Nana Boamah Ayirepe is Kwahu Nkwatia chief - National House of Chiefs affirms

After six years of legal dispute, the National House of Chiefs has affirmed Nana Boamah Ayirepe III as the Chief of Kwahu-Nkwatia.

This follows a unanimous decision by a five-member Judicial Committee panel of chiefs to reverse the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs’ decision that Nana Ayirepe could not hold himself as chief of Nkwatia after the death of Nana Atuobi Yiadom IV in 2016.

By the decision, Samuel Boama Danso, a claimant to the stool, cannot hold himself as the chief of Kwahu Nkwatia.

Oseadeeyo Akumfi Ameyaw IV, Osagyefo Kwame Akounu X, Togbega Patamia Dzekley VII, Nana Mprah Besemuna III, and Okokyeredom Sakyi Ako II were the members of the Judicial Committee the National House of Chiefs empanelled.

Call for unity

Addressing some residents at the palace at the just-ended Akwasidae celebration, Nana Ayirepe expressed worry over the misunderstanding and intolerant posture of the dissatisfied faction.

He said it was a well-known and widely accepted fact by the kingmakers and residents of the area that he was the chief of Kwahu Nkwatia.

For the common good of the area, Nana Ayirepe called on everyone to join him for the betterment of the traditional area.

Background

Following the passing of Nana Atuobi Yiadom IV in 2016, Nana Ayirepe was enstooled as Chief of Kwahu Nkwatia in October 2020 by the Krontihene of Kwahu Nkwatia, Nana Odei Tutu Ababio, and a section of stool elders and kingmakers.

The queenmother, Nana Agyeiwaa Kodie II, and nine other stool elders filed a petition against the Krontihene and four elders who enstooled Nana Boamah Ayirepe II as Chief of Nkwatia.

She challenged their traditional legitimacy to enstool Nkwatiahene without her involvement.

She prayed the Judicial Committee to place a perpetual injunction, restraining Nana Ayirepe from holding himself as chief of Nkwatia.

The petition was, however, dismissed by the Judicial Committee of the Kwahu Traditional Council on October 16, 2020, and among others, declared that Nana Ayirepe was duly elected, nominated and enstooled.

The plaintiffs later challenged the decision of the Judicial Committee at the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs.

The Regional House of Chiefs sided with the plaintiffs and granted their petition, which has been reversed by the apex judicial decision-making body of the chieftaincy institution, the National House of Chiefs, in Kumasi on Friday, October 24, this year.

The protracted chieftaincy dispute rendered the Kwahu Nkwatia Stool vacant for over five years after the death of Nana Atuobi Yiadom IV in 2016, who reigned for 60 years.