Tension is gradually building up between two paramouncies – Lower Axim and the Nsein –
in the Nzema East Municipality of the Western Region over the ownership of a land that lies between the two traditional areas. Though the disputed land reportedly belongs to Otupai Family, the two traditional areas are still fighting over it.
Whilst the paramount chief of Nsein, Awulae Agyefi Kwame II claims the land falls under his paramountcy and has consequently destooled the chief of the area and installed a new one, the Lower Axim Traditional Area, led by the paramount chief, Awulae Attibrukusu III and the Awuzah Family are also claiming ownership.
Awulae Attibrukusu III went public with a claim over the land, after realising his counterpart from Nsei had removed one Nana Awuzah as chief of the area.
At a recent durbar to welcome six new chiefs and four Queen mothers into the Nsein Traditional Council, Awulae Agyefi Kwame II announced to the gathering that he has replaced/destooled Nana Awuzah as chief of Otupai and replace him with one Nana Asama.
According to the Nsein paramount chief, he decided to destool Nana Awuzah because he violated tradition by deciding not to serve him, Agyefi Kwame.
He said a court had already ruled in his favour as custodian of the land and that, it was disrespectful for Awuzah to stay on his land and decide not to serve him.
But at a press conference held by both the Awuzah family and the Lower Axim paramouncy, they warned Nsein to tread cautiously else there would be blood bath between the two paramountcies.
The two also called on President Akufo-Addo, National Security, the Interior Ministry and the Ghana Police Service to intervene immediately in what it described as a looming ‘bloody’ clash by compelling the Nsein Paramount chief to perpetually abstain from the Otupai land and chieftaincy related matters.
Addressing the press, Nana Awuza III pointed out that the Nsein Omanhene has no right to interfere in Otupai’s affairs.
“This position has been made clear by decisions of competent courts on the same issue and his persistence will result in a bloody fist as we are ready to serve him with a taste of his bitter food soon.
“This is the last press conference we are holding and we are ready to face him. Chieftaincy is not about press conferences, wherein the Chieftaincy Act allows an Omanhene to enter into another family, hand pick his favorite and install his favorite as a chief,” he said.
Nana Awuzah, wearing red armbands and heavily supported by other chiefs called on the Nsein chief to withdraw his secretly installed illegitimate chief, Nana Asama, who he described as alien to the family in terms of his title.
“The Awuza family only recognises Nana Awuzah III who has been properly nominated and installed by the entire family as the true and only chief of Otupai since 2008. The Awuzah family of Otupai, Lower Axim, further appeal to the president of the Republic of Ghana and the respective legally established agencies to take our petition submitted to them very serious.
BACKGROUND
Giving background to the impasse, he said the disputed Otupai land encompasses the central portion of Lower Axim township, the traditional capital of the Lower Axim Traditional Area.
As a result, Agyefi Kwame’s unwarranted advances are seen not only as frivolous but also as an indirect attempt to arrogate authority over the Lower Axim Traditional Council itself to his stool.
The Nsein chief, he said, had pursued the unfounded claim that the Awuza Family and thus all Otupai lands were under the jurisdiction of the Nsein Paramountcy since 1968.
He said the Otupai Division has been part of the Lower Axim Traditional Council (LATC) since the fifteen century and has never served the Nsein Traditional Council (NTC).
According to him, the Nsein stool was once part of the LATC and that Otupai Division never became part of Nsei, when it was granted autonomy.
He said it was also on record that the Otupai land were not obtained from the NTC as there was no documentation to back such frivolous claims by the Nsein chief and that vehement claim was absurd and “we challenge him to present his evidence to counter claim, as he has severally not been able to produce such evidence”.
Again, no chief from the Awuzah family of Lower Axim has ever served on the NTC since time immemorial. He said since elevation into paramountcy, Nsein, after decades of service under Lower Axim had nine stool chiefs, including the current one, but it is only the latter that is claiming ownership of Otupai for reasons best known to him.
The chief claimed the recent Sekondi High Court ruling reaffirmed that the true and legitimate owners of Otupai are the Awuzah Family and that NTC lacked the authority to annex the Awuzah Family of Lower Axim and its lands to the Nsein stool.
Addressing the same press conference, Awulae Attibrukusu III, Omanhene of LATC said as custodians of traditional custom and values, it behoves chiefs to conduct themselves worthy of emulation and befitting of the stool they occupy.
“And for Agyefi Kwame II, who has occupied the stool for 55 years to conduct himself in a manner unbecoming of a paramount chief of his stature was regrettable.”
Consequently, the Lower Axim overlord appealed to the Nsein Omanhene to consult the Chieftaincy Act 759 on the procedure for enstooling and destooling a chief.
“I am equally by this Act educating Agyefi Kwame that he has no right or authority in law to install a chief where there is already an existing chief.
“We are convinced at this point that his relentless, but baseless actions are calculated efforts to generate discord, litigation and confusion among family members.
“We, the chiefs of Lower and Upper Axim Traditional Councils on behalf of our people state categorically to Agyefi Kwame that all these baseless and false claims must end forthwith. We are resolved to ensure it stays as such using all available legal means”.
Earlier, the chiefs, drawn from both Upper and Lower Axim Traditional area, led by Awulae Attibrukusu embarked on a silent demonstration in protest over the Nsein Omanhene’s claim before addressing the press conference.
