Sunyani queenmother files suit against Yaw Agyare, Akwamuhene

The Queenmother of the Sunyani Traditional Area, Nana Akosua Dua Asor Sika Brayie II, has filed an interlocutory injunction to restrain one Yaw Agyare from carrying, styling and conducting himself as Sunyanimanhene in any manner.

The injunction application also seeks to restrain the Akwamuhene, Nana Kwaku Sarbeng Ababio II, from introducing or parading Mr Agyare as Paramount Chief of the Sunyani Traditional Area in any manner whatsoever.

Reason

In an application filed on her behalf by lawyer Kwame Twumasi-Awuah, at the Bono Regional House of Chiefs last Friday, the queenmother said Nana Ababio by custom lacked the capacity to nominate a candidate to occupy the vacant paramount stool of the Sunyani Traditional Area.

It said the purported nomination and installation of Mr Agyare under a tree in front of the old palace was contrary to custom and law and same must be set aside.

It said Mr Agyare was not validly nominated by the queenmother of the Sunyani Paramount Stool and, therefore, had not acquired or attained chiefly status and could not style himself as Omanhene of the Sunyani Traditional Area.

The injunction application said the successor of the late Nana Bosoma Asor Nkrawiri II had to be chosen in accordance with the custom to be installed as paramount chief.

"By custom, I have the customary discretion and privilege to select a candidate from the male members of the royal family to be installed as Omanhene of Sunyani Traditional Area," it said.

The application said all seven male royal members of the Boahen Korkor family had applied to be considered for the vacant stool and had presented their customary drinks.

"After receiving the customary drinks, I tasked 2nd Respondent (Nana Sarbeng) and others to conduct a background check on the candidates to find out whether they have had an infraction with the law to enable me to make a selection.

"Without my consent and authority, 2nd Respondent on 6th January 2025, installed 1st Respondent (Agyare) as Omanhene of Sunyani Traditional Council in front of the old palace under a tree with the stool name Odeefuor Ogyeamansan Boahen Korkor II," it said.

It said the installation process of Sunyani Traditional Area had been published in the Government bulletin as LI.1972 (2010), adding that the nomination and installation of a candidate as paramount chief of Sunyani must be done in accordance with the procedure spelt out in the Legislative Instrument. 

Contrary

The application said the purported nomination and installation of Mr Agyare as Omanhene by Nana Sarbeng was contrary to the time-honoured custom of the Sunyani Traditional Area.

It said the purported installation of the 1st Respondent by the 2nd Respondent under a big tree in front of the palace was not done in conformity with LI, therefore, the purported nomination and installation was void ab initio (invalid from the beginning).

"As queenmother, I have the customary privilege and honour to nominate a candidate from the royal family to be installed as paramount chief. Therefore, the conduct of 1st Respondent is a complete usurpation of my customary function and role to nominate a candidate from the royal family for the vacant stool," it said.

"The conduct of 2nd Respondent by nominating and installing 1st Respondent as Omanhene of Sunyani under a tree has affected the dignity, aura and sanctity of the stool,” Nana Brayie averred in her affidavit.

Furthermore, she said the second Respondent lacked the capacity to nominate and install the 1st Respondent as the paramount chief of Sunyani, therefore, the purported nomination and installation were not valid and same must be set aside.

Harm

The queenmother averred that great harm and irreparable damage would be caused to the stool if the first Respondent was allowed to style and conduct himself as paramount chief of Sunyani Traditional Area.

“Therefore, 1st Respondent must be restrained on the orders of this committee from conducting and styling himself as paramount chief,” Nana Brayie prayed the Bono House of Chiefs.