Five kumawu chiefs destooled

By Kofi Banzana

THE KUMAWU Traditional Council (KTC) presided over by its President, Barima Sarfo Tweneboa Kodua last Thursday destooled five chiefs of the Traditional Council upon the directives of the Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II.
The chiefs are Nana Kwasi Baffoe, Chief of Wonoo and Akwamuhene of Kumawu, Nana Okyere Bediako , Bodweasehene, Nana Sarfo Agyekum alias Joe Fly Aduanahene of Kumawu ; Nana Okyere Darko Fordjour, Nsumankwaahene and Nana Okyere Krapa Yiadom, Akyempimhene.
Prior to the rites including the Pouring of libation and slaughtering of a sheep on a "Bonsambuo" at the forecourt of the Kumawu palace, the Kumawu Traditional Council had met the families of the affected chiefs and officially conveyed Otumfuo's directives to them.
On Tuesday October 28, 2014, the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II at a meeting of Kumawu stool elders at Manhyia Palace asked the stool elders to ensure the installation of the then Kumawuhene-elect and that any body who failed to honour the decision of the meeting should consider himself destooled.
The named chiefs failed to honour their promise for which Otumfuo on Monday November 3, 2014 Otumfuo ordered their destoolment having failed to swear the oath of allegiance to the new chief and also failing to accompany the then Kumawuhene-elect to the swearing in ceremony at the Manhyia Palace.
The Krontihene of Kumawu, Nana Kodua Peprah, who also failed to partake in the installation of the new chief due to ill health, has been given the chance by Otumfuo Osei Tutu to swear the oath of allegiance to the new Kumawuhene when he recovers from the illness.
Barima Tweneboa Kodua has therefore directed the families of the destooled chiefs to look for their replacement.
Nana Serwaa Amponsah , queen mother of Kumawu, has indicated that all nominees for the vacant stools would be vetted to ensure development oriented persons are nominated to partner the new Kumawuhene to contribute to the development of the area.
One of the destooled chiefs, Nana Sarfo Agyekum, Aduanahene of Kumawu Traditional Area, earlier this week indicated that Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II has no power to destool him, because he does not swear the oath of allegiance directly to him (Otumfuo) and that he (Aduanahene) swears an oath of allegiance to the Kumawuhene.
He claimed it is only the Kumawuhene who can destool him, after going through the due process as was done last Thursday.
No member of the family of the Aduanahene and the Nsumankwaahene were present at the performance of customary rites even though reps of their families were at the Traditional Council meeting last Monday during which they had duly been informed about the directives of Otumfuo which was first pronounced on November 3, 2014 at the Manhyia Palace.
Meanwhile, a seven-member Committee presided over by the Queen, Nana Serwaa Amponsah has been appointed by the Kumawu Traditional Council to plan the observation of the first Akwasidae of Barima Sarfo Tweneboa Kodua on December 7. The theme of the celebration is: "Unity and Development".