Public Agenda Predicted Bloodletting At Anloga 12 Months Ago

It is exactly a year now when Public Agenda reported in its November 3, 2006 edition " 'Dagbon-Like' War in the Making at Anlo" that if care was not taken there could be bloodletting over the 11-year-old chieftaincy dispute.

In the report Public Agenda stated that a potential conflict could be triggered by a Ho High Court ruling that the celebration of the annual Hogbetsotso festival should continue as planned. The court's ruling followed an application by 12 chiefs of the Anlo Traditional Area for an interlocutory injunction against the celebration of the festival, sparking fears that Ghana may be heading for another Dagon-like chieftaincy dispute in the Volta Region.

Last Thursday, twelve months after that publication, hell broke loose in the area, precisely at Anloga when riot police tried to quell disturbances during the performance of final rites to make way for the installation of an Awoamefia.

Several media reports put the death toll at three with over a dozen others, including three police officers injured. Another policeman, together with his AK 47 rifle and ammunition, was said to be missing.

The state-owned Daily Graphic reported that Francis Nyonyo Agboada, alias Regent Torgbui Sri III, was to have been installed as the Awoamefia of the Anlo traditional Area when the chaos occurred.

Mr. Agboada was until recently styled as Regent Sri III, a caretaker of the Awomefia, and as at press time on Friday was in confinement pending his disputed installment as the Awoamefia.

Eyewitnesses said the police clashed with the angry crowd at the Toli Shrine in Anloga, creating chaotic scenes and running battles during which three civilians, including a fetish priestess were gunned down. However, the circumstances sorrounding the injury of the police officer were not known.

According to a Chronicle report, a legal action had been initiated by John Fiafor, a principal member of Dei Azimaxada Gate of the Royal Adzovia Clan, and nine others against the Nyonyo Faction in the Anlo chieftaincy dispute that had been lingering on for over two years.

The Ho High Court looking into the case on October 31, this year granted a substituted service of the court processes to be served on the defendants, including Francis Nyonyo Agboada and eight others for avoiding the serving of the document on them.

The court therefore ordered that the court's processes should be published in newspapers after which defendants would be deemed to have been served.

The plaintiffs, who say they are required to nominate, select, confine, enstool and outdoor any person as the Awoamefia from the Royal Adzorvia Clan for the Anlo State, noted that they have not authorized the purported nomination and confinement of anybody. Therefore, the intended installation and the celebration of the Hogbetsotso was null and void.

Plaintiffs are seeking a declaration by the court that the purported nomination and enthronement of Francis Agboada as Awoamefia was unlawful, illegal and fraudulent and that that would undermine the matter relating to the stool before the courts.

They are further requesting an order directed against Francis Agboada to desist from using the title Regent "Togbui Sri III" until the final determination of pending suits.

Additionally, plaintiffs are seeking an order of perpetual injunction against the defendants and their agents from carrying out any activity related to the installation of an Awoamefia and the celebration of any Hogbetsosto until the final determination of the pending suits.