elders of the stool as there was some misunderstanding, hence the ceremony to signify unity.
Furthermore, the Court ruled that the willful conduct and actions of the indicted defendants to reinstall the abdicated Opanin Kwaku Frimpong as Atweasinhene, while their petition and motion for interlocutory injunction were still pending before the judicial committee and the fact that afterwards they went back to the Judicial Committee to withdraw their petition was calculated to impede, obstruct and interfere with the course of justice and the fair trial of the petition they themselves have filed before the judicial committee and also to undermine the administration of justice .
The ruling added that their conduct and actions are clearly an affront to the authority and powers of the Judicial Committee.
The court heard counsels for both parties in the case and upheld the application of the Queen-mother to slap contempt charges on the defendants and thus arrived at judgment.
Passing the judgment, the presiding Judge declared that the allegation of contempt leveled against the defendants by the applicant has proved beyond reasonable doubts, and therefore found each of them guilty of contempt of court and “each of them is hereby committed for the offence”.
The Judge continued: “As a result, I hereby sentence each to a term of 14 days imprisonment. In addition, each shall pay a fine of GHC2,000 in full, on or before 15th of March, 2020 or in default, serve another 14 days in jail”.
The Court further asked the convicts to render an unqualified apology in writing to Nananom on the Judicial Committee on or before 5th of March, 2020 for their complete show of disrespect to them or in default serve a further seven (7) days in jail.
The Queen-mother, at a press conference to announce the imprisonment of the aforementioned chiefs and elders of Atweasin in the Akuapim South District of the Eastern Region, called on colleague chiefs to always stand for the truth.
According to the Aburi-Atweasin Queen-mother, disunity, underdevelopment and state of chaos have always been the foundation of chieftaincy disputes.
To this, the elderly but beautiful and eloquent Nana Afua Sarfoa I encouraged traditional leaders and king makers across the country to stand tall over any financial and political manipulations that would undermine their integrity.
The post Time bomb ticking at Akwapim Atweasim supporters of rival chiefs ready for showdown appeared first on The Chronicle Online.
Read Full Story
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Instagram
Google+
YouTube
LinkedIn
RSS