Anum Adontenhene calls for calm following installation of two parallel paramount chiefs

Correspondence from Eastern Region

Adontenhene of the Anum Traditional Area and Acting President of the Anum Traditional Council in the Eastern Region has called for peace and unity among the people as a means of resolving the current feud in the community following the installation of two paramount chiefs in the area.

Okogyeaman Nana Kwasi Anyane V speaking on behalf of the Bruku Bretuo Royal Family in an interview at his palace at Anum noted that the impasse which currently threatens the peace, unity, and development of the Anum community had been sent to the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs for arbitration.

Two sides led by the Adontenhene and the queen mother, Nana Ama Korangtenmaa respectively on the 5th of May, 2023 installed two paramount chiefs following the death of Nana Appiah Kumi whose reign lasted from 1970 to 2016 when he passed on at age 86.

Nana Kwasi Anyane who insisted that the queen mother wasn’t empowered to install a paramount chief said he has petitioned the regional house of chiefs to address the impropriety that has been done by the other faction.

“We feel what has been done by the queen mother is improper so the family and I through our lawyer prepared a summon for the regional house of chiefs. It’s been three weeks now but we haven’t heard anything,” the chief said, adding that his side was ready to resort to the legitimate means to have the issue addressed.

Describing Anum as a peaceful community and urging for calm among the people, the traditional leader emphasized the need for harmony in the community. He underscored: “We want peace, we are one…we want development, we want progress.”

The Adontenhene called on the queen mother and her faction including, the Krontihene, Osahene Nana Owusu Ntow IV, the Kyidomhene, and the Benkumhene to halt their actions and seek reconciliation with the chiefs and people of the area.

He also advised the people of Anum to learn the history, culture, and traditions of Anum to enlighten and guide them in their endeavors.

Background

Two persons were about three weeks ago controversially installed as Omanhene (Paramount Chief) of the Anum Traditional Area.

Some armed men reportedly stormed the house of the Gyaasewaahene who was the custodian of the stool on the dawn of May 05, 2023, shot indiscriminately into the air, ransacked the rooms and forcefully took away the stool to install the new chief.

The Omanhene of Anum is selected rotationally from one of three families from the Bruku Bretuo Royal Family including Atta Anum (Panyin), Atta Kuma (Kakra) and Tawiah Families.

Abrewatia of the Bruku Bretuo Royal Family, 77-year-old Isaac Osei Ayesu contends that while the late chief hailed from the Tawiah family with the Atta Anum Family standing in line to produce the next chief, this was by-passed by the queen mother’s faction to select one Kwabena Asare who hails from the Atta Kuma Family for enstoolment.

Queenmother of the Anum Traditional Area, Nana Ama Korantenma I, the Krontihene, Osahene Nana Owusu Ntow IV, the Kyidomhene and Benkumhene reportedly installed Okusiaku Kumi Sasraku VIII, known in private life as Kwabena Asare, a grand-nephew to the queen mother, as the new paramount chief of the area.

Following this development, the Adontenhene together with the family insisting that the process was illegitimate same day also supervised the installation of Dickson Daniel Owusu as parallel Paramount Chief under the stool name, Nana Okoampata Hiawo Kumi II.

Following the development, the District Security Committee (DISEC) on the 9th of May, 2023 invited the two sides to a meeting with a resolution that none of the two sides should occupy the palace until further notice.

Nana Anyane intimated that though he after hearing rumors of the intended installation by the queen's mother sought an injunction from the District Magistrate Court at Senchi to halt the intended process, Nana Ama Korangtenmaa and the others avoided the bailiff and hence avoided being served and went ahead with the installation process.

The Abrewatia reiterated the words of Okogyeaman Nana Kwasi Anyane V that the development was a threat to peace and development in Anum and called on the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs to fast-track the resolution of the impasse.

Meanwhile, the Krontihene, Osahene Nana Owusu Ntow IV when contacted by GhanaWeb on the issue declined to comment but said he together with the queen's mother would respond to the allegations at the appropriate time.

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