Tema Mantse escapes assassination

Fifteen persons have been arrested and placed in police custody pending further investigations, following an assassination attempt on the paramount chief of Tema, Nii Adjei Krakue II, last Saturday.

They are Agbeley Krakue, Moses Armaah, Janet Krakue, Tetteh Anum, Nii Nungua (no relation to Nungua Traditional Council), Armarh Ashitey, Mustapha Adjetey, Mensah Annag, Nii Obedeka (attempted to stab a policeman), Anertey Abbey, Gilbert Mantey, Festus Adjei Krakue, Attaah Okoe, Kotey Chubby and an unnamed woman.

Inquiries by the Chronicle disclosed that sometime around the 14th of last month, during preparation for this year’s annual Kpledzoo festival, a sacred traditional object placed at the Aboitse-We was to be brought out for the ceremony.

A fight erupted among the people of Aboitse-We and the head of family Agbaafoatse summoned a meeting to resolve the impasse scheduled for the Saturday, which was honoured.

Nii Tema, Adjei Krakue II, was also invited to the meeting but for reasons that could not be explained, he did not attend.

When they dispersed from Aboitse-We, about 30 men and women divided themselves in two, one group went to the palace, armed with cutlasses and offensive weapons, locked the main gates behind them and searched every corner, apparently for the chief, amidst singing of war songs.

According to a bystander, the group that entered the palace kept saying “Wor baa feele tomo afee Ya Na ee,” literally meaning we shall revisit Ya Na’s assassination on him.

As they could not find the chief, the group in their middle ages, smashed glass windows, doors and furniture at a new palace under construction then proceeded to the study room, took away books and broke open a storeroom where they drank all the alcoholic brands.

Having satisfied themselves, they danced for sometime at the palace, took along with them stool regalia and broke a mace.

As soon as they came out, some elders of the Tema Traditional Council (TTC) encountered and overpowered them.

Police were informed but before they could arrive, the elders handed over those arrested to the New Town station.

The elders, mainly Asafoatsemei, together with an enthusiastic crowd, moved from place to place to apprehend the ‘rebels,’ including the group that went through the principal streets of Tema, announcing a dethronement of the Nii Tema at the time the palace was under siege.

The Paramount Chief was minutes seen sitting with the police, with armed policemen preventing a crowd of loyal supporters from entering the compound in solidarity with him.

The Sakumo Wulomo, Nii Amarh Densu II, also arrived to announce to Nii, a mission that he undertook.

According to him, the shrine house at Sakumono had been burnt down, presupposing that the action was an organised one.

An elder at the Tema Traditional Council used the occasion to call on government to expedite action on its findings of chieftaincy and other disturbances since the belief is that after committing the atrocities nothing comes out of committees’ recommendations.

In a related development, Nii Adjetey Krakue III, a claimant to the Tema stool, has condemned the action by the group to attack the palace.

According to a report in an interview with a journalist, Nii Adjetey Krakue III said that he does not believe in violence to success.

He therefore called on the people of Tema to exercise restraint so as not to portray them as lawless.

The Tema Paramountcy has been under dispute for sometime now with the Ga Traditional Council recognising Nii Adjetey Krakue III, whereas the Tema Traditional Council knows Nii Adjei Krakue II as their chief.

The people of Tema used to swear oath of allegiance to the Ga Mantse during pre-colonial days to fight any external aggression.

Indiscipline has been identified as a major problem plaguing society leading to loss of lives, armed robberies, destruction of properties both private and state.

Religious and traditional institutions have not been spared this social menace.

A legion of these could be cited over the past 15 months in which at least close to 200 persons lost their lives.

On February 2, last year a group of people invaded Asutsuare, destroyed property belonging to individuals and proceeded to ransack the chief’s palace, stealing everything including lamp-holders.

The unforgettable May 9, 2001 Accra Sports Stadium disaster in which about 126 persons lost their lives is a first class display of the canker.

As if it has become part of our norm, the Nima police station was attacked and vandalised by a mob.

Arson by students is countless.

The infamous assassination of the Dagbon chief, together with about 40 persons at the palace that was completely burnt down cannot escape mention.

About a fortnight ago, there was a clash of supposed worshippers of God at a New Achimota church.