Akute Azu Royal Family calls for reconstitution of Odumase Council

The Akute Azu Royal ‘We’ of Kukom, Odumase-Krobo has expressed disquiet at recent developments in the Manya Krobo Traditional Area of the Eastern Region pertaining to the Manya Krobo Stool.

The family, through a press conference held at the Zimmerman Presby Church at Odumase-Krobo on Saturday, June 6, 2020 said though dialogue remains the best approach towards solving the current impasse, reconstituting the Odumase Council which is vested with the customary responsibility of installing chiefs and queen mothers in Manya Krobo remains a constitutional mandate that must be fulfilled.

The press conference comes on the heels of the destoolment of the Paramount Queen Mother for the Area, Nana Aplam II on May 11, 2020 by the Odumase Council, a decision which has generated a lot of controversy in the traditional area.

A statement issued by the Council, dated Tuesday, May 19, 2020, and signed by its secretary, Bah Sackitey said Nana Aplam II was destooled for failing to perform her primary duties to the satisfaction of the Stool.

The Family of Nana Aplam II in a counter statement on May 27, 2020, dismissed the purported destoolment, claiming that the allegations leveled against the Queen Mother, which constituted the bases for her purported destoolment, were baseless and logically flawed.

The Akute Azu Royal ‘We’ through its spokesperson who addressed the media, Adolphus Amenyo Torkonoo maintained that though a judicial committee of the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs in a 1994 ruling refrained from imposing a paramount chief on the people, it however directed that necessary steps be taken to reconstitute the Odumase Council.

Adolphus Amenyo Torkonoo speaking on behalf of the head of family, Christian Tei Azu, Member of Council of Elders Gustav Matey Azu, Enoch Riley Opata Azu, custodian of the royal stool and other members of the royal family, however said the reconstitution has not been done and the royal family believes this is long overdue.

The Odumase Council, the family demands, should be reconstituted in a way that is transparent with representatives of all male descendants of the Odonkor Azu Family.

To recognize the responsibilities on the Odumase Council, the family is sending a clarion call to various stakeholders to join it to fulfill the recommendations made by the judicial committee of the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs.

“We are calling on all parties and stakeholders to join us to fulfill the above recommendations by the judicial committee that have been unheeded to for over 25 years. The Odumase Council should be reconstituted in a way that is transparent, equitable, and fair with representatives from all male descendants of Odonkor Azu,” the royal family demanded.

The family believes reconstituting the council will not only enhance its legitimacy but also transparency in chieftaincy matters related to the paramountcy.

The royal family recalled that the ruling, aside acknowledging the 12 descendants of Odonkor Azu as royals of Odumase, also asked the council to remain conscious of the provisions of the country’s constitution of following due process in the installation of a traditional ruler in accordance with customary law.

“As to the rightful occupant of the Manya Krobo Traditional Stool, the court, directed us to remain cognizant of the provisions of the constitution of the Republic of Ghana,” the family said.

They however called for calm in Manya Krobo and urged all aggrieved parties in the recent developments at the traditional council, to resort to dialogue to address all outstanding grievances.

“We the Akute Azu Royal Family of Kokum is calling on all Manya Krobos to remain steadfast in our desire to protect the sanctity of our common will as a people,” the family urged while hoping that its clarion call for peace serve as a rallying point for unity.

Also present at the presser were members of Krobo youth groups, Kloma Gbi and Kloma Hengme.