Inside story from Nkrabeah Effah Dartey
The year was 2000, April, the scene was at the Methodist Church in Berekum. A top NPP Local chairman was dead, and as the NPP Parliamentary candidate I was present with all the constituency executives.
I saw this very smart looking young man going up and down very busy, all over the place. I asked the NPP Constituency secretary seated by me – who is this young man? Oh, Tommy? He is the Vice – Chairman and it is his chairman who is dead.
So, I called him: “Look here, Tommy – now that your chairman is dead, you are the Acting Chairman ….” All he said was “ … oh, Captain ……”
From that day he became my Personal Assistant and all through the 8 years that I was MP for Berekum, he was my alter ego. Young as he was his family nominated him, and we put in place a solid strategy that made him become the TWAFUO HENE of Berekum Traditional Area.
Ten years on the stool, he was made chairman of the Planning Committee for the Announcement of the death of Nana Berekumhene and he did it so well that he was made chairman of the Planning Committee for the One Week. Naturally he was made chairman of the main funeral Committee and he oversaw all the arrangement for the funeral.
All the radio stations in Berekum were giving regular announcement about the funeral painting of all houses along the main streets, every citizen of Berekum compulsorily wearing black and red and traditional warriors (Abrafoa) roaming the streets enforcing the rites. Berekum was agog with the upcoming funeral: Monday for locals, Tuesday for NDC’s John Mahama and surrounding villages, Wednesday for President Akuffo Addo and all chiefs and climax on Thursday for Asantehene.
Late on Sunday the Twafuohene called me. “Captain, there is a problem” Nana Dormaahene wants to come on Thursday, the day reserved for Otumfuo, and when he comes there will be a problem – Captain.
According to history, the Dormaas, who are AKWAMUS were living at where Kumasi is today, and they killed and cut off the head of the Asantehene, OBIRI YEBOAH.
The Asantes chased them up to ABESEWA, then to ABESIM, and finally to their present settlement, DORMAA beyond Wamfie. Always at war with Ashantes, together with their cousins the GYAAMANS, the Asantehene, OPOKU WARE sent a military expeditionary force under the command of Asokorehene to establish a military espionage base at a strategic center, to give early warning reports on Dormaa – Gyaaman military movements.
Right from day one, when Berekum was established, Dormaa and Gyaaman were ALWAYS at war with them, climaxing with the famous NKYIBENA war in early 1930.
It was not debating that Berekum is for Asantehene and if the Dormaahene has a problem with Asantehene, whatever it is, the Berekum should not be the venue for a rehearsal of the conflict.
On Sunday the Twafohene went to Dormaa and not the linguists and pleaded with them that Nana Dormaahene can come to the funeral on Monday or Tuesday, or on Wednesday but as for Thursday, sorry, Nana – It is for Otumfuo.
He did not succeed, and word went round that Dormaahene was coming to the funeral, on Thursday, with 4,000 bodyguards!!!
Catholics Priests, NPP politicians and other high ranking personnels tried to talk to the Dormaahene but no, he was resolute – he is coming to Berekum on Thursday. Who is Otumfuo? He is the Dormaahene, President of Bono Regional House of Chiefs, coming to honour a, member of the Bono House.
On Tuesday, the chairman of the funeral Committee Nana Twafuohene again went to Dormaa, this time with a delegation but met an even hostile reception – Nana Dormaahene is coming.
An emergency meeting took place in Berekum – what must we do? For the first time in the history of the Asanteman the Otumfuo is coming to Berekum with all his paramount chiefs, crossing the Tano River.
If persuasion fails, force must be applied. Dormaahene is a lawyer, and a Justice of the High Court. Let us go to Sunyani High Court and secure an ex parte order of injunction to restrain him NOT to attend the funeral on Thursday.
Come Wednesday as Vice President Bawumia was shaking Berekum with cash donation of 75, 000 Gh cedis, lawyers were busily issuing writ of Summons, Motion for Interlocutory Injunction moving same at High Court and bailiffs going to Dormaa to serve the Ex Parte Order.
There is this very beautiful lady, now one of Otumfuo’s Queen mothers as she called me and said: “Captain, we are coming to your town tomorrow, and if Dormaahene misbehaves we will whip him like JSS student…..”
Thursday, 23rd November 2023 – Otumfuo Osei Tutu II Asantehene stormed Berekum with 300 V8 Landcruiser’s carrying all the Paramount Chiefs of Asanteman and 60 VIP passenger busses carrying over 1000 warriors, escorted by countless police vehicles.
In response at Dormaa Ahenkro, Justice of the High Court, Mr. Justice Daniel Mensah sitting as Osagyefo Oseeadeeyo Agyeman Badu II Dormaahene held a press conference at the Palace and told his people that he is a man of peace. He does not want any bloodshed in Berekum. He only wanted to honour his fallen colleagues’ members of the Bono Regional House of Chiefs.
Dormaa versus Asante? No, not in Berekum!!!
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect The Chronicle’s stance.
