File photo of Police personnel
By Rockson Adofo
Following the Police Brutalities in Kumawu-Bodomase
It is alleged that on Thursday, 16 February 2017, during the standoff between the police and the military on one hand, and Kumawuhene Barima Tweneboa Kodua V and his supporters on the other, the Divisional Police Commander in Ashanti Effiduase issued the order to shoot and kill Kumawuhene Barima Tweneboa Kodua V. He said it is an order from above. It is understood he pulled his pistol, aimed it at Barima Tweneboa Kodua V but luckily, it misfired.
I am more interested in the three-word phrase ORDER FROM ABOVE as the pivotal subject matter on which this write-up will revolve. I have heard the rumours of the nation’s security agents and other public service personnel using the order from above phrases to justify their otherwise illegal actions taken. Today, I am going to investigate through this publication, to find out who are at above issuing oftentimes lawless orders to either intimidate or deny some people their fundamental human rights.
If it is true as alleged, I would like the Acting Inspector General of Police, Mr David Asante-Apeatu, to conduct in-depth investigations into who ordered him from above to shoot and kill Kumawuhene Barima Tweneboa Kodua V if he resisted arrest or failed to succumb to their malicious plots directed at denying him his rights as a citizen of Ghana.
If there should be any such higher order to take the life of an innocent citizen, it should come from the President of the country, the Interior Minister, the Inspector General of Police and probably, the Regional Commander of Police. Which one of them might have issued that diabolic order to kill Kumawuhene Barima Tweneboa Kodua V in case they had succeeded in carrying it out?
I know for fact that His Excellency President Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo-Addo, a believer in justice for all, would not authorise that order as long as Barima Tweneboa Kodua V was not doing anything treasonable that would plunge the nation into turmoil. Similarly, the Interior Minister and the IGP Mr David Asante-Apeatu would not do that. Who then is that mysterious entity to have issued that order?
Let me take this opportunity to inform the whole world that Barima Tweneboa Kodua V, (Mr John Kwasi Oduro in private life) a true royal with matrilineal lineage to Kumawuhene Barima Tweneboa Kodua I, the originator of the Kumawu Kodua Stool, is the recognised and overwhelmingly accepted Kumawu Omanhene by the citizens/subjects of Kumawu traditional area.
The fact that Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II colluded with Asanteman Council and Kumawuhemaa Abenaa Serwaah Amponsah, for the acquisition of their selfish interest, to impose a puppet in the person of Dr Yaw Sarfo, on Kumawuman as their Paramount chief (Omanhene), does neither in any way legitimise him, nor make him acceptable to the people of Kumawuman.
I am sorry to say, those who are not conversant with Ashanti, and especially, Kumawu history in relation to the nomination, selection and election of a royal-candidate for the position of Kumawuhene-elect (chief-elect) had better go and do proper research. No Asantehene, and I repeat, no Asantehene, has the right to interfere with the nomination, selection and election of a royal to occupy any of the principal divisional paramount stools in the Asante Confederacy now called Asanteman let alone, needlessly imposing someone on them as seen to have been done in the case of Kumawuman, by Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II.
Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II erred big time. He breached some existing conventions and traditional protocols as well as constitutional obligations by forcing Dr Yaw Sarfo on Kumawuman as their paramount chief. Being a subject of Kumawuman and knowing he has arrogated to himself powers he has no right to, I have decided to challenge him to stop insulting the intelligence of the noble subjects of Kumawuman and also, to cease abusing his powers.
Do I care if people, especially cowards, and those who by lack of historical knowledge are ready to kowtow to him, make obeisance and do whatever he says without questioning to know whether he is right or not, accuse me of insolence when I am educating people on some aspects of the Ashanti traditions/custom and regulations?
Going back to the police brutalities as taken place in Kumawu-Bodomase, the outgoing Public Relations Officer of the Ashanti Regional Police Command, Yusuf Mohammed Tanko, said the police had intelligence that Barima Tweneboa Kodua V (an individual conducting himself as Kumawu Omanhene) would be attending the funeral of the late Kumawu Akyempemhene in a capacity of Omanhene. Therefore, they decided to proceed to Kumawu-Bodomase with intent to stop him from attending the funeral in that capacity since on the records of the police, they only know Dr Yaw Sarfo, the alleged Kumawuhene, as the sole Omanhene of Kumawu.
Tanko lied to the whole country that “Kumawuhene†Barima Sarfo Tweneboa Kodua and Kumawuhene Barima Tweneboa Kodua V were both going to attend the late Kumawu Akyempemhene Nana Okyere Krapa II’s funeral hence to avoid clashes between the supporters of both of them, they moved the police and the military to Bodomase to stop Barima Tweneboa Kodua V from going to the funeral as Kumawu paramount chief (Omanhene).
As I normally do to prove my arguments beyond reasonable doubt, I am going to ask Yusuf Mohammed Tanko, (the now transferred Police PRO) a few simple questions.
1. When and how did the police come by, or gathered, the intelligence that there would surely be mayhem in Kumawu-Bodomase were Barima Tweneboa Kodua V to attend the funeral as Kumawu Omanhene?
2. Did the police upon gathering the so-called intelligence, conduct any secret investigations to find out which side of the two chiefs was going to start the troubles if indeed there was going to be a clash between the supporters of both sides?
3. Did the police know that the late Nana Okyere Krapa II was by the Akan extended family and tradition the father of Kumawuhene Barima Tweneboa Kodua II and that throughout the public announcements of the funeral, Barima Tweneboa Kodua V was the senior chief mourner?
4. Did the police know that Barima Sarfo Tweneboa Kodua (Dr Yaw Sarfo) was not invited to attend the funeral and that he was not going to attending?
5. Did the police know that the late Kumawu Akyempemhene was a sub-chief paying obeisance to Barima Tweneboa Kodua V but not to Barima Sarfo Tweneboa Kodua and that Barima Sarfo Tweneboa Kodua had absolutely no right to attend his funeral without invitation?
6. Do the police know that despite having Barima Sarfo Tweneboa Kodua on their record as the one and only Kumawu Omanhene does not give them the automatic right to move against anyone conducting themselves as Omanhene, without such a person having impersonated the name, characteristics, expressions, speech etc. of the officially recognised Omanhene of the area?
7. Do the police know that “Kumawuhene†Barima Sarfo Tweneboa Kodua should have taken whoever he felt was impersonating him or seeking to falsely usurp his title to court; obtained a judgment with the issuance of court orders to be passed on to the police before the police could move in to stop or arrest the so-called impersonator, in this case, he is Barima Tweneboa Kodua V?
8. Do the police know that they are not allowed to interfere in chieftaincy issues let alone, taking sides, but to help maintain and restore order by standing in-between two fighting factions if that became the situation and that chieftaincy disputes are left to the courts to resolve where all traditional means have been exhausted but failed?
The police have indeed erred by trampling on the fundamental human rights of not only Barima Tweneboa Kodua V and his sub-chiefs but also, the people of Kumawuman, especially, the citizens of Kumawu-Bodomase.
The police and the soldiers by their lawless actions started the near bloodbath in Kumawu-Bodomase. Their superiors who sent them to commit that lawless act against the people of Kumawu-Bodomase, and Barima Tweneboa Kodua V and his supporters must be punished.
As the brothers of biblical Joseph had sought to kill him because he was born to be great and to be their ruler, but were later obliged to kowtow to him as he had dreamt, so shall the police who went to Kumawu-Bodomase and those who ordered them to go and kill Barima Tweneboa Kodua V do in a few months time. What God has ordained, no man can undo it.
Please, public readers, listen to the true audio reportage on how the whole incident of the police cum military brutalities against the people unfolded. This audio reportage is by a news reporter who was present at Bodomase to cover the funeral when the near carnage started. Again, watch the video coverage of the incident via the underlying YouTube links.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZS3llwJl9gk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJqU0S4NR3s
Finally, who was that order from above that wanted to see Kumawuhene Barima Tweneboa Kodua V killed? I hope to get the answer within days.
