Anum Adontenhene challenges legitimacy of newly gazetted Omanhene

Correspondence from the Eastern Region

The Adontenhene of the Anum Traditional Area and the Bruku Bretuo Royal Family of the Eastern Region, Nenye Kwasi Anyane is still seeking justice over the gazetting and subsequent induction of the Omanhene, Okusiaku Kumi Sasraku VIII, into the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs.

The chief at a recently held press conference at the forecourt of his palace at Anum raised pertinent issues concerning the enstoolment, gazetting, purported criminal activities and the alleged involvement of the Akwamuhene in aiding what he called an illegal enstoolment of one of two installed rival paramount chiefs in the area.

According to the Adontenhene, selection of the Paramount Chief has since 1750, been on a rotational basis with the Paramount Chief, Queen Mother and the Abusuapanin at each point in time belonging to three gates within the Bruku Bretuo Royal Family namely, the Attah Num, Attah Kuma and the Tawiah Gates.

The purpose of this arrangement, the Adontenhene explained is to ensure equity and fairness at all times.

But accusing the queen mother, Nana Ama Korangtenmaa of ignoring the existing rotational system of selecting the Paramount Chief, Nenye Kwasi Anyane said she has gone ahead to select her grandson known in private life as Kwabena Asare who belongs to the same gate as the queen mother for installation as Omanhene without consulting the entire family (Gates).

“This, the family sees as wrong and must be corrected at all cost since it is now the turn of Attah Num Gate to ascend the throne,” the Adontenhene noted strongly.,

Though Okusiaku Kumi Sasraku VIII has since been gazetted by the National House of Chiefs and subsequently inducted into the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs, Nenye Kwasi Anyane described the gazette as ‘illegal’.

He accused the queen mother of breaching due process and illegitimately acquiring the gazette from the National House of Chiefs for her grandson.

Explaining the procedure of acquiring a gazette for the Anum Omanhene, Nenye Kwasi Anyane explained that proper procedure per the dictates of the Anum Traditional Council demands that the Adontenhene who doubles as the Acting President of the Traditional Council is mandated to initiate and lead the gazetting process.

“He (Adontenhene) was not informed and didn't know anything about the gazette which makes the acquired gazette questionable and being challenged in court,” he disclosed, adding that the gazette was fraudulently acquired.

He ascribed criminality to the whole installation process allegedly involving thugs who forcefully broke into the room of the custodian of the stool in the dead of the night and seized it.

“Criminal activities which have been undertaken by the Queen Mother and her group include breaking into the dark room to steal the stools and other important ancestral properties with land guards led by the Kontihene and his cohorts wielding offensive weapons during the act,” the Adonhene alleged.

He added: “In the middle of the night, you bring land guards and soldiers to the house of the Gyasiwaa, shoot indiscriminately, forcefully take the stool and install a chief. You defiled the stool, you have defiled Anum…we shall not accept this. I will not accept it.”

Nenye Kwasi Anyane and the family also gave a stern warning to the Akwamuhene, to desist from meddling in the affairs of the Bruku Bretuo Royal Family in selecting their suitable candidate to ascend the throne.

Accusing Odeneho Kwafo-Akoto III of conniving with Nana Ama Korangtenmaa to perpetrate the alleged illegitimacy, he cautioned: “He should not support illegality by standing in for the Queen Mother and her cohorts. The Akwamuhene should focus on issues in Akwamu and leave Anum alone to select the right person for the throne.”

While outlining his contributions to the development of Anum including renovating the kindergarten of the Anum Presby School, renovating the Anum Police Station, painting the Omanhene’s palace, facilitating the expansion of the local clinic, providing water facility for the people of Asikuma-Dasokrom, releasing lands for several developmental projects, etc., he accused the queen mother of failing to contribute to the development of Anum but instead instigating disunity in the area.

The Omanhene of Anum is selected rotationally from one of three families from the Bruku Bretuo Royal Family including Atta Anum (Panyin), Atta Kuma (Kakra) and Tawiah Families.

Queen mother of the Anum Traditional Area, Nana Ama Korantenma I, the Krontihene, Osahene Nana Owusu Ntow IV, the Kyidomhene and Benkumhene reportedly installed Okusiaku Kumi Sasraku VIII, known in private life as Kwabena Asare, as the new paramount chief of the area.

Following this development, the Adontenhene together with the Bruku Bretuo Royal Family insisting that the process was illegitimate same day also installed Dickson Daniel Owusu as parallel Paramount Chief under the stool name, Nana Okoampata Hiawo Kumi II.

The matter is currently pending before the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs.