Osu ‘Asafoasteme’ threatens mayhem

Asafoatseme of Osu, Accra, have threatened to rain down fire and brimstone on the day of the planned final funeral rites for five departed chiefs of Osu for the simple reason that the host and the sitting Chief, Nii Kinka Dowuona VI, who is organising has no capacity to perform the rites.

Nii Okwei Kinka Dowuona VI is reported to be gearing up for a grand celebration of the final funeral rites for five chiefs of Osu on 21 October, 2017.

But, for the timely intervention of some respected elders of Osu, some teeming youth from the Asafoatse group of Osu would have plunged the whole of Osu into total chaos last week Friday evening in protest of registering their displeasure against the planned final funeral rites to be conducted by Nii Kinka Dowuona VI.

According to the leader of the group Asafoatse Nii Tempong, who spoke to this reporter without mincing words, “we the people of Osu as well as well-meaning traditional leaders across the country knows that Nii Okwei Kinka is not the rightful chief, who is enjoying political support from some government officials. Party after party and government after government, he appears to be having his way around them when they (the politicians) all know the truth.”

…All we are simply saying is that we are not sitting down, we are actually seriously fighting our case at all relevant quarters i.e., the Supreme Court, National House of Chiefs and the Greater Accra Regional House of Chiefs so it’s imperative that as we have chosen the path of law, state functionaries invited to this programme should take a cue because he is not the chief of Osu and cannot organise such a solemn ceremony on our behalf,” he angrily expressed.

Besides, “we don’t even agree to the total of five chiefs whose final rites we are talking here because the basis for the selection of those need to be clarified.

He clarified thus: Nii Nortey Dowuona III (Nii Nortey Kwashie), was said to be one of the most revered chiefs of Osu and he deserves any number of honours. He died in office as Osu Mantse in 1931. Nii Noi Owuo II also died in office as Osu Mantse in 1949. He deserves to be honoured. We are not so sure of the other three listed chiefs who did not retain their stools to the end.

Nii Noi Dowuona IV (Nii Noi Roman) was forced to leave office by a government announcement by the then Minister of Justice and Attorney General.

…We need to have a discussion as to the level of honour he deserves. This was at a time when the customary rites which made Narteh the Osu Mantse had not been completed. The Siriboe Committee which enquired into these matters recommended that Nii Narteh Dowuona V stood destooled as government was not a kingmaker of Osu. The committee further asked that Owuo We, the Principal Royal House of Osu, must provide the next Osu Mantse.

Finally, Jonathan Nortei Noi of Adjuwate (one of the four Dzaase Houses at Kinkawe Osu) was not from Owuo We as…