Oguaamanhen celebrate 25-year milestone: Involve chiefs in governance - Osabarimba Kwesi Atta II advocate
The Paramount Chief of Oguaa Traditional Area, Osabarimba Kwesi Atta II, has advocated the proper inclusion of chiefs in governance through appropriate legislation to accelerate socio-economic development in the communities.
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He explained that chiefs played critical and socially acceptable roles as authorities through constant interaction with traditional structures of governance and the communities, therefore, their active involvement in local governance would positively impact their communities.
Such new roles, he said, must be properly structured and legislated for clarity. "Chiefs must be involved in the governance of the country, because chiefs are at the grass roots of society.
They interact with the grass roots, the people; they live with them and understand their needs more than the government that sits up there. If chiefs are properly involved in governance, resolution of many problems would be easier," he stated.
He observed that in times past, chiefs were widely recognised and esteemed as overlords of their communities, overseeing a lot of engagements, from business to social activities and the development of their communities.
However, over the years, he said the powers of the chiefs had been taken away by politicians through legislation.
"Because some of the laws passed do not really address the needs of the grass roots, everything now has to be referred to government and the chieftaincy institution is portrayed now as less useful, which is not so," he said.
In an interview with Graphic Online's Shirley Asiedu Addo at Efikesim in Cape Coast last Saturday, Osabarimba Atta II dismissed perceptions that the chieftaincy institution had outlived its usefulness and must therefore be scrapped.
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He said governance was about making the lives of the people better, adding that chiefs were better placed to make it happen more than politicians.
Osabarimba Atta II also spoke about the religious and spiritual roles of chiefs as leaders accepted by the ancestors and who also had the "support" of the ancestors.
"Once a young lady woke up early to the washroom in this house. She met an old man who told her to tell my brother the verdict of a pending court case then would be in his favour.
That young lady later identified the old man who spoke to her as my late grandfather she never knew from a photograph.
"This and several other testimonies and revelations from our ancestors indicate that the ancestors are with chiefs and the souls of the communities lie with them. The people know this. You cannot compare that with someone who campaigns for votes and wins an election," he added.
Advice to president
Osabarimba Atta II said it was a fact that the work of the President was a difficult one.
He, however, urged the President to prioritise developmental projects and undertake the important ones that impacted the majority of Ghanaians positively.
"He should also do all in consultation, especially with the chiefs, so the beneficiaries would understand and support such actions," he added.
Projects call
He appealed for the expansion of particularly senior high schools in Cape Coast, saying many people wanted to come to schools such as Wesley Girls’, Mfantsipim and Holy Child, among others.
Osabarimba Atta II also called for the rehabilitation of the Bakaano Hospital, roads connecting Cape Coast to other cities, especially to the Kakum National Park, and the innercity roads.
He also appealed for the promised airport for Cape Coast to boost tourism further, saying the traditional council had been appealing for that for about 15 years now.
Green city project
Osabarimba Atta II said the traditional council was working to make Cape Coast a green city in the near future to make it a preferred tourist destination in the country.
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He said Cape Coast used to be the capital of Gold Coast (now Ghana), with the city being the first in everything. The Oguaamanhen further observed that that had not been fully explored for the growth and development of the area.
"We want to make sure Cape Coast, its status as a city of firsts, is maintained and improved, and explored for the growth and development of the area," he added.
"We want to turn the coastline into a green city to enhance tourism. “We also want to improve upon the tourism facilities, castles, forts, schools and churches to make the city more tourist-friendly,” he said
That, he stated, would be done mainly by private companies who had shown interest and had undertaken preliminary drawings for such investment. Included in this plan, Osabarimba Atta II said, would be a slavery museum close to the Castle and the Cape Coast Museum at the palace.
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"We will also institute a monthly plan to get the youth in the schools here to have customs and tradition learning sessions with the traditional council. All these, we are hopeful, would keep the city busy for tourists and create jobs for residents.
Fetu Afahye
Touching on Fetu Afahye and its relevance to preserving culture, he said every community had a unique heritage that told the world about it and the Fetu Afahye told the world about Cape Coast and Ghana.
"The Fetu festival brings us together yearly to showcase and preserve the culture and traditions of the people of Cape Coast for posterity. Many come to understand the values, customs and traditions and these help us spread traditional values to the young and old, indigenes and tourists alike," he added.
He said the Oguaa Traditional Council in its own small way had introduced the ‘Kyim bi dzi kyim bi akyir’ durbar to educate the youth on the right cultural practices.
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"We realised that the youth are drifting from who we are as Africans, as Ghanaians and as Cape Coasters.
“We have unique ways of doing things. The media and other channels of interaction have further worsened the situation. Some don't even know our greetings,” he bemoaned.
He said the ‘Kyim bi dzi kyim bi akyir’ introduced by the traditional council was to imbibe in the youth the relevance of our traditions so they did not get lost.
"We also have our language we must preserve or else we will be suppressed and constantly controlled by others. What you can say in your language you may sometimes find it difficult to say in other languages.
“When you speak your language what you want to say comes out clearly," he explained. He said his greatest achievement as a chief was to have preserved the peace of the area.
"When you are provoked, think twice. Two wrongs don't make one right. You don't run out with your nakedness after one who provokes you. I have worked with all stakeholders to promote peaceful co-existence in the area and I am happy about that," he added.
He thanked the leaders of the land for finding him worthy for the position of a paramount chief.
He said he was happy the little he had achieved had been recognised by the University of Cape Coast recently with an honorary doctorate degree and by the Cape Coast Technical University with a lecture in recognition of what he had done.
He called on all indigenes to unite and develop Cape Coast into a great kingdom.
He urged all to eschew divisiveness and come on board to help accelerate the development of Cape Coast.
He said although the city was the first among many, its development did not befit its status, saying the traditional council was ready for innovative ideas that would propel Cape Coast to the top.
He used the opportunity to invite all to this year's Fetu Afahye, saying by all indications this would be the biggest ever Fetu festival.
