Okyenhene and Asantehene Clash....

Near rumpus at Homecoming Summit...as traditions clash

THE CELEBRATION of the first home-coming summit for Birim North citizens which was held at New Abirem last Saturday had to be held up when traditional practices and customary rites clashed.

It was a matter of who should greet first when two chiefs, the Okyehene Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin II, and the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, refused to greet each other at the durbar grounds.

According to the Okyenhene?s side, Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin II was on his own land so it was expected that the visitor, which was Otumfuo?s representative, was to greet the landowner first.

While according to Barima Offie Akwasi Okogyeasuo II side, the visitor was supposed to be welcomed first and this created the arguments as to who should greet first.

As linguists paced up and down to get each chief?s message across, participants were at a loss as to what was actually happening.

When it was realized that time was far spent, the Okyenhene?s linguist told the other side, that is, Asantehene?s representative, ?this is not the custom in Okyeman so if he says he cannot come and greet us, then everyone should sit down and let the programme kick off.? Later on, the two chiefs smoked the peace pipe when the programme ended.

Otumfuo?s representative got up with his delegation to greet Okyenhene as Okyenhene also welcomed him with smiles to the relief of everyone present, including government officials.

The occasion also served as a platform on which an Education Fund was launched for the district. Discussions are expected to be held which will find ways of opening up avenues where the homecomers can invest, with particular emphasis on education.

Later in an interview with journalists, two home-comers, Mr. Yaw Afram, London, and Mr. Kwame Frempong ? Accra, described the programme as successful and encouraging.

They pledged their support towards the education fund as well as help train the teeming youth in the district with self-employable skills.

Birim North district ranks amongst the most deprived districts in the Eastern Region, as this reporter observed that road networks are in bad shape, there is the lack of telecommunication facilities and economic infrastructure is not really booming.

One of the home-comers, Mr. Kwame Frempong, admitted that the district is very deprived, saying ?no major commercial activity is really taking place here.?