Regional News of Monday, 16 January 2012

Source: sekyere boateng

Techiman student hail Otumfuo

The Ashanti – Brong Offspring Forum (A.B.O.F) of Techiman, a group of tertiary
students from Techiman who have one parent from Techiman and the other from Ashanti
region has exalted the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, for his fortitude to ensure
peace in Ghana.

In a New Year message signed by its president, Nana Sekyere Boateng, it states inter
alia “we salute the occupant of the Golden Stool and his council of advisers for
their bold decision to help resolve the impasse between the Asanteman and the
Techimanman over the Tano – Subin towns”.

The statement was optimistic that the Techiman Traditional Council would accept the
olive branch extended by Otumfuo at Bechem during the celebration of the Adekyem
festival by availing itself to any mediation that would be put in place to ensure
that the Tano - Subin issue is solved once and for all.
“We have keenly observed Otumfuo Osei Tutu II ever since he ascended to the Golden
Stool and we can conclude that he is someone who wish to expand territory by
conquering poverty, ignorance, disease and illiteracy and do not take solace in
splitting innocent blood” it added.

The forum which traces the Tano – Subin issue to the Ashanti – Brong war in 1750
revealed that various courts including the Privy Council have adjudicated over the
issues but none have prevented the bloodbath among the people and least
misunderstanding leads to violence.
“We do not have any doubt in our minds that Nananom are aware that this cyclic
carnage constitute a scare on the conscience of the entire Akan people especially
the Oyoko clan and the only way to mend the mess is for Nananom to agree that they
cannot preserve either Asante Kotoko nor Brong Kyempim if the people who constitutes
these groups die in conflicts” it states.
The forum was hopeful that members of the Oyoko clan (Dwaben, Kokofu, Nsuta etc)
would play a leading role in the matter because the Asona clan led by the
Offinsohene and Ejisuhene availed themselves to solve a problem between their elder
brother the Okyehene and Asanteman during the funeral of Beyeaman Wereko Ampem.
The brotherly love among the Aduana clan namely Dormaa in Brong Ahafo and Kumawu,
Asubingya and Agogo all in Ashanti is so unique that Dormaahene is treated as the
elderly brother in the group so is Okyehene to the Asonas and Otumfuo is
unquestionably the leader of Oyoko group hence his tenacious move is gratifying.

The group also appealed to Offinsohene to get involve because according to them
Techiman and Offinso have historic and customary ties under which when a customary
fine is imposed on Techiman citizen within Offinso state it is Offinsohene who pays
the fine and vice versa pertains in Techiman state.