Unlike Botswanan
elites, which 31 years ago could mount the wisdom, the skills and humility to
mix their traditional institutions with their ex-colonial and the global
development ideals for prosperity, Ghana after 50 years of freedom from
colonial rule is still struggling with her developmental values.
Chiefs as custodians
of the land were supposed to lead their subordinates in co coordinating
developmental activities in their locality. Unfortunately what we experience in
recent times are insubordinations from their subjects questioning their
legitimacy. Indeed things have fallen apart and the falcon no longer hears the
falconer.
Just recently twelve
sub chiefs of the New Juaben traditional area, claimed they have dethroned
their paramount Chief, Prof. Oti Boateng. The angry chiefs invoked the
Otumfuo’s Great Oath (Ntam Kesie) and performed rituals on to effectively
dethrone Prof. Oti Boateng whom they accuse of vindictiveness, autocracy and
arbitrariness.
Also Chiefs of the Aflao Traditional Area have
stated that Torgbui Afla Awunor Detu IX, was the right person for the stool and
was properly enstoolled.
They added that the
installation of the new chief for Aflao was not an attempt to torpedo or create
a rival chief in the area but rather to continue with what their predecessors
have left for them and to protect, preserve and promote their long cherished
heritage.
Torgbui Tengey Sabbah
V, a divisional chief of Aflao, said this when he addressed a press conference
in Accra on what he described as distortion, misrepresentation and
misunderstanding of facts with regard to the installation of Torgbui Afla
Awunor Detu IX as the Paramount Chief of the Aflao Traditional Area.
He explained that
although the kingmakers had delayed in installing Torgbui Afla, years after the
demise of his great grandfather, Awunor Detu VII, he was not installed to
compete or challenge or fight Torbgui Fiti.
He described as
unacceptable recent pronouncements by Torgbui Fiti who was the paramount chief
and his cohorts which were designed to put fear and panic in the kingmakers for
doing the right thing.
Torgbui Sabbah
accused Torgbui Fiti and his cohorts of allegedly subjecting some of the
kingmakers to inhuman treatment to the extent that some of the [kingmakers]
were kidnapped.
He explained that the
newly installed chief, Torgbui Afla Awunor Detu IX, who would soon be presented
to the chiefs of the Aflao State and the Anlo Traditional Council, was not
sitting on a new stool as was being claimed.
Regarding threats
from Torgbui Fiti, he gave the assurance that although they were not at war, if
Torgbui Fiti dares them for war because of their own property and heritage,
then they are battle ready for him and whoever wants to support his diabolic
act.
Meanwhile in an
attempt to avert looming violence of Chieftaincy dispute in the Aflao
Traditional Area as a result of a purported enstoolment of a rival Paramount
Chief of Aflao, The Volta regional House of Chiefs during an emergency meeting
in Ho has resolved to uphold the legitimacy of Torgbi Amenya Fiti V as
paramount Chief of Aflao and urged all claimants to the stool to go to court to
seek legal recognition of their claims.
The list of instances
where our chieftaincy institutions have been bemoaned with the battle of who
becomes the legitimate heir to thrones grows as tall as the bamboo in a
swamp.
The challenge that
should linger in our minds is how to expedite actions and ideas to these
challenges in our stone aged leadership institution.
Let us for a moment,
peel the onion and get to the crux of the resentments exhibited by our
chieftaincy institution.
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