I’m ready to hand over to Okuapehene – Otoobuor Gyan Kwasi assures after the gazette

The Acting President of the Okuapeman Traditional Council, Akuapem Adonten Hene and Akuapem Aburihene, Otoobuor Gyan Kwasi, has assured that he is ready to hand over powers and position to the Okuapehene, Oseadeeyo Kwasi Akuffo III, as customs demands. According to Otoobour Gyan Kwasi, this has become necessary due to the gazette of Okuapehene by the National House of Chiefs on October 5, 2022. The Aburihene became acting President of the traditional council following a petition filed by Queen-mother of Okuapeman Nana Obuor Nketiaa II challenging the legitimacy of the Abrewatia of Sakyiabea royal house Lily Agyemang in selecting Odehye Kwadwo Kesse Antwi to be enstooled as Okuapehene. Speaking to journalists after a get-together organized by the Management of Papaye to the Adonteng Chiefs for a successful and incident-free Odwira festival this year, Aburihene, Otoobour Gyan Kwasi, revealed that due to chieftaincy issues in Akuapeman, the traditional council muted or banned all gatherings in Akuapem before the annual Odwira festival celebration. But he's happy that, after all, calm and peace have prevailed in Akuapeman and they've had a successful Odwira festival. Otoobour Gyan Kwasi added that "Now, the National House of Chiefs has gazetted our chief Odehye Kwadwo Kesse Antwi, the traditional council will meet on Tuesday 18/10/22 to outdoor him and hand over his position to him, after which we will present him, Odehye Kwadwo Kesse Antwi, to Koforidua Regional House of Chiefs on Thursday, October 20, 2022. "These are all indications of peace and unity and also a win for the entire Akuapeman. Again, I want to emphasize that Okuapeman must move forward." Otoobuor Gyan Kwasi called for calm and peace moving forward. “We must all remain calm. We are one people, and peace is what we want. Anybody who wishes to help Okuapeman must do that in earnest and with honesty so that Okuapeman becomes successful," he said. Background Three Royal Houses, namely: Nketia House, Ama Ogyaa House, and Sakyiabea House, ascend the Ofori Kuma stool and that has been codified under the declaration of the customary law (Akuapem State) order, 1960, L.I. 32. The L.I. further provides that these three houses ascend on a rotational basis, and when it is a house’s turn, it is that house that nominates. Oseadeeyo Addo Dankwa III passed away in 2015 after reigning for 35 years, which is the longest reigning period since the formation of the Akuapem State. Lilly Agyemang Abrewatia of Sakyiabea royal house whose turn it was to nominate a candidate, settled on Odehye Kwadwo Kesse Antwi and presented him to the Asonahene to be given to the Queen-mother to present to the Kingmakers. Surprisingly, the Queen-mother Nana Obuo Nketiaa II added another name Odehye Kwasi Akuffo who is the nephew of Odehye Kwadwo Kesse Antwi which allegedly created confusion which stalled the process even though eight(8) out of the eleven(11) Kingmakers backed Odehye Kwadwo Kesse Antwi. The two candidates were all separately enstooled by the two factions deepening dispute on the enstoolment process. This compelled the Abrewatia Lilly Agyemang to initiate a suit at the judicial committee of the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs in 2019 to set the record straight that under L.I. 32 and the customs of Okuapeman, it is not the Queen-mother's exclusive right to nominate the Okuapehene, which the Judicial Committee upheld and entered a judgment in her favor on April 30, 2020, and restrained Odehye Kwasi Akuffo from carrying himself as Okuapeman's chief. On May 1, 2020, Odehye Kwadwo Kesse Antwi was presented to the Kingmakers and all due processes were followed for his enstoolment as Okuapehene as the consequential orders of the judicial committee of the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs directed On May 3, 2020, Odehye Kwadwo Kesse Antwi was sworn in with the stool name  His Royal Majesty Oseadeeyo Kwasi Akuffo III to become the 26th occupant of the Ofori Kuma stool. All five divisional chiefs also swore an oath of allegiance to the Okuapehene that same day. However, dissatisfied with the judgment of the Eastern regional house of chiefs and subsequent events thereafter, the Queen-mother, Nana Obuo Nketiaa II, and three others appealed against the judgment at the Judicial Committee of the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs at the National House of Chiefs.