The Chief of tweneduase near Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and technology (KNUST) Nana Twum Barima II has been destooled following his alleged involvement in a grave looting incident in the town.
Nana Twum Barima allegedly hired the service of one Kofi Mpaebo, a Beninois and a herbalist to dig the ancestral graves of Tweneduase with the sole aim of finding gold nuggets used to bury some chiefs. The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, who ordered the chief's destoolment expressed concern about the role of the chief in what he described as a criminal act, and at a time when the chieftaincy institution has come under so much scrutiny.
The Pioneer agrees in toto with Otumfuo Osei Tutu II that the action of the Tweneduasehene clearly portrays him as a greedyman who is ready to sacrifice traditional norms and customs for the love of money. By desecrating ancestral graves from his own royal family, this man could go to the Tafo cemetery and exhume dead bodies beause of his love for money, he said. Since Otumfuo Osei Tutu II ascended the Golden Stool he has been able to stamp his authority on the chieftaincy institution in Ashanti. He ordered that all cases involving chieftaincy which were before the courts of law should be withdrawn. Otumfuo Osei Tutu further assured the litigants of his commitment to allow truth in all cases brought before him to prevail..
Added to that, he has shown a tremendous propensity to improve the standard of education in Ashanti in particular and Ghana in general. Towards this end he has established the Asanteman Education Endowment Fund (AEEF). Notably chieftaincy as a sacred institution if given the due recognition and respectability could be used to promote human growth and development. However, whilst the institution needs to preserve its unique position in the country the conduct of some of the royals who benefit from it portray chieftaincy as an exploitative and parasitic institution.
We find within the institution chiefs who inspite of the clearly stated law that no chief should be involved in partisan party politics some defy the costitution with the encouragement of the powers - that - be to flout the constitution. Some kingmakers out of the desire to amass wealth brush aside laid down customs and traditions with impunity and attempt at all cost to enstool or enskin people they know they are not royals or even if they are the order of things do not allow them to occupy the stools or skins at the time. But one thing that beats our imagination is for any chief to stoop so low as to involve himself in criminal activities. This brings to the fore the alleged involvement of Nana Twum Barima II in a grave looking escapade involving dead members of his own royal ancesstry. In a society where the institution of chieftaincy is greatly revered it becomes a moral abomination for a chief to involve himself in a grave looting act. Infact it is a nasty dent on the chieftaincy instituion. And we think Otumfuo Osei tutu's call for the destooolment of Nana Twum Barima II was a moment of right decision. Even though Nana Twum Barima II had the decency to aplologise yet his conduct defies the standards of respectable behaviour in our society. He had practised deception on the society.
We think that Manhyia Palace would continue to assist, advice and provide moral support for Otumfuo Osei Tutu II in his eagerness to remove undersirable elements in the chieftaincy institution in Ashanti. We think that if customary and traditional practices are strictly adhered to, with modification when necessary, the chieftaincy would regain its lost image.
