Kingmakers of Awate petition Chieftaincy Ministry to halt inauguration of Awate Traditional Council

Some traditional leaders of the Awate Traditional Council

Fri, 10 May 2024 Source: Albert Kuzor, Contributor

The Ministry of Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs has begun the inauguration of five traditional councils in the Volta Region.

The areas include Dzodze, Xevi, Weta, Anyako, and the Awate Traditional Council.

While the Ministry is set to inaugurate the Awate Traditional Council on Thursday, May 9, 2024, the Three Wings Chiefs of the Awate Traditional Area are calling on the Ministry to halt the planned ceremony as soon as possible.

In a press statement issued on Tuesday, May 2, 2024, a total of ten (10) sub-chiefs and clan-heads of the Awate Traditional Area, constituting the Three Wings Chiefs, claimed that the current Paramount Chief, Togbe Azahvuvu IV of Awate, is a self-styled Paramount Chief of the Awate Traditional Area.

They said Togbe Azahvuvu, known privately as Thomas Kafui Azah, has not gone through the customs and traditions of Awate and has not received approval from the Three Wings Chiefs; however, he is not qualified to be the Paramount Chief, but he was forced into the role for his own interest.

The ten chiefs who signed the petition alleged that Thomas Kafui Azah and his factions illegally installed him (Thomas Kafui Azah) to succeed the late Paramount Chief of the area, Togbe Noagbesenu III, during his funeral activities in the community.

They said the actions by Thomas Kafui Azah and his factions are not in line with the practices of the Awate Traditional Area; hence, their behavior has caused a dispute in the community in the past years.

The Three Wings Chiefs are the highest traditional political authority and the principal kingmakers of the Awate Traditional Area.

According to them, there is a pending case against Togbe Azahvuvu, at the judicial committee of the Volta Regional House of Chiefs over his legitimacy.

The Three Wings Chiefs are, therefore, calling on the Chieftaincy Ministry to halt the inauguration of the Awate Traditional Council with immediate effect.

They are also calling for an investigation into the illegal installation of Togbe Azahvuvu.

"We call on the judicial committee of the Volta Regional House of Chiefs to expedite action on the pending chieftaincy case to forestall peace and progress in the Awate Traditional Area," they said.