Fresh Chieftaincy Dispute At Kwahu Abetifi

A chieftaincy dispute, one of the many which have witnessed a number of bloody and bitter conflicts in most parts of country, has once again raised its ugly head at Kwahu Abetifi in the Kwahu traditional area.

The contending parties are some members of Etena family, the plaintiffs, and Nana Asiedu Agyeman III, who is the chief of Abetifi and Adontenhene of Kwahu traditional area, the defendant.

In a suit filed at the secretariat of the Kwahu Traditional Council at Mpraeso on March 15, last year, by one John Anim Boateng, who claims to be a principal member of Amoafoa ruling house of Abetifi, he seeks a declaration that only members of the Amoafoa family of Abetifi are eligible to occupy both the male and the female stools of Abetifi.

The claim stated that since the defendants, Nana Asiedu Agyeman is a member of the Agyepong Kwame and Kronkor branches of the Etena family of Abetifi, his occupation of the said stool is null and void since it is against customs and usage of the Kwahu traditional area.

The Amoafoa family is therefore seeking perpetual injunction restraining the defendant from occupying the said Adontenhene of Kwahu stool or styling or holding himself up as Adontenhene of Kwahu.

Two family members, Yaw Boateng of Bukurusu and Opanin Kofi Boateng of Pepease, have respectively joined the suit in support of John Anim Boateng against Nana Asiedu Agyeman.

The defendant, Nana Asiedu Agyeman, has swiftly filed his response, denying that the plaintiff is a principal member of any royal or ruling house at Abetifi or at all.

He repeated further that the plaintiff is not the head of family or the Abusuapanin of any ruling house and neither is he an elder of any such house at Abetifi or elsewhere.

He therefore challenges the plaintiff's capacity to institute the action against him.

Nana Agyeman further stated that he has been the chief of Abetifi and Adontenhene of Kwahu for more than 10 years and that the plaintiff's action against him is statute-barred and that the action against him should be dismissed.

A three-member panel chaired by Nana Onuni Afari, the Benkumhehe of Kwahu Traditional Area, with Mpraesohene, Nana Ampadu Daaduom and Kwahu Tafohene, Nana Ameyaw Gyensiamah as other members is looking into the case.