It is most unfortunate that the beautiful massive Palace is burnt. But why should that be a surprise? Such is the culmination of the long, tolerated injustice of foisting some undeserving Chief on the people.
The Town has ... read full comment
It is most unfortunate that the beautiful massive Palace is burnt. But why should that be a surprise? Such is the culmination of the long, tolerated injustice of foisting some undeserving Chief on the people.
The Town has not had a substantive Chief since the death of Nana Hinneh Akwasi, some 10 years ago. A controversial pseudo-Academician, who doubles as a Professor and has hardly ever lived in the Town is the reason why the Town has had no acceptable Chief yet. His sister is the Queen-Mother, but by the longstanding traditional arrangement in the Town, no two siblings are allowed to be a Chief and a Queen-Mother simultaneously. Besides, there are three families which take turns occupying the Stool. And after the death of Nana Hinneh Akwasi, it was the turn of another family other than the Professor's. But this Professor, aided by his sister, was believed to have coerced a few sub-chiefs to back him up, ostensibly greasing the palms of these sub-chiefs, to claim the Stool.
This situation did not sit well with the Youth of the Town who rejected the Professor. The Professor then organized some Police resources from the Regional Capital, Sunyani, to confront the Youth. The ensuing chaos resulted in the shooting death of a number of young men from the Town.
It is this sad violent incident that kept the Palace unoccupied for all these years. I understand the Professor got some committee of decision-makers carved out of the Brong-Ahafo Regional House of Chiefs to authenticate his ascension to the Stool, under the pretext that the main opposing side to the dispute failed to appear in Court when ordered to show up for adjudication. Further reports indicate the failure of the opponents to appear in Court on that crucial day was because of a deliberate orchestration to confuse the opponents on when the case was going to be heard.
Meanwhile, the wrath of the Ancestors might have visited upon many of the sub-chiefs who connived with the Professor to seize the Stool, as their untimely demise under weird circumstances suddenly began, at short intervals.
At this point, the case is still hanging as the Professor cannot function as the Chief of Nsoatre, and yet the House of Chiefs cannot impose him on the people.
Now, the aggrieved people of Nsoatre after this long absence of a Chief have to incur the cost of rebuilding the Palace at some point in time. That is not fair to the Town. No single person's inordinate ambition should hold the entire Town at ransom.
It is a shame that our House of Chiefs have been unable to resolve this case at Nsoatre to the general satisfaction of the Citizens. Similar Chieftaincy disputes abound in Ghana and their protraction could undermine the very essence of that august institution in the Country.
It is most unfortunate that the beautiful massive Palace is burnt. But why should that be a surprise? Such is the culmination of the long, tolerated injustice of foisting some undeserving Chief on the people.
The Town has ...
read full comment
Daniel & Joshua Nyame Kasa