The untold physical and mental injuries the citizens of Agogo, especially their farmers, are suffering under the hands of the Fulani settlers are self-inflicted. The reason for their predicament as revealed by their public protestation is not far fetched. It does not require a Rocket Scientist to tell but a commoner like anyone else. Their sufferance emanates from the thievery and greediness of certain few individuals among who is Nana Akuoko Sarpong, the paramount chief of Agogo traditional area. It is also all too obvious that the dithering by Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, to resolving the Kumawu chieftaincy dispute before him has a decisive role to play in the intransigence exhibited by the Fulani settlers.
The Agogohene, Nana Akuoko Sarpong, in haste to avail himself of unqualified opportunities due to the absence of Kumawuhene, resulting from the passing of Barimah Asumadu Sakyi II, the paramount chief of Kumawu, in June 2007, has rushed to sell some tracts of Kumawuman stool lands to these Fulani. From what I gathered from the news reportage on the public demonstration embarked upon by the people of Agogo on Friday, 16th September 2011, to inform the entire country of their plight under the hands of the Fulani, Agogohene and his traditional elders have leased the land to the Fulani for fifty years. No wonder the Fulani settlers have the guts to not only beat the unfortunate Agogo law-abiding but poor farmers, but also, rape their wives, and kill their men as and when they choose.
To the insatiably greedy and lowlife traditional leaders, you should note, "Nothing comes free. It always comes at a price" They may think to be freely appropriating to themselves what belongs to someone else, without the least knowledge or forewarn, that they will dearly pay for their actions one day. Now is the pay back time which but unfortunately is affecting the innocent poor Agogo people instead of the initiators of the crime.
All those that have co-operated with Agogohene to sell Kumawuman lands can run but they cannot hide. There is coming a day of reckoning when they will be called to account for their deeds and misdeeds. Much as I condemn Agogohene for the untold hardships brought to bear upon the ordinary farmers, I will much in the same vein advise the citizenry to unite to protect their rights by fighting the domineering Fulani settlers in the courts or whichever way they may consider appropriate. I neither am seeking to inflame embers nor will seek to admonish the people of Agogo to sit on their hands while unjustly being tormented. The final decision rests with the Agogos.
Remotely, I blame Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the Overlord of Asanteman, for the oppression of the Agogoman farmers by the Fulani. Had he quicken up the settlement of the Kumawu chieftaincy dispute, there would be no vacuum in the occupancy of the Kumawu paramount stool and hence, Agogohene would have had no legs to stand on to sell Kumawuman stool lands to the Fulani. Without selling the lands to the Fulani settlers, they would not be there in the first place to terrorise the farmers.
Kumawuhemaa and the "Tikenenkenen" Kontrihene of Kumawu should bow their heads in shame whenever the plight of the Agogo farmers resurfaces. Do they care in the first place as callous and selfish as they are?
My heart is there in the coffin with those unjustly killed by the Fulani if actually there is any. Kumawuhemaa is "chilling out" in Canada as I write according to the readings of my "Satnav" or Global Positioning Satellite (GPS). Will Akwasi Sarfo try to locate her and pass on the information that her ancestry Fulani are molesting the farmers at Agogo and that she needs to mediate as urgently as she can?
Kwamanghene should please beware of his actions that are similar to that of Agogohene. It is not worth scrambling dubiously for Kumawuman lands, as there is surely a painful price to pay one day. Those that have ears please let them hear.
John Fosu
