Our chiefs deserve respect

The Ghanaian airwaves have, of late, been filled with echoes of sounds emanating from unfortunate rifts between some politicians and some chiefs.

It is very true that our politicians wield power, as granted them by our constitution, but they must know that the chiefs are custodians of the lands.

On 3rd April this year, the Atebubu traditional area banned Hon. Sanja Nanja – the MP for Atebubu-Amantin constituency – from visiting the Omanahene’s palace indefinitely. And just this week, the Manhyia palace has disconnected from the activities of the KMA, following a reported insubordination exhibited by the KMA boss – Kojo Bonsu – towards the Asanteman council.

Some of these incidences have happened before, and a lot will happen if we don’t rise up against it at this rooting stage.

Anytime some politicians get the nod to serve Ghanaians, they allow arrogance to eat into their heads, and so look down on any other person, including the chiefs. Do they think the chiefs are non-entities? Do they feel that they can do without the chiefs? If that is their thought, then they have stepped on an erroneous zone.

They must know that real politics started with the chiefs, until the advent of westernization kicked it out of place and bestowed on them, the level they occupy now.

It is the wish of every politician to lavish the people he is serving with several developmental projects, so that he will win the attention of all and sundry. But how can this ambition materialise if they fail to recognise that the land on which they are going to carry out the developments are in the hands of the chiefs?

Have they forgotten that every Tom, Dick and Harry on the land pays allegiance to the chiefs, and that they must do same? Have they forgotten that no matter what they do for the people, they will not be hailed if they fail to subordinate to the custodians of the lands?

I will plead with our politicians to hold the integrity of our chiefs in high esteem. Political parties will come and go, but chieftaincy is always there. The rest of us must also contribute our quota to making this happen.

If any politician exhibits any gross disrespect towards any chief, we must team up and vote against them massively. We must flash them with the red-cards of our thumbs. If we do this, every president will give a special attention to the chiefs, so that if any of their subordinates reacts unwarrantedly and unjustifiably to any chief, they will apply the trigger and eject them out of office.

If we fail to do that, they will endlessly exhibit such insubordination, and chieftaincy will gradually diminish until it gets completely faded out in posterity.