Fetish priestesses go on naked demo over disputed land

Scores of fetish priestesses from Osu on Saturday June 1, 2013 went on a stark naked picket and demonstration, to protest against the annexation of a controversial and disputed piece of land which they claim belongs to the Osu Stool.

The priestesses, mostly old women clad in only cloths covering their chests, went totally naked amidst wails of protests and chanting as personnel from the Accra regional Police Command attempted preventing them from assaulting and harassing cane artisans who were doing what the police described as “legitimate business” on the disputed 1.5 acre property around the Switchback road within Cantonments.

The women trooped to the area in anger, to solidarise with 40 of their colleagues who were arrested and detained a day earlier, after they had engaged rival claimants of the property in a fierce gun fight.

Former first Lady Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings is said to be one of the claimants of the premium property.

The La Stool is also laying claim to the same property.

The controversy over the land compelled some of the claimants to hire armed land guards to protect the property from encroachers and rival claimants.

Despite the rivalry over the property, a horde of cane artisans have, for many years, used the property as their site of business.

They produce and sell cane furniture there.

The artisans have for the past few days been the target of “harassment” at the hands of the Osu claimants of the disputed land.

Among the Police Officers who were at hand to disperse the naked fetish priestesses was DSP Freeman Tettey who is with the Public Affairs Department of the Ghana Police Service.

He told XYZ News: “There were some disturbances”, adding that: “To be very blunt with you some of them went to the extent of exposing their nakedness”.

DSP Tettey said those arrested will be granted Police enquiry bail and charged for being at the premises for unlawful purposes and assault.

He said the Police are also providing protection for the artisans.