Krobo Festival Turns Bloody

THE rather peaceful celebration of the annual Nymayem festival by the chiefs and people of Manya Krobo in the Eastern Region over the weekend turned bloody when a claimant to one of the divisional stools stabbed an Asafoatse (a warrior) in the forehead with a dagger.

The attacker, Nene Tetteh Zogli III, known in private life as Francis Tetteh, was alleged to have pulled a dagger and stabbed the warrior at the Lasi Park at Odumase Krobo where a durbar was held with dignitaries, including Eastern Regional Minister, in attendance.

A source told DAILY GUIDE that the injured Asafoatse, Nene Dautey Anyra of Adjikop Takporm, was one of the six war leaders who opposed Nene Zogli’s candidature for the position of a divisional chief of Piengua.

The Asafoatse was reported to be seated among traditional rulers under a canopy meant for the Piengua division when Nene Zogli attacked him.

Nene Zogli arrived at the durbar ground in a palanquin, dancing to traditional songs and beats.

He was said to have sighted the Asafoatse sitting on a seat meant for him before he got down.

Infuriated by the action, Nene Zogli was alleged to have fired warning shots with a pistol which, according to a source, was meant to scare both the Asafoatse and some other war leaders to flee the durbar ground.

The other war leaders were unperturbed and did not move away from the canopy.

“When Nene Zogli got down from his palanquin, he quickly drew a dagger and straight away pointed it at one Nene Teye Mormor, the acting divisional chief of Piengua,” the source disclosed and added that onlookers did not take him serious.

Brandishing the dagger, the embattled chief hurriedly made his way through the onlookers and reportedly stabbed the forehead of Nene Dautey.

The chief was alleged to have, together with his warriors, attacked the victim and stripped him of his traditional outfit, which included a cap, beads and some gold ornaments. Their victim at this point was reported to have fainted and as if that was not enough, the rampaging chief and his warriors later charged on a certain David Teye Huapoyo, a state linguist’s fetish priest, subjecting him to severe beatings.

Nene Dautey Anyra was later rushed to St. Martin Hospital at Agomenya for medical treatment.

A report was later made to the Odumase Krobo police.

The dignitaries at the durbar which included the Eastern Regional Minister, Dr Kwasi Akyem Appea-Kubi, were said to have been shocked by the actions of Nene Zogli.

He was said to have run riot when some policemen attempted to arrest him and unconfirmed reports said certain ‘big’ people at the durbar pleaded on his behalf with the excuse that the celebration must not be disrupted.

Giving an insight into what perhaps necessitated Nene Zogli’s action, the source pointed out to DAILY GUIDE that a chieftaincy dispute in the Piengua division started when the then divisional chief, a certain Nene Angmortey Zogli II, during the early part of 2000, abdicated the stool because of differences between him and Nene Sackite II, the paramount chief of Manya Krobo.

With the stool vacant, according to the source, a certain Reverend Adertotey, now deceased, championed the cause of Francis Tetteh who was said to be domiciled abroad, so that the latter would be installed as a divisional chief. In the year 2009, during the month of October, the Reverend’s action triggered some sort of controversy.

This compelled kingmakers in the area to install a Warrant Officer, Tetteh Odjidja, a month later, as the new divisional chief of Piengua with a stool name, Nene Tettey Akora I.

The Warrant Officer’s installation was met with fierce opposition by a group from the area on the same day he was installed, resulting in mass injuries to a lot of people during the attack.

In December that year, the Akuse District Police Commander, ASP Twum Barimah was alleged to have locked the stool house and kept the keys, a move aimed at ensuring that peace prevailed in the area.

Meanwhile, unconfirmed reports say some unknown persons later broke into the stool house and made away with the black stool.

All efforts by DAILY GUIDE to get the police at Akuse and the regional headquarters in Koforidua proved futile.