Family, widow fight over Asonaba Dapaah’s funeral rites

The funeral of the late Benjamin Asonaba Dapaah, former Ashanti Regional representative on the Council of State, is uncertain, following unending disputes between the widow and her children on one side, and deceased’s immediate family members.

Though the late Council of State Member, who passed on last May in a London hospital, was interred amid controversy on December 12, 2020, no decision as to when the funeral will be observed has been taken, as the maternal and paternal families of Asonaba Dapaah, the two widows, and children cannot agree.

The Family Head of the Yaa Boaduwaa/Ama Pokuaa Fie, Opanin Akwasi Kumah, explained at a press conference on Friday that the funeral of his predecessor (Asonaba Dapaah) has to be put on hold until an agreement is reached between the widow and the family.

He said the controversy started with ownership of the mortal remains and who had the right to organise the funeral rites of the late statesman.

According to the Family Head, the mortal remains of Asonaba Dapaah was whisked away  by a group of military men and children at the instance of Mrs. Rosemary Dapaah, the widow, thus making the deceased’s immediate family, including Emmanuel Dapaah, the elder son of the deceased, stranded  at the  Cargo Collection point of the Kotoka International Airport.

He said in spite of several demands and efforts to prevail on the widow to provide the mortal remains to the immediate family, the family did not have access to the body until it was interred on December 12, 2020 at Atwea in the Sekyere Central District.

The Family Head further stated that when it became obvious that the widow would not budge, as she had planned the burial and funeral for October 19, 2020 without their knowledge, compelling the family to seek redress in court.

Opanin Kumah said while ownership of the deceased’s mortal remains remained undetermined  by the court, it set up a Dispute Committee, which made some recommendations to the effect that the late Asonaba Dapaah was to be laid in state on December 12, 2020, and later buried at a private mausoleum at Atwea in the Ashanti Region.

He said the court, however, ordered that the funeral celebration of the late statesman could be held after the substantive case had been dealt with.

The Family Head complained that since the court, going by a purported “Final Committee Report”, had ordered the burial of the late Council of State Member before it determined the substantive case before it without any review, the family members, including the surviving mother of the deceased, had decided not to pursue the case in court again.

Mr. Kumah said this development explains why the family boycotted the burial of their “blood” which was commandeered by the deceased’s fourth wife and children.

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