Do “akurase taamanfo3” still abound in Kumawuman?

Who is an "Akurase taaman" in the Akan parlance? An "Akurase taaman" as I came to understand it when I was growing up as a child, was a male adult of the following character traits – violent, always trying to get involved in cases which have nothing to do with them but just to prove that they are strong and can turn the tables around in favour of the side and party that they support. They always saunter through the streets of the town with puffed chest and air of machismo around them. They poke their nose into other people's businesses only to cause problems and then fight. They are in fact very unintelligent and easily manipulated by those that they support. These same "Akurase taamafo3" measure their popularity in terms of the number of women they have slept with in the village/town. They become very embittered when their propositions to women are turned down and subsequently seek to make trouble with any man that goes out with such women.

It saddens me to learn about there being some individuals who still exhibit the characters of "Akurase taaman" in Kumawu. On Saturday, 30 January 2016, one Akyena at Kumawu Etia announced on his Kaakyire Badu's Information Centre radio that Kumawuhene Barimah Tweneboah Koduah V would be celebrating his first "Akwasidae" anniversary on Sunday, 31 January 2016.

This radio announcement angered one Kofi Basoah alias Abele, from Kumawu Etia. This guy's parents are Opanin Kwadwo Obeng and the late Madam Abenaa Konadu from the Kumawu Ankobeahene's house (Asona family). He went to Akyena and threatened to burn down his Information Centre.

Kofi Basoah is a staunch supporter of Kumawuhemaa Nana Abenaa Serwaah Amponsah and the alleged Kumawuhene Barimah Sarfo Tweneboah Koduah. He sees no reason why Akyena should make any announcement that is favourable to the cause of Kumawuhene Barimah Tweneboah Koduah V, on his radio. To Basoah, many people within Kumawuman would hear the announcement and then attend Barimah Tweneboah Koduah V's 1st Year Akwasidae anniversary in their numbers to dwarf that of Barimah Sarfo Tweneboah Koduah.

According as threatened, Kofi Basoah went to the house in which the Information Centre is located in the wee hours of Sunday 31 January 2016, cut the electrical wires in the house, broke into the room where the radio equipment are set up, and destroyed them.

At day break, the owner of the house reported Kofi Basoah to the police. He was arrested, bailed out and is now walking a free man in the streets of Kumawu.

Mysteriously, the Kumawu District Police Commander is understood to have gone looking for Akyena to arrest for putting out the announcement. Subsequently, Akyena has escaped from Kumawu to avoid arrest.

This baffles me a bit. Why should he run away from the police? He should rather go to the police to lodge a complaint with them against Kofi Basoah since Kofi Basoah has damaged his radio equipment. Has he run away for the fear of probably operating an illegal radio station, thus, having no licence to operate the Information Centre? Even in the case of him having no permit to operate the station, he should not run away but go to the police to cause the arrest of that "Akurase taaman" (Kofi Basoah). Not having a licence is a different issue and someone intentionally damaging your property for the fact that you support a different candidate other than his, is another matter.

Radio operators have the right to put out announcements provided the announcements are true and are not treasonable. They can make such announcements in a form of advertisement, whether charged or free.

Therefore, for that notorious "Akurase taaman" to stealthily destroy his radio equipment following the said announcement is criminal. He has to be arrested to prove to him that it does not pay to behave irresponsibly criminally. I am not sure Dr Yaw Sarfo (Barimah Sarfo Tweneboah Koduah) and Kumawuhemaa do support his bizarre character and roguish attitudes.

Is the Kumawu District Police Commander also seeking to arrest Akyena for putting out the announcement? Was it illegal for him to have made the announcement? Is the Police Commander trying to get involved in the Kumawu chieftaincy dispute by taking sides? Until I get clearer information on why the Police are looking to arrest Akyena, I shall not make any further comments.

There is again another "Akurase taaman" called Alhaji who has teamed up with Kofi Basoah in support of Dr Yaw Sarfo and Kumawuhemaa. This Alhaji, a very tall man of about 25 years is the son of Kumawu Ankobeahemaa who is the best friend and supporter of Kumawuhemaa.

This guy, nicknamed Alhaji, did presumably level a false charge against his own sibling. He made a complaint to the Kumawu Police against his brother. He alleged that his brother had threatened to kill him using his gun.

It is understood that his brother was returning from farm with his gun on his shoulder and in company of other people. They had gone to farm with the gun as done by most, sorry to say, village farmers. Those of us who had/have dwelled in the villages; we are familiar with how our fathers who are farmers most often carry their guns to the farm in case they would come by some game (wild animals) to kill for consumption.

This Alhaji is said to have threatened his brother with arrest because while he, Alhaji, is supportive of Kumawuhemaa and the alleged Kumawuhene Barimah Sarfo Tweneboah Koduah (Dr Yaw Sarfo in private life), his runaway brother is on the side of Kumawuhene Barimah Tweneboah Koduah V.

For simply being on opposing side, this Alhaji who has teamed up with Kofi Basoah to behave as two notorious, irresponsible and naive individuals, has caused his own brother to escape from Kumawu by falsely accusing him of attempted murder.

I do not understand why these victims of false allegations always run away instead of staying to argue their case or defend themselves or lodge a complaint against their accusers.

Kofi Basoah and Alhaji will probably live to regret the way they have been molesting or pressing false charges against people, all because those people are not in the same camp as them, with regard to the Kumawu chieftaincy wrangling.

Kumawuhene Barimah Tweneboah Koduah V has successfully celebrated his 1st Akwasidae anniversary and within days or weeks a video clip of the event will find its way onto the YouTube.

Is it true that Alhaji has never travelled beyond the borders of Kumawu hence does not even know Effiduase in the Ashanti region? If yes, does it not explain his "Akurase taaman" attitudes?

I am ready to cure him of his "Akurase taaman" sickness provided I can get someone to show him around Kumasi or Accra. I am ready to pay for their one day trip to Kumasi or Accra provided he is willing to make that journey and on condition that I can get somebody to take him there.

I believe on their trip, he may see someone who is taller and more muscular than him to curtail his belief that he is the only tallest and strongest person in Ghana hence he had better remain "Akurase taaman"

To him, I say, travel and see.....

Rockson Adofo

(Written on Monday, 1st February 2016)