By Yaw Gyamfi Koduah

The attention of the Progressive Youth of Kumawu has been drawn to media reports regarding alleged renewed chieftaincy clashes at Bodomase near Kumawu which were sourced to Starfmonline.com and Classfmonline.com and posted on Ghanaweb on Friday February 17, 2017.

The said reports were not only inaccurate but also false as far as Barima Sarfo Tweneboa Kodua, the Omanhene of Kumawu, is concerned and wish to paint the true picture of events to set the records straight as follows.

It must be stated here that Barima (NOT Berimah) Sarfo Tweneboa Kodua is the Omanhene of Kumawu Traditional Area and has sworn the oath of allegiance to the Asantehene, the Overlord of the Asante Kingdom, Opemsuo Otumfuo Osei Tutu II to that effect as far back as November 3, 2014 and therefore the legitimate chief of Kumawu.

It therefore cannot be said that Barima Sarfo Tweneboa Kodua is a self acclaimed paramount chief of Kumawu as the report indicated.

It must also be pointed out that Nana Serwaa Amponsah (NOT Ampomaa) is the Queen mother of Kumawu Traditional Area the past 26 years without question.

Last Thursday’s clash was between the followers of Barima Tweneboah Koduah V, alias John Oduro also known as Akwasi Oduro, a self styled rival chief of Kumawu and the police deployed by the Ashanti Regional Police Command to stop Barima Tweneboah Koduah from holding himself as the Kumawuhene while attending the funeral of a former Akyempimhene of Kumawu Traditional area, Nana Okyere Krapah II.
For the records, Nana Okyere Krapah II together with Nana Sarfo Agyekum and Nana Okyere Darko had all been destooled in November 2014 in their capacities as Akyempimhene, Aduanahene and Nsumankwaahene respectively for flouting the orders of the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II.
Neither Barima Sarfo Tweneboa Kodua, the Kumawuhene nor his agent had intended to attend any funeral let alone go to Bodomase to forcibly resist the police attempt to stop them.
It might interest readers to know that Barima Tweneboa Kodua is the Medical Superintendent of the St. Michael Catholic Hospital at Jachie-Pramso and was nowhere near Bodomase or Kumawu at the time the incident and the said clashes were said to have occurred.

Fact is, Barima Sarfo Tweneboa Kodua was at Manhyia Palace at an emergency meeting of the Asanteman Council during which Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the Asantehene had introduced the new Asantehemaa, Nana Ama Konadu.

The out going Regional Police Commander, COP Nathan Kofi Boakye also bid farewell to Otumfuo and Asanteman Council at the same forum and the Kumawumanhene was privileged to have welcomed the new regional Police Commander as well as advise COP Kofi Boakye on behalf of Asanteman Council.
Come to think of it. Why would the Kumawuhene, Barima Sarfo Tweneboa Kodua move from Kumawu to go to Bodomase to cause commotion there let alone engage in clashes with the law enforcement agency.

It is obvious from the above that it was rather Barima Tweneboah Koduah V alias John Oduro, who having paraded himself as Kumawuhene was prevented from exercising the functions of a chief when he was not hence the clash resulting in the injuries of seven police officers and some residents.
I take this opportunity to correct the impression that Barima Tweneboah Kodua V alias John Oduro has not sworn allegiance to the Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II last year (2016) as the report indicated.

Rather it was Barima Sarfo Tweneboa Kodua who swore the oath of allegiance to the Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II on November 3, 2014 as Kumawuhene after all the necessary customary rites had duly been performed at Kumawu under the watch of stool elders.

Any journalist or reporter worth his salt should know the story of Kumawu as of now and know who the legitimate chief and who the self-styled chief of Kumawu is.
The public must know the difference between Barima Sarfo Tweneboa Kodua (Kumawumanhene) who stays at Kumawu and occupies the palace at Kumawu and Barima Tweneboah Koduah V , alias John Oduro (the self acclaimed rival chief whose name has an ‘h’ at the end), who domiciles abroad and occasionally resurfaces and resides at Bodomase, whose chief Baffour Atta Tweneboah is the Nifa (right division) of Kumawu Traditional Area.

From the above, it is only proper that any right thinking member of the reading public disregards the media reports referred to above. The police know the truth and would at the appropriate time paint the correct picture of the event and those who are culpable of engaging the police with impunity.

Yaw Gyamfi Koduah
Chairman