[ 2015-02-03 ]

Asanteman council reaffirms support for new Kumawuhene
The Asanteman council has reaffirmed its support
and recognition for the new chief of Kumawu,
Barima Sarfo Tweneboah Kodua.

The council has also vowed to expose and punish
individuals and groups behind the recent
disturbances in the town arising from the
installation of a rival chief.

After a protracted litigation, which lasted for
seven years, Barima Sarfo Tweneboah Kodua known in
private life as Dr. Yaw Sarfo was installed on
October 30, 2014 and swore the oath of allegiance
to the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II at the
Manhyia Palace, on November 3, last year.

However three kingmakers, the Aduanahene Nana
Sarfo Agyekum, Akwamuhene Nana Akwasi Baffoe and
the Akyempimhene Nana Okyere Krapah from the
Ananaya clan insisted Dr. Sarfo was an imposition
and therefore would not accept him.

But the Asantehene’s Maawerehene Baffour Osei
Hyiemang says the council was shocked at the
decision of the three chiefs since the matters
they raised have duly been resolved by the council
and all parties agreed to abide by the outcome.

“First they came to plead with the Asantehene to
allow their choice accepted and when the facts
were made known, they questioned the lineage of
the Kumawu queenmother Nana Serwaa Amponsah of the
Ankase royal gate before the Asanteman council but
they were unable to provide evidence to back their
claim after the queenmother had shown evidence
relating to her family tree,” the Maawerehene
disclosed to the media.

Video footage available from all meetings
concerning the Kumawu chieftaincy issue showed all
sides being given the opportunity to state their
case before the Asanteman council chaired by the
Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II.

The Queenmother Nana Serwaa Amponsah and Dr. Yaw
Sarfo were again accused of being outsiders with
no royal blood to the stool.

In the course of the hearing which started in
2013, the Akwamuhene Nana Kwasi Baffoe and the
Kontihene who died under strange circumstances
recently, took the council through the ancestral
tree of the Tweneboah Kodua clan and made a strong
claim why their choice should be accepted.

The 38 member council after listening to the
narration of the queenmother accepted her choice
with only two chiefs dissenting.

“This was a collective decision by the Asanteman
council and accepted by the Asantehene and
eventhough a finality was brought to the issue,
Dr. Sarfo had to perform the necessary rituals at
Kumawu before coming back to the Manhyia palace to
swear the oath of allegiance before the King and
now he holds the black stool of Kumawu,”
Maawerehene added.

It will be recalled that a rival chief installed
by the Kontihene undertook a procession within
Kumawu during the Akwasidae although Barima Sarfo
Tweneboah Kodua had sat in state to observe the
festival. This development brought about tension
in Kumawu which forced the security agencies to
act to restore calm in the area.

While describing the action of the late Kontihene
faction in the chieftaincy issue as “unfortunate
and affront” to the traditions of Asanteman,
Maawerehene Baffour Osei Hyiemang said those
behind the disturbances will be exposed and
punished in accordance with tradition and the law.
‘

“These are disgruntled individuals who will not
go unpunished more especially when they had all
accepted the Asanteman council’s decision, and
let me also say that at some point they took the
matter to court and it was thrown out. They also
said they were not against the verdict and raised
issues with the procedure and therefore the
council was shocked by their action.

“Information available suggests some of the
kingmakers who masterminded the procession at
Kumawu during the Akwasidae have deserted the
town,” he narrated.

Kumawuhene Barima Sarfo Tweneboah Kodua was in his
full traditional regalia and paid homage to the
Asantehene at last weekend’s 80th anniversary of
the Asante confederacy held at the Manhyia palace.

Source - Joy News

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