The destooled Paramount Chief of the Akuapem Traditional Area, Odehye Kwasi Akuffo has appealed against his destoolment by the Judicial Committee of the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs.
Odehye Kwasi Akuffo, according to the Judicial Committee was enstooled by the Paramount Queenmother Nana Afua Nketia Obuo as the successor to the late Okuapemhene Oseadeeyo Addo Dankwa III without due traditional process.
While the Paramount queenmother Nana Afua Nketiaa Obuo selected Odehyie Kwasi Akuffo, a retired Journalist and installed him as the new Okuapemhene, with the stool name Nana Oboubi Atiemo, the Abrewatia of Sakyibea Royal family also nominated Nana Kese as Paramount Chief.
Lilian Nana Agyemang who is the Abrewatia of the Sakyibea Royal family petitioned the Regional House Chiefs challenging the traditional capacity of the Paramount Queenmother in selecting and installing Odehye Kwasi Akufo as Okupemhene.
Delivering the landmark judgement Thursday, April 30, 2020, the Eastern Regional House of Chief upheld that selection of a legible royal to be enstooled as Paramount Chief is the prerogative of the Abrewatia of the ruling family whose turn it is to select a candidate and submit the name of the chosen royal to Asonahene to be sent to the Queenmother.
The House upheld that the Queenmother failed to provide evidence that Odehye Kwasi Akufo’s name was presented to the Asonahene as tradition says.
The House also stated that in nominating a candidate, the Queenmother alone cannot select a candidate from the Royal Family without the involvement of the Abrewatia, adding that the involvement of the Abrewatia and the elderly female is an aged-custom which does not take away the powers of the Queenmother in presenting the candidate to the Kingmakers.
Therefore the installment of Odehye Kwasi Akufo is null and void with no traditional effect hence due processes must be followed in enstooling an Okuapemhene.
However, Odehye Kwasi Akufo through his Lawyer, Kwaku Ansa Asare, in an appeal of his destoolment filed at the Judicial Committee of the National House of Chiefs argued that the particulars of misdirection or of error is as follows:
The Committee’s finding that in nominating a candidate the Queenmother alone cannot select a candidate from the Royal House without the involvement of the Abrewatia.
*The Committee’s finding that the evidence of the Respondents fails to establish that the name of the 4th Respondent was given to the Asonahene by the Abrewatia, Lily Agyemang.
*Further particulars of misdirection or of errors in law will be provided upon the receipt of the Record of Appeal.
The grounds of the appeal are:
(i)The judgment is against the weight of the evidence.
(ii)The Committee’s finding that nomination of a Royal to be enstooled as Okuapehene is the sole prerogative of the Abrewatiaof the Ruling House whose turn it is to select a candidate was erroneous.
(iii)The finding that the 1st Appellant did not follow the custom in nominating the 4th Appellant as Okuapehene on the basis of which his enstoolment was nullified is erroneous.
(iv)The judgment is unsatisfactory and failed to resolve the issues raised both on the pleadings and on the evidence as well as in the Memorandum of Issues.
(v) Additional grounds of Appeal will be filed upon receipt of the Record of Appeal.
The Reliefs sought by the Appellants are:
(a) The Judgement together with cost be set aside and judgment entered in favour of the Appellants.
(b) Declaration that Odehye Kwasi Akuffo, the 4th Respondent/Appellant is the proper person to be installed, and an order that he be installed as the next Okuapehene under the Stool name of Oseadeeyo Nana Obuobi Atiemo II, having been validly nominated by Nana Dokua(deceased) who, at the time was the Queenmotherand the customary person to nominate.
(c) An order for cancellation, revocation, withdrawal or nullification of the process of the purported nomination, election, enstoolment and installation of the pretender to the Ofori Stool, Odehye Kwadwo Kesse Antwi, that took place at Akropong Akuapemon Friday, 1st May 2020, through Sunday 3rd May, 2020.
(d) An order of injunction to restrain Lily Agyemang, the Petitioner/Respondent and any person or entity acting by her from taking any step(s) to seek recognition of applying for Odehye Kwadwo Kesse Antwi to be gazetted as Okuapehene and in respect of the said Odehye Kwadwo Kesse from making any representation or holding himself out as Okuapehene.
Source: Kasapafmonline.com/102.5FM
