Kokrobite chief fisherman hot

Principal kingmakers and elders of the Kokrobite community in the Ga South Municipality of the Greater Accra Region are boiling with rage at the chief fisherman of Kokrobite, Nii Adotei Akwei IV, and head of Arday Nkpa family, Nii Daniel Arday Tagoe of Kokrobite.

The anger of the elders stems from alleged persistent meddling in the chieftaincy and traditional affairs of Kokrobite by Adotei Akwei and Mr Tagoe, which has created tension and confusion in the area.

At a crowded press conference at Kokrobite last week, the kingmakers and elders issued a stern warning to Nii Akwei to stop the habit of continuously interfering in the chieftaincy and traditional affairs of the area.

Flanked by the Principal elder, Nii Ahene, family head, Nii Martey Din, Nii Okyeame Apaa, Kingmaker, Nii Arday Ansah II and War commander, Nii Aba III, the chief of Kokrobite, Nii Ofei III, stressed that failure by Nii Akwei to adhere to the warning would incur their wrath.

“We were ‘born and bred’ in the Kokrobite community under the Ngleshie Alata Traditional Area in James Town, Accra so no one should come from outside the town to tell us what pertains or history of the town,” they stressed.

The warning by the kingmakers and elders to Adotei Akwei was in a reaction to what they described as “unguided and abusive” statement made by him (Adotei Akwei) to the effect that Nii Ofei is not the chief of Kokrobite.

At a press conference last Tuesday, Adotei Akwei allegedly declared that Nii Ofei, who is parading himself as Kokrobite chief, is not the legitimate person to ascend the throne, adding that “no one has installed a chief in Kokrobite.”

But in a sharp rebuttal, Nii Ofei rubbished the claims of Adotei Akwei and Mr Tagoe and described them as “trouble makers”.

Nii Ofei stated categorically that the Arday Nkpa family of Kokrobite does not have capacity and the traditional authority to install the chief for Kokrobite.

According to him, the traditional prerogative and privilege to lead the people is invested in the Nii Ofei family of Kokrobite.

“I am the chief of Kokrobite community under the Ngleshie Alata Traditional Area in James Town …so where was the Arday Nkpa family who is now challenging my chieftaincy status and trying to portray a picture that no one has been installed a chief here,” he noted.

He pointed that Nii Ofei family is the one mandated to install a chief of Kokrobite and that has been duly done without question and sealed and approved by the Paramount Chief of Ngleshie Alata Traditional Area, Obrempong Nii Kojo Ababio V.

“I want to put on record that Obrempong Kojo Ababio V endorsed and witnessed my position as chief just as his predecessors approved Krokrobite Chiefs who came before him,” Nii Ofei stressed.

He, therefore, appealed to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to call the members of the Nii Arday Nkapa family, headed by Nii Daniel Arday Tagoe, to order so as to avoid any bloodshed in the area.

Meanwhile, in an interview with the paper, Mr Tagoe provided historical and documentary evidence and court judgments to back his claims that indeed Nii Ofei has never been nominated, elected, selected and installed as a chief of Kokrobite in accordance with the relevant traditions and customs by the elders of Nii Arday Nkpa Family.

He indicated that Nii Ofei “has no right of claim to the Kokrobite Stool.”

He further advised the general public to desist from doing business with such a person.

The chief fisherman, however, told the media in a telephone interview that he never stated anywhere that Nii Ofei is not the Chief of Kokrobite and that he only wants to lead the fishermen well and not to meddle in chieftaincy matters of the town.