RE: House of chiefs “irrelevant” – Lepowura

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• GHANAWATCH 10 years ago

  Chieftancy should be abolished and chiefs replaced by elected cities,towns and village mayors who will be accountable to the central government.

  Chieftancy should be abolished and chiefs replaced by elected cities,towns and village mayors who will be accountable to the central government.

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• GOLD COAST 10 years ago

  We should not waste time and resources reforming this backward, corrupt,violent and useless institution - in this 21st Century.
  
  It has been abolished in India,Nepal and Ethiopia - and that has paved the way for modernizati ...
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  We should not waste time and resources reforming this backward, corrupt,violent and useless institution - in this 21st Century.
  
  It has been abolished in India,Nepal and Ethiopia - and that has paved the way for modernization of societies in those countries.
  
  Chieftaincy in Ghana/Africa is a major instigator of ethnic violence and tribalism across the continent.It has also been turned into a cesspool of graft and venality - and together with corrupt politicians and judges - has stymied the economic,political and social developments of various states on the continent.
  
  The Aborigines Rights Protection Society(1897),in what they thought was a good thing for the "natives", must be turning in their graves now.Their success has been turned into a nightmare for the average Ghanaian.Community lands placed under the control of the chiefs - in behalf of the people - have become booties and a bonanza for the chiefs,their families and cronies.
  
  These folks are called chiefs just because their ancestors led militias to kill men,women,children and old folks.Then burned their villages and towns,and took prisoners - to be sold to European slave traders.And yet we have put them on a pedestal,carrying them around and calling them "Nana,Nana", in this 21st Century. Pleeeeze !
  
  It's time to abolish this useless and parasitic institution.Let the lazy and corrupt chiefs look for jobs in a competitive society - like everyone else. MERITOCRACY should be legally enforced.
  
  PEACE

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• C.Y. ANDY-K 10 years ago

  Hmm! I see you guys are on the extreme republican side. I can empathise with everything you have said but can we speak any better of our so-called "modern" sector comprising the Lands Dept, the judiciary, the Executive? Aren ...
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  Hmm! I see you guys are on the extreme republican side. I can empathise with everything you have said but can we speak any better of our so-called "modern" sector comprising the Lands Dept, the judiciary, the Executive? Aren't they too a veritable gang of corrupt rascals that are selling us down the river all over again?
  
  In fact, they are worse. At least some kingdoms used the booties from the plunders and slave trade to enhance their kingdoms. Can we say same of our so-called modern leaders who stash their loot in foreign accounts?
  
  Andy-K

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• Osofomaane 10 years ago

  Andy stop your stupidity and hypocricy and rather tell your greedy and corrupt Ewe Chiefs to abort Chieftaincy.

  Andy stop your stupidity and hypocricy and rather tell your greedy and corrupt Ewe Chiefs to abort Chieftaincy.

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• Godd 10 years ago

  Since the DJCC will also comprise the same Ghanaians prone to the same bad ways, why should any powers be transferred to them, Andy?
  
  Perhaps the solution may not lie in a change of structures. The solution may be in a cha ...
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  Since the DJCC will also comprise the same Ghanaians prone to the same bad ways, why should any powers be transferred to them, Andy?
  
  Perhaps the solution may not lie in a change of structures. The solution may be in a change of attitudes - a much more difficult expectation.
  
  I agree with you we don't have to abolish chieftaincy - it will be difficult. Only a totalitarian regime can do that. And, yes, Chiefs can be allowed to play politics (openly) but should they renounce their chieftaincy if they want to stand for political office?

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• C.Y. ANDY-K 10 years ago

  I have argued why those functions should be transferred to the DJCC - members shall have teh requisite localor indigenous knowledge to deal with disputes relating to the institutions in their areas. Secondly, coming from that ...
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  I have argued why those functions should be transferred to the DJCC - members shall have teh requisite localor indigenous knowledge to deal with disputes relating to the institutions in their areas. Secondly, coming from that area, they'd have a different mind-set or attitude towards resolving the disputes. You see, an inst'nal change will engender an attitudinal change too. Not quite QED but it shall be an impetus to it, among other factors.
  
  Of course, they don't have to addicate to participate in politics. That will be self-defeating of my argumenst for breaking down allegiances/loyalties to parties based on ethnicity. In Nigeria, it even appears being a chief is a plus in doing politics but the subjects vote for the parties of their choices not that of the Oba, Obaloja, babalawo or Egbe.
  
  In Ghana, it is the same in the southern sector but in the North, the chiefs' choice of party exerts a very important pull in how the locals vote. At least, this was the pattern up into the '90s. Can't say for what's been happening recently, as I am not privy to any recent research on the topic.
  
  Andy-K

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• Godd 10 years ago

  Ok, thanks and on another issue.
  
  Do you happen to know how this gazetting of chiefs come about? Did it exist during the colonial era (govt gazette is a typical colonial thing)? Was it not initially a mere record of events ...
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  Ok, thanks and on another issue.
  
  Do you happen to know how this gazetting of chiefs come about? Did it exist during the colonial era (govt gazette is a typical colonial thing)? Was it not initially a mere record of events that was later politicized and corrupted to mean govt approval of certain chiefs? Often you hear one side in a chieftaincy dispute claiming their man was gazetted by which they mean their man was the rightful occupant because govt had recognized him (written his name on some govt paper) - when a particular govt cannot presume to know the rightful occupant of a particular stool/skin/zikpui?
  
  I don't know if my thesis is correct. If it is, then you are only calling for a going back to what was the original meaning of gazetting a chief. Or?
  
  Concerning the Nigerian chiefs entering the political arena, are you talking of honorary chieftaincy titles that all the rich and influential in Nigeria have tonnes of or the real chieftains - like the Yoruba Obas who may have too much work doing ruling over their chiefdoms to have time for national politics? The Igbos don't have any chiefs but still have chieftaincy titles strewn all over the place...

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• C.Y. ANDY-K 10 years ago

  Yes, gazetting chiefs was one relic of the colonial era still with us. It is simply an announcement through an official journal or similar that a chief had been duly recognisd as such by the colonial authorities. Likewise, a ...
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  Yes, gazetting chiefs was one relic of the colonial era still with us. It is simply an announcement through an official journal or similar that a chief had been duly recognisd as such by the colonial authorities. Likewise, a similar announcement could remove recognition from a chief, as the British assumed the right to say who must be a chief in Ghana. I think it is an unwholesome relic which must be done away with as it is now. It must be a mere formality once everything has been cleared by the people or courts, if there is a dispute.
  
  Real chiefs participate in politics in Nigeria, not only honorary chiefs. As for the Igbos, you know they earn their titles, so the more successful you are, the chances are that you'd also acquire the titles. That's a meritorious and democratic system not based on heredity.
  
  Andy-K

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• Prof Lungu 10 years ago

  Thanks, Andy C. Y. Kwawukume, for the recall!
  
  We agree!
  
  That institution is one of the banes of Ghana's under-development. As such, serious reform, including abolition, ought to be considered.
  
  Too many loyalties in O ...
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  Thanks, Andy C. Y. Kwawukume, for the recall!
  
  We agree!
  
  That institution is one of the banes of Ghana's under-development. As such, serious reform, including abolition, ought to be considered.
  
  Too many loyalties in One Unitary State!
  
  Greetings.

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• David 10 years ago

  You people shouldn't be silly and forget that we have our tradition that cannot just be neglected or rejected.
  
  Your corrupt politicians if mandated to handling Land matters will be even worst than the Chiefs.

  You people shouldn't be silly and forget that we have our tradition that cannot just be neglected or rejected.
  
  Your corrupt politicians if mandated to handling Land matters will be even worst than the Chiefs.

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• C.Y. ANDY-K 10 years ago

  David, you may be a traditionalist supporter but you don't have to start insulting anybody on this issue. Within the paradigm in which they write, they have legitimate arguments. Why should we be tied down forever by traditio ...
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  David, you may be a traditionalist supporter but you don't have to start insulting anybody on this issue. Within the paradigm in which they write, they have legitimate arguments. Why should we be tied down forever by traditions and customs that suited our ancestors 100s of years ago? Can't we create our own?
  
  In Sierra Leone, the new status is that chiefs are now elected by all the people of an area for fixed terms. What about that? Allows the re-settled freed slaves and re-captives to also participate as equals in those institutions for the first time.
  
  Andy-K

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• Arturo Aranchez Sanchez 10 years ago

  Why not subject the continuation of chieftaincy to a national referendum? Should it be an electable office? What would be the powers and responsibilities of such personnel in the modern state system? Should the institution be ...
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  Why not subject the continuation of chieftaincy to a national referendum? Should it be an electable office? What would be the powers and responsibilities of such personnel in the modern state system? Should the institution be reformed, abolished or left as is in perpetuity?

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• Johnny Depp 10 years ago

  I think is time to stop chieftains. This are keeping us back all the time. .

  I think is time to stop chieftains. This are keeping us back all the time. .

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