Story: Frank Mensah

NAMES OF two prominent chief in Ashanti have come up in connection with the alleged bribery scandal in the adjudication of the Essumeja Chieftaincy dispute.

They are Nana Bi-Kusi Appiah, Omanhene of Manso Nkwanta Traditional Area and Nana Agyemang, Tikromhene and member of the Benkum Division of the Kumasi Traditional Council. A priuncipal witness in the case, Akwasi Dwomoh mentioned the two chiefs as supportive of the Queen mother, Nana Adwoa Obro Pokuaa Nkrankropon’s position in the case.

Dwomoh, who is currently litigating with the Queen mother in court over a GH¢2,000 she allegedly collected from him (Dwomoh) for the purpose of influencing some chiefs , said he had paid GH¢1,000 to the Tikromhene on the orders of the queen mother as a top up to a GH¢2,000 she (queen mother) had already paid. Dwomoh also disclosed that a medical report, purported to have been issued by a medical doctor of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) which he presented to the Asanteman Council on April 8, 2010 to excuse the queen mother from attendance, was rather collected from the Manso Nkwantahene at his residence. According to Dwomoh, the beleaguered Special Aide of the queen mother the said medical report was fake because to the best of his knowledge the queen mother never attended any hospital because she was not indisposed as she claimed.

The Tikromhene’s interest was indicated in the fact that he (Tikromhene) conveyed both the queen mother and Dwomoh in his Benz Car to Ntonso to buy a green Kente cloth which he (Dwomoh) donned to appear before the Asanteman Council on April 8 when he tendered in the medical report acquired on false pretence.

Nana Agyemang has declined to comment on the issue. When reached on phone for his reaction in order to ascertain the truth or otherwise of the allegation, Nana Bi-Kusi Appiah said he had already been indicted as having taken bribe and therefore would not countenance any further probe via foolish questions by the paper. Meanwhile, the Asanteman Council meets over four days from Monday November 15 to Thursday November 18 to determine the Essumeja Stool Affairs. The four day meeting is likely to decide the fate of the queen mother. The parties, namely Madam Adwoa Abora, an elder of the Aduana family of Essumeja and the queen mother have been summoned to attend sitting of the Council. Madam Abora is contesting the eligibility of Nana Adwoa Obro Pokuaa Nyankropon,the queen mother after swearing the Great Oath of Asante.

On March 16, this year the five-member Judicial Committee headed by the Achirensuahene, Agyewodin Adu Gyamfi Ampem appointed in May 2008 to determine the eligibility of Nana Adwoa Obro Pokuaa Nyankropon as Queen mother of Essumeja, presented its report to the Asanteman Council.

The Committee’s report which was read to the Asanteman Council openly declared that the Queen mother is not eligible to the female stool of Essumeja on the basis of the evidence adduced over two years at the committee’s hearings. It indicated that Nana Nyankropon hails from Brosankro.

The decision of the committee, which was unanimous, premised on the evidence regarding their respective family trees.

But Nana Nyankropon insisted that she is a royal of the stool raising objection to the findings of the committee, whose membership comprise Nana Owusu Ankoma, Seikwahene, Kyeame Boakye Yam, Nana Sabronum and Nana Adu Baah Ansah, Yamfohene.

As a result, the Asanteman Council agreed to re-examine evidence including video recordings of proceedings against the Committee’s report over three days from March 29 to March 31, 2010.

When the Council met on April 1 to pronounce a verdict, 16 chiefs overturned the Committee’s report by siding with the claims of the Essumeja queen mother that she was eligible to the stool.

The pro-Nana Nyankropon chiefs include Manso-Nkwantahene, Bechemhene, Asokwa Mamponghene, Asafo Akwamu, Offinsohene, Tafohene, Mabanhene, Ejisuhene, Bekwaihene, Kokofuhene, Oyoko Bremanhene, Kwamanghene and the Adontenhene.

The chiefs on the other side who are, in support of the stand of the Committee that Nana Nyankrpon is not eligible include the Hiahene, Omanhene of Banda, Adankrangya, Nsuta, Ankobiahene, Adumhene, Atipinhene and Nkosuohene, besides the members of the Judicial Committee.

April 8, 2010 was then fixed for the final determination but the queen mother failed to turn up as she claimed she was indisposed and excused herself from the meeting by presenting a medical report through Dwomoh.

The determination of the Essumeja case, which has been in stalemate since March this year, would set the stage for the enstoolment of a chief for the town.

It would also pave the way for the successful celebration of Odwira festival by Asanteman which had to be postponed. The Essumeja Aduana stool has been vacant since the demise of Odeneho Oduro Numapau III in 2003 thus creating a vacuum in the composition of the Asanteman Council which is currently without a Benkumhene in the person of a substantive chief of Essumeja who heads the Benkum Division of the Asante Kingdom.