The problem at the core of the Kwahu Nkwatia chieftaincy crisis

In a recent ruling, the National House of Chiefs (NHC) has declared that Kofi Sam Boamah, the self-declared Nkwatiahene, was properly "selected and installed."

This overturns the ruling of the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs which in a March 2022 ruling, stated that his opponent Nana Yaw Abordo, “was properly nominated, selected and elected in accordance to custom.” Kofi Sam Boamah has subsequently gone to swear the customary oath to Kwahu Benkum Division and the Okwahuhene.

GHANA'S CONSTITUTION ARTICLE 277 (DEFINITION OF CHIEF) states-

“In this Chapter, unless the context otherwise requires, "chief" means a person, who, hailing from the appropriate family and lineage, has been validly nominated, elected or selected and enstooled, enskinned or installed as a chief or queenmother by the relevant customary law and usage.”

There are three important processes here-

1) “validly nominated”

2) “elected or selected”

3) “enstooled, enskinned or installed”

And a very key term-

4) “by the relevant customary law and usage”

Now, let us examine the first two processes more closely by the relevant customary law and usage in Kwahu Nkwatia. The third process will be the subject of a later discussion.

VALID NOMINATION

Per ancient Nkwatia custom (also accurately captured in the Gold Coast Gazette of March 28, 1931), the Queen mother nominates a candidate after consultation with Abusuapayin /Adehyiehene and the principal members of the royal family. This consultation is key, as the Queen mother and/or Abusuapayin cannot nominate anyone validly without proper consultation with the principal elders of the royal family.

By this ancient Nkwatia custom, the nominated candidate is presented one at a time to the Kingmakers to approve or reject. If a candidate is rejected, Nanahemma ought to nominate and present another candidate, following the same process till approval is made.

ELECTED OR SELECTED

By ancient Nkwatia custom, the Kingmakers approve the candidate by the following process: They determine whether the candidate is guilty of any one of a list of traditional sins. E.g. adultery, drunkenness, conviction, etc. If the candidate is not found to be guilty, he is approved and selected. Otherwise, he is rejected. The Kingmaker’s electing a candidate by balloting has NEVER been the custom in Kwahu Nkwatia and this indeed is an alien practice.

WHAT HAPPENED IN KWAHU NKWATIA IN 2017?

- The Yiadom Royal Asona Abusua of Kwahu Nkwatia holds the Ohene, Ohemma, and Adehyiehene Stools of Kwahu Nkwatia. Indeed, occupants of these three stools have all come from the three gates of the royal family in the last century and since time immemorial.

- After the passing of the late Nkwatiahene, the task of finding a successor to the stool fell in the hands of the Ohemma, Nana Agyeiwaa Koree Dankwa II and the Abusuapayin/Adehyiehene of the royal family, Nana Gyimah Darko Ampem II. Tradition requires that they ought to know the lineage and character of the candidates.

- The key nomination consultation requirement for the Ohemma was not complied with. There were several mini-meetings, but in all that happened, the notable principal elders from the three gates of the Yiadom Royal Asona Abusua were not consulted by the Queen mother. Nanahemma and Abusuapayin indeed acknowledged this error to the royal family and attempted to terminate and restart the process but were vehemently opposed by those who stood to benefit from the error and eventually, Nanahema passed away in Jan 2019. The omitted consultation with the elders was so crucial, as it would have assisted Ohemma and Abusuapayin in determining the proper royal status or otherwise of the candidates.

- Kofi Sam Boamah was supposedly nominated by the Queenmother after one such mini meeting without the consent of the principal elders. He was presented to the Kingmakers where deliberations ran into a deadlock.

- Nana Yaw Abordo claims that he was nominated together with Kofi Sam Boamah in a batch of two during the above meeting and he presents an audio recording of the meeting. This is bogus and alien to Nkwatia custom. At best, the recording shows that he was recognized as a candidate, just as Kofi Sam Boamah was. After the meeting, it was Boamah who was sent to the Kingmakers by the Queenmother (apparent evidence of nomination).

Per ancient Nkwatia custom, nomination is not done in batches, but one at a time. Assuming Kofi Sam Boamah's so-called nomination was clearly rejected by the Kingmakers, he, Nana Yaw Abordo, should have been nominated in a separate event and sent to the Kingmakers. That didn’t happen.

Clearly, the facts do not support Nana Yaw Abordo’s claim that he was nominated by the custom of Kwahu Nkwatia.

- With Kofi Sam’s approval at the Kingmakers still in deadlock, and with Nana Yaw Abordo wanting to have his chance at nomination and presentation to the Kingmakers, a ballot election between the two of them was ordered at the Kwahumanhene’s Palace at Abene, when the Nkwatia Kingmakers went there on a routine visit. Nana Yaw Abordo won the election and the Queen mother was asked to go and install him.

However, as noted above, by ancient Nkwatia custom, the Kingmakers do not select by ballot. What happened at Abene was illegal and alien to Nkwatia custom.

- Meanwhile, as the Queen mother began taking steps to install Nana Yaw Abordo as chief, Kofi Sam Boamah's team invaded the Palace and Stoolroom and occupied it, claiming that Kofi Sam should rather be the chief. This was in late 2017 and it was from here that litigation between the two factions started at the Kwahu Traditional Council, Mpraeso.

- It is a fact that Kofi Sam Boamah is not a royal of the Yiadom Stool. Indeed, he is an agyaba to the late Nkwatiahene (paternal half-brother). In a maternal inheritance system, an agyaba cannot be a royal. It is also a fact that Nana Yaw Abordo is not a Royal of the Yiadom Stool. He hails from Abetifi and his lineage comes from a different Asona abusua in Kwahu Nkwatia

- One notable actor in the Nkwatia chieftaincy crisis is the Akyeamehene of Kwahu Nkwatia, Nana Kissi Boadum Tuasakyi II. He cunningly worked his way to become a confidant of the late Nkwatiahene only to perform the ultimate betrayal on the passing of the late Nana. The Akyeamehene belongs to the Asona Takorowase Abusua of Kwahu Nkwatia. The abusua holds the Akyeamehene and Nkyenekyene Odikro stools in the Nkwatiahene’s cabinet.

During the nomination process, the Akyeamehene made himself the gatekeeper of the process instead of the Ohemma, and he allowed the two questionable candidates -Kofi Sam Boamah and Nana Yaw Abordo to enter the race. In addition, he vehemently blocked some true royals from entering the race. As a non-member of the royal family, the Akyeamehene had no business playing that role.

He was also very active during the invasion of the Ahenfie and engaged in intimidation and spreading various lies about the late Nana and the royal family. It is worth noting that the Abusuapanin of the Asona Takoworase Abusua of Kwahu Nkwatia is the MP of the area, Mr. Bryan Acheampong.

- So, the question on everyone’s mind is how did our honorable Nananom judges at the various Houses of Chiefs got it all wrong regarding the nomination. How did they come to their conclusions? How thorough were their inquiry and investigation? And why did they not contact the Abusuapayin and other elders of the stool family for comment? After all, the consent of the principal members was required for valid nomination and wouldn’t it be proper in a nomination inquiry to contact the principal members for comment?

WHAT NEXT?

As the two factions litigate the impasse in the courts and elsewhere, we plead with our honorable Nananom, judges and all concerned to go deeper into the genesis of the crisis as humbly presented above. There were too many anomalies. And, the royal family's attempts at correction were fiercely resisted by the two factions. Indeed, the royal family invoked the Kwahumanhene’s ntam (Great Oath) but surprisingly, and quite unknown in traditional practice, the Kwahumanhene did not act as tradition required.

The two litigants are doing everything they can to hide the truth - that they are not royals and were not properly nominated. When it comes to this, they are united and will vehemently oppose any action by the royal family through their money, political influence, court filings, and intimidation.

Today, the faction calling itself Nkwatiahene has taken over the lands and sacred altars of Nkwatia Stool at home and in the Afram Plains. They are selling off large portions of Nkwatia lands ostensibly for personal gain. But for how long? The TRUTH shall come out. And, the Eternal Wrath and Boiling Anger of the Ancestors of Yiadom Stool and Almighty God await anyone who in any way contributes to the desecration of their name and toil. The Great Nana Amoafo Otein and Nana Yiadom, Arise!

We believe that the only viable way forward is to terminate whatever was done and order the royal family elders to begin the nomination process in strict accordance with well-established ancient Nkwatia custom and traditions. Nkwatia, our dear hometown, is yearning for peace and development and timely resolution of the chieftaincy crisis is so imperative.