We are not violent people – Konkombas begin image cleansing campaign

Konkombas have begun an image-cleansing campaign as years of conflicts have left its tribesmen suffering the shame of being tagged as violent and warlike.

The Konkombas have had a checkered history ridden with tribal conflicts and land disputes.

Notable among these have been the inter-Komkomba-families land disputes at Saboba; the Konkomba – Bimoba clashes; the Komkomba – Chokosi feud in Chereponi and the infamous Kokomba – Nanumba Guinea Fowl barter war that claimed over a thousand lives and valuable property.

Addressing a durbar in Kumasi; the Komkombas enumerated several of their kith and kin serving productively in various capacities both in private and public life

“We have komkombas who have served in the past and present government. We have nine MPs, five from the NDC and four from the NPP. In this government, we have the Defense Minister, the Deputy Minister of Roads and Highways and the Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs,” the Konkombas stated.

“It is an enviable record that apart from the Ashanti’s, there is no other tribe aside Komkombas that dominate in over 30 constituencies and we decide who wins as an MP in those constituencies.”

The tribesmen reiterated hundreds of Konkombas who had risen through academia to lecture and head major departments of tertiary institutions and boasted of producing the first and youngest black managing director of Multinational shipping Company, Maersk.

“Apart from that, we have yam markets all over the country and those markets generate a lot of revenue in taxes for the nation,” they added.

President of the Kumasi Komkomba Youth Association John Womborti appealed for their tribe’s men to be accepted as peace-loving and productive members of the society.

“We want to tell the world that Konkombas are a peace-loving people, hardworking and trustworthy but people always associate us with our violent past. We want to remove this stigma. Things that happened in the past is regrettable but we shouldn’t be seen as violent.” John Womborti pointed out.

The leaders encouraged their relatives to participate actively in politics but warned they will not countenance any Komkomba tribesman engaging in any acts of electoral violence as the country gets closer to its campaigning and electioneering period.