Akwamumanhene finally gazzetted; due for induction into the Akwamu Traditional Council

After nearly 12 years of legal battles challenging his nomination, election, and installation as the Akwamumanhene, Odeneho Kwafo Akoto III is set to be inducted into the Akwamu Traditional Council on the 17th of October, 2022. This comes after Odeneho Kwafo Akoto III was successfully gazetted last week as the Akwamumanhene. The induction ceremony is scheduled to take place at Akwamufie, the capital of Akwamu paramountcy on Monday, October 17, 2022. It brings an end to three decades of sustained disputes over the rightful occupant of the Akwamu Stool following the demise of the late Odeneho Kwafo Akoto II circa 1992, who happened to be the grand uncle of the current Akwamumanhene. The Supreme Court on June 22 2022, dismissed an application seeking a review of its affirmation of Odeneho Kwafo Akoto III as the Paramount Chief of Akwamu Traditional Area. In a 7:0 ruling, the apex court presided over by Justice Bafffoe-Bonney, maintained an earlier ruling by a 5:0 decision that Odeneho Kwafo Akoto was validly nominated, elected and installed as the Paramount Chief of Akwamu in accordance with the custom and practices of the people of Akwamu Odeneho Kwafo Akoto III When he is successfully inducted into the Akwamu Traditional Council, Odeneho Kwafo Akoto III will within a couple of days, formally take his position at the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs. Background The case involved Abusuapanyin Kojo Kyer Addaquay and Abrewatia Love Adwo Som as the petitioners, and Nana Afrakoma II, Nana Nyarkoa (Benkumhemaa), Nana Asomani (Amanguahene) and Kwabena Owiredu as the respondents. The petitioners challenged the eligibility of Odeneho Kwafo Akoto III, the Paramount Chief of Akwamu, stating that the chief was an outsider who was not from the royal family. They also held that the process through which he ascended the throne about 12 years ago, was not in conformity with the customs of Akwamuman. According to the ruling, the evidence, facts, history, custom and all the exhibits presented before them affirmed that to ascend to the black stool of Akwamu, a candidate must of necessity come from either the house of Yaa Ansaa or Yaa Botwe. The court also said that there was no established system of rotation in Akwamu to ascend to the Paramount stool.