'Villagers, witches' comment: Can Okyenhene please keep quiet? – NDC lawyer

A member of the National Democratic Congress, NDC, legal team, Edudzi Kudzo Tameklo has commented on controversial comments attributed to the Okyenhene Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin. The Osagyefo is on record to have said critics of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo who resort to insults are children of villagers or persons suffering from witchcraft or wizardry. Edudzi is unhappy about the pronouncement and holds that the chief is better off being mute instead of insulting people. The lawyer shared a video of the said comments with a caption that read: "Can this chief be quite small? Your family member has destroyed this beautiful country and you are talking down and insulting people. Please keep quiet." The family member in question is President Akufo-Addo who is related to the chief. Akufo-Addo is currently battling with a twin crisis of illegal small-scale mining, alias galamsey, and an economic downturn. The Okyenhene whiles making comments at a church service attended by the President over the weekend spoke about the two issues, defending the president over the economic downturn and citing global events. On galamsey, he tasked chiefs to stand up to the task of rooting out the menace and not to look at short-term financial considerations and bequeath a long-term crisis to generations. The Okyenhene’s controversial comments: “We must appreciate the feat of the President and show him [some] appreciation for what he has done for Ghana. We must defend and protect him,” he said. Okyenhene stated categorically, ”those insulting the President are children of villagers. They are uncivilized. No well-nurtured person will insult an elderly. If you were raised in the Church, you will not insult an elder. If you are not a villager then you may be a witch or wizard. “Not all will like you. Even Jesus Christ was crucified. It won’t bother me if they speak with sincerity but when you speak with hate, witchcraft, and envy, you must be careful because one day! one day! one day! one day! "One day! the truth will overcome evil lies and envy,” Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin II added when he spoke at the inauguration of the Archdeaconry Service held at the St. Martin Anglican Church in Kyebi on Sunday, October 23, 2022. SARA/PEN