Three paramount chiefs in the Western Region are trying to mediate in the misunderstanding that has ensued between the royal family and the paramount chief of Eastern Nzema, Awulae Amihere Kpanyile IX.
The royal family, led by Obaahema Avo Nyimah and Ebusuapayin Frank Kwasi had filed destoolment charges, as petitioners at the Western Regional House of Chiefs (WRHC), against Amihere Kpanyile, as Respondent.
But even before the WRHC could sit to determine the matter, the royal family had gone ahead to traditionally destool the respondent, Amihere Kpanyile and replace him with one Egya Erzoah, as Omanhene, with the stool name Awulae Blay IX.
Information available to this paper indicates that the enstoolment of Awulae Blay IX, who is the nephew of respondent Amihere Kpanyile seems to have raised tension in the traditional area.
As at the time of filing this report, the Ellembelle Police Command had declared the Palace at Atuobo, the traditional capital, as a security zone with Police guarding it throughout the day.
The Police have also reportedly rounded up royal family members behind the enstoolment of Awulae Blay IX and were remanded by the Ellembelle District Court for ten days, for breaching the Public Order Act.
The family members have since been granted bail after they filed for it through their legal Counsel at a higher court.
It is in the light of this that the three Paramount chiefs have waded into the dispute with the intent of ensuring at Atuabo.
The three, Awulae Attibrukusu III, Omanhene of Lower Axim, Nana Kwesi Agyemang IX, Omanhene of Lower Dixcove and Nana Kobina Nketiah IV, Omanhene of Essikado Traditional Area have since written to mediate in the dispute.
Awulae Attibrukusu, who confirmed the letter, told this reporter in a telephone interview that they first wrote to the Ellembelle District Court where the royal family members were being tried for misdemeanor for the court to allow them to mediate in the matter.
The court, according to Awulae Attibrukusu, granted their plea and fixed the 24th of September as date to bring their mediation report to the court.
Awulae Attibrukusu, however, told this reporter that they were yet to communicate a date to the two parties for a meeting.
According to him, the mediation team would first meet the two parties together at a round table for them to state their concerns.
“What triggered the court summons is as a result of a chieftaincy dispute. So if we are able to resolve the chieftaincy dispute, there will be no court issues”, he told this reporter.
In an answer to whether the WRHC is the appropriate forum to deal with chieftaincy dispute,
Awulae Attibrukusu answered that “even the Supreme Court allows mediation through settlement.”
Attibrukusu expressed the hope that if the mediation team settled the dispute, there was the likelihood that the petition before the House would be withdrawn.
It would be recalled the royal family filed ten point petition at the WRHC, seeking to destool the Amihere Kpanyile as Omanhene.
PARTICULARS OF OFFENCE
The offences as listed in the petition include the fact that the Respondent has failed and refused to heed to advice by the elders of the stool to marry after 13 years on the stool, contrary to tradition and custom of the people of Eastern Nzema.
The Respondent has also failed to account to the family and the stool of the numerous royalties from statutory bodies belonging to the Traditional Area since he was enstooled as Paramount chief 13 years ago.
TRAVELLING OUTSIDE GHANA WITHOUT NOTICE
What is more, Respondent has failed to render an account to the elders of the stool family and to take proper custody of the family stool properties entrusted into his care.
The petitioners, explaining what led to the respondent’s destoolment, alleged that in the month of October 2023, the kingmakers in a meeting at the chief’s palace at Atuabo and in the presence of the Respondent laid the charges herein before him (Respondent) who promised to change for the better, but had rather changed for the worse.
Also in the month of April 2024, three days were fixed at the request of respondent to go into the matters stated herein, but though the kingmakers and elders of the stool both from far and near gathered at the chiefs palace over the matter, respondent in utter disrespect refused to show up, leading to the necessary rite and custom being performed to destool him.
Consequently, they are seeking for interlocutory injunction to restrain respondent from holding or carrying himself as Omanhene until the determination of the matter.
