The Asanteman Council is understood to be secretly threatening some media reporters from carrying news on the ongoing Kumawu chieftaincy wrangling in their media outlets.
One wonders why upon all the revelations of the absurdities, arbitrariness, corruption and illegalities associated with the purported enstoolment of one Dr Yaw Sarfo as Kumawuhene, the Asanteman Council, and particularly Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, still obstinately shamelessly believes in, and defends, the untraditional and intimidating procedure used.
Issuing threats to the media houses in attempts to prevent them from reporting on the truthful versions of Kumawu history/issues in their newspapers will not wash. Intimidations have never been the best method for resolving conflicts, they rather stoke up conflicts, hardening the resolve of the one threatened to stick to their guns with regard to whatever they intend doing.
The fact that the entire Asanteman Council sat in state to deliberate on, or adjudicate the Kumawu stool dispute, arriving at their collusively disgusting and shameful decision, does not necessarily confirm that their decision was right. Otumfuo Osei Tutu II should therefore not dare continue to use the fact that the decision was a unanimous decision by Asanteman Council and hence it was right, as his credible defence.
Anyone who has bothered themselves to watch the video placed on YouTube titled, "Asantehene involves in corruption" in conjunction with reading my published views and research work on Asantehene, Asanteman Council and Kumawu in relation to the bogus circumstances surrounding the alleged enthronement of Dr Yaw Sarfo as Kumawuhene, will see why Dr Yaw Sarfo cannot be accepted as such.
Out of my numerous publications on the subject, let me limit you to only three of them. That will suffice you comprehending the strong message I am putting across today. Please google the website links provided below.
http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/features/artikel.php?ID=338032
http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/features/artikel.php?ID=351761
http://www.modernghana.com/news/589565/1/kumawuhene-sends-a-manipulative-letter-to-police-c.html
After reading them and watching the video, you will better understand that Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II cannot hide behind that weak defence wall of "the decision to enstool Dr Yaw Sarfo as Kumawuhene was not mine alone, but a unanimous agreement by the entire Asanteman Council". Whether the decision was solely his or not, both him and Asanteman Council cannot choose anyone to be imposed on Kumawuman as her paramount chief (Omanhene). No Asante's tradition has bestowed that prerogative or mandate on them.
As per the submission of Mamponghene as viewed in the video, one can clearly establish that some of the chiefs had already met in secret, and agreed on what to do or say, when the invocation of Asantehene's Great Oath was brought before the Council for hearing/interpretation. He said, ".... If you don't take care, I shall reveal everything that I know about this Kumawu chieftaincy case.....Nana Kumawuhemaa has agreed to offer each of you Kumawu kingmakers here, a brand new car if you helped her enstool her candidate, Dr Yaw Sarfo, as Kumawuhene....You have already taken the money (bribe) and you need to do the job... "
By this, has Mamponghene not let the cat out of the bag? Had the Kumawu kingmakers not secretly been induced with money and promises to do the unthinkable? Do our existing conventions and statutory laws in place not forbid such acts of corruption, bribery and extortion? Are punitive measures not spelt out in writing in the statute books to deal with anyone engaging in such acts as could be read from the website links provided above?
Even on the 24 February 2014 that Asantehene in collusion with Asanteman Council compelled the Kumawu kingmakers to accept Dr Yaw Sarfo at Manhyia Palace as the Kumawuhene-elect, the kingmakers had not gone to Manhyia Palace for that purpose. They had gone there in the belief of seeing Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II hear from the invokers of the oath their motives for doing that. And then to settle the issue of the invocation of the oath through purposive interpretations with or without the attendant punishment on the invoker or on whom it was invoked.
Why Asantehene and his Asanteman Council did rather force the Kumawu kingmakers to accept Dr Yaw Sarfo as Kumawuhene-elect at Manhyia on that fateful day without properly addressing the issue that had brought them before the Council in the first place is beyond comprehension? The action of the Council could not only be said to be bizarre, but also, totally in breach of laid down Kumawu procedures in regard of nomination, vetting, election and enstoolment of Kumawuhene.
The nomination, vetting and election of a royal candidate for the position of Kumawuhene are solely done in Kumawu by the Kumawu kingmakers, but not in Kumasi at Manhyia Palace as contrarily seen to have prevailed on 24 February 2014 as evidenced in the video. Why did the Council seek to breach Kumawu's enstoolment procedures that have existed since the foundations of Kumawuman and Asanteman?
Will each of the Asanteman Council's members be happy if their particularised traditional rules are breached by whomever with impunity? I do not care a farthing about their response, but Kumawu will never accept their faux pas as the way forward in the history of Kumawu.
It must be noted that Dr Yaw Sarfo had merely been nominated by Kumawuhemaa and was being taken before the Kumawu kingmakers for vetting when the oath was invoked on him as an illegitimate unworthy to be considered for the throne. He had by then not gone through successful vetting, let alone, been accepted and elected. Without election, he could not become Kumawuhene-elect. Without being Kumawuhene-elect, he could not be presented before the Amanhene at Manhyia to swear the oath of allegiance to the Golden Stool and be introduced to them as one of their colleagues of equal status.
In a nutshell, Dr Yaw Sarfo, the alleged, but massively rejected Kumawuhene going by the stool name Barimah Sarfo Tweneboah Koduah, is not Kumawuhene at all. He does not have the support of Kumawuman citizens. Nobody, except a handful of his Ankaase family members does support him with the rest of the people including about 2/3 of his own Ankaase family disowning him.
Asantehene should rather bury his head in his palms in shame than to seek to threaten some newspaper reporters if they dared carry any news on Kumawu stool dispute that may not be favourable to him.
If he continues to conduct himself as the despotic Asante Overlord with all the clipping of his wings by my history-informative publications, I shall have no any other option than to cut short the fragile truce I unilaterally declared between him and me a few days ago.
Finally, let Asanteman be aware that "We are unique. What makes us unique is what makes us special. And what makes us special is what brings us together. We have to live together and celebrate our differences". Nobody should force their trickeries on another in the hope of subjugating them. Life is just the way the cookie crumbles. They will be treated in a manner befitting their actions.
A WORD TO THE WISE IS ENOUGH.
Lest I forget, a newly formed "Overseas Concerned Citizens of Kumawuman" will soon be publishing articles on the Kumawu stool disputes in some major newspapers in Ghana. They will also engage the services of radio stations both abroad and in Ghana to disseminate their views on the case. Amansan Radio in New York (USA) and Sources radio UK online will play active roles in their quest for truth and informing the public about the Kumawu chieftaincy dispute.
They will soon relieve me of the cumbersome duties of being nearly the sole reporter on Kumawuman issues. They are telling me, "Hey Rocky, you are too tired and old, proceed on voluntary retirement. However, you will forever remain our respected consultant on Kumawu issues as more involved and competent as you are"
Rockson Adofo
Copyright © 1994 - 2024 GhanaWeb. All rights reserved.
