Tension mounts at Nsoatre over chieftaincy dispute
There is an uneasy calm in the Nsoatre Traditional Area in the Sunyani West District in the Brong Ahafo Region as a result of a protracted chieftaincy dispute which has raged on for more than 12 years.
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The dispute is between the Paramount Chief of the Nsoatre Traditional Area, Oberempong Professor Boachie Amoah Koromansa, backed by some of the sub-chiefs, on one side, and the Akwamuhene, Nana Asi Kwasi II, and the Ankobeahene, Nana Baffour Awuah, on the other.
Youth associations are springing up, some of which have aligned themselves to one faction or another and ready to deal with anyone who crosses their way.
Tension started mounting when Nana Asi Kwasi, Nana Baffour Awuah and some sub-chiefs held a press conference at Nsoatre to announce the destoolment of the paramount chief, after preferring charges against him.
Charges
The destoolment charges levelled against the paramount chief include breach of various customs and traditions of the Nsoatre Traditional Area and the commission of various taboos against the Nsoatre Stool.
Other charges are that the chief has breached the great oath of the town, which he swore during his enstoolment. The oath enjoins him not to turn his back on Nsoatre in general and the elders whenever he is called to duty. He is also accused of showing gross disrespect to the king makers, elders and the divisional chiefs.
Another charge levelled against him is that his conduct has brought to the people of Nsoatre untold hardship and inconvenience because there is lack of order, insecurity and despondency among the people.
Destoolment refuted
The chief’s faction also held a press conference last Wednesday, February 19, 2014 to refute the said destoolment of the chief and all the charges levelled against him.
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At that press conference were the Queen of Nsoatre, Nana Asuam Kese; the Adontenhene, Nana Kofi Yeboah; the Nifahene, Nana Amoah Appiah; the Twafohene, Nana Kwame Korang; the Benkumhene, Nana Agyen Ababio; the Kyidomhene, Nana Amankwaa Mensah, and the Gyaasehene, Nana Korang Asimpi.
Also present were the family heads of three out of the four royal gates from where chiefs are selected.
They were Nana Bediako Ababio of the Nsesreso Gate; Nana Kwadwo Dwaa of the Abuom Gate and Nana Kwasi Adjei of the Kusiase Gate.
All the chiefs and the queen pledged their unflinching support and loyalty to the chief, adding that they were not aware of the said destoolment.
Press conference
Speaking at the press conference, Nana Dwaa explained that the paramount chief could not be destooled by the few chiefs without the consent of the rest of the sub-chiefs.
He said the charges must be registered at the Judicial Committee of the Brong Ahafo Regional House of Chiefs and that the Omanhene must be tried and proved guilty before customary rites could be performed to destool him.
He said the Akwamuhene, who was leading the other faction to destool the paramount chief, had already been destooled, while the stools of the Ankobeahene and the Krontihene had been ‘overturned’, since they had cases to answer and that they had no power or authority to destool the chief.
Nana Dwaa said only three out of the nine kingmakers performed the customary rites to announce the said destoolment of the paramount chief.
He said what was happening at Nsoatre was not helpful and that there was the need to put an end to it.