Odai Ayiku Threatens House of Chiefs

The National House of Chiefs has been exposed over what elders of Nungua describe as mis-chief of the highest order in the on-going Nungua chieftaincy dispute, over who is the rightful Chief of Nungua.

This umbrella organization for the Chiefs has become a manipulated machine through which others use to create chaos in the community. At least so it seems.

After the issuance of several letters by the House declaring Nii Odai Ayiku (IV) as the legitimate Chief of Nungua, the House behaved like the hypocritical monkey who attempted to answer two calls at once and broke its jaw. Ever since the issuance of a purported letter by the then acting registrar, Mr. Prah who declined to speak to THE SUN, tension at Nungua has intensified in all shades and all nooks and crannies the truth could be sought have opted to be quiet.

Documents available to THE SUN indicate that the National House of Chiefs has over the years been inconsistent on the burning issue of who is the rightful chief of Nungua. Documents in the form of letters point to the fact that the purported enstoolment of Nii Odai Ayiku (IV) through the E1 18 in 1983 was accepted by the House as no charges were preferred against him.

Extracts of classified information intercepted by this reporter which is dated 21st November 1983, written by the Chieftaincy Secretariat to the then Chairman of the PNDC on the status of E1-18 07 1983 on the position of Nii Odai Ayiku IV as Nungua Mantse rejected the purported destoolment with the reason that, before a chief could be destooled charges have to be preferred against him for a Court of competent jurisdiction to decide on his fate.

However, in this case no charges were preferred against Nii Odai Ayiku IV which then saw the Chief acquitted and discharged. Since the release of this letter, no fresh charge has been preferred against the Chief.

Informed legal sources say, there is no basis for the withdrawal of the letter and that Nii Ayiku IV is still the Nungua Mantse by custom, tradition and by law, until the elements of the E-1-18 are fulfilled.

In another letter dated 15th December, 2005 with reference number NH/GAR.2/V.5/29 and duly signed by the then registrar F.E. Nuamah, it states that according to the records in the National Register of Chiefs, Nii Odai Ayiku IV known in his private life as Otu Kwei, is the only person registered as the Nungua Mantse.

Years after the issuance of this letter, Prah who took over registrar functions in an acting capacity at the House?s Secretariat signed another letter, claiming that Nii Ayiku was destooled by the PNDC government even though the House has no such record.

When Prah was questioned on this issued he referred this reporter to the substantive Registrar of the National House of Chiefs Mr. Takyi, who would not answer the question and instead demanded a questionnaire. But two months after submission of the questionnaire, the registrar still claims that he just assumed office and that he has to study all the documents available at the office before he could speak on the Nungua Chieftaincy affair. -The Sun