We do not bury our chiefs with human heads - Nene Benta III

The Acting President of the Prampram Traditional Council and the Mankralo of Prampram, says human sacrifice has never been part of the burial rites and of their chiefs.

"Here in Prampram, our deities do not accept blood sacrifices. Even the main deity of Prampram doesn't accept the blood of goats, fowls, etc. So there is no way out for people to be beheaded in this area for rituals," Nene Benta III said.

Nene Atsure Benta III was addressing a press conference at Prampram to officially announce the death of Nene Tetteh Djan III, Paramount Chief of the area, and to outline his burial and funeral rites.

He observed that notwithstanding, they were still vigilant to prevent persons who might want to carry out such hideous acts just to tarnish the good reputation of the traditional area and mar the beauty of their custom.

In an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), he said the late Paramount Chief was worth celebrating because his reign symbolized stability of leadership in the traditional area.

He said, "For sometime, we did not have a peaceful transition. It was from his term that we had a peaceful transition from one chief to another and it stopped the destoolment of chiefs. Those days, they would enstool one chief and destool him a year or two later."

He observed that during his reign, there was unity and no fighting within all sub and divisional chiefs as they duly recognised him as the Paramount Chief of the area.

He assured that “this smooth transition they had enjoyed under him will continue”, adding that, "I can assure you because the systems are firmly in place so you can't jump one system to do another. So it will be problem free. We will make sure that the right things are done so we can have a peaceful nomination and installation of the next Paramount Chief."

He also assured of the adequacy of security saying that, "We have made arrangements for the Police to beef up security in the town. We are also trying to support them with some military personnel."

Nene Benta III informed of the ban of the use of any type of rifle; pump gun, handgun, AKs, pistol and any weapon that used cartridges.

He added that "all guns that use gunpowder/pin are exempted, but their use would be closely monitored to avoid any mishap."

Nene Benta III said the funeral which would be conducted amidst drumming, musketry and performance of traditional rituals would start on Monday, the 23rd of October 2017 and end on 29th October.

He said the body of the late chief would be laid in state from the 24th to 28th October 2017 during which the people of Prampram, Greater Accra Chiefs, other Regional Houses of Chiefs, and the President of the Republic of Ghana, Nana Addo-Danquah Akufo Addo would file past and pay their last respects.

Others to file past included Members of the Diplomatic Corps, State Functionaries, and other dignitaries as well as the Clergy and other invited guests.

“There would be an inter-denominational burial service on Saturday the 28th of October and a thanksgiving service on the 29th of October at the funeral grounds, “he said.