Osudoku traditional area clarifies status of Dorsi-Animile's family's chieftaincy

Osudoku traditional area sets record straight on alleged withdrawal of head chief position from Dorsi-Animile's family

The Osudoku Traditional Area has refuted allegations of tension within the community in a controversy surrounding the purported withdrawal of the Paramount Chief position from the Dorsi Animle Family.

The genesis of the matter can be traced back to February 2024, when the Dorsi Animle Family received a letter titled 'NOTICE OF WITHDRAWAL OF HEAD CHIEF POSITION FROM THE DORSI ANIMLE FAMILY OF OSUDOKU'. Signed by Nimo Tettey Kwame Ofori and associates on behalf of the Gbese Aboriginal Council of Osudoku, the letter sought to strip the Dorsi Clan of its traditional role in nominating, selecting, electing, and installing the Paramount Chief.

In response to this development, the Paramountcy of the Osudoku Traditional Area convened a press conference to address what they termed as "false claims" and "crass ignorance" propagated by Nimo Tettey Kwame Ofori and his supporters.

At the press conference by Nene Akando Aklebeto, Secretary and Spokesperson of the Osudoku Paramountcy, the Paramountcy refuted the allegations and emphasized the historical significance of the Dorsi Clan in Osudoku's traditional leadership.

According to historical records cited during the press conference, the Dorsi Clan has been the sole source of Osudoku's Paramount Chiefs for over three centuries.

“To set the record straight without mincing words, Nimo Tettey Ofori should and must not be deceived into thinking that he has any authority to withdraw the position of the Paramount Chief from the Dorsi Animle Family of Osudoku.

“We are however appalled by the false history being peddled. What is even more sickening is the vincible and crass ignorance being exhibited.

“It is unfortunate he allows himself to be misled by some semi-educated persons who describe themselves as researchers. If thrones were just taken over merely by writing of letters and press conferences, many kingdoms would have collapsed by now.”

The Harper Commission of Enquiry Report in 1913 confirmed the Dorsi Clan's position as the ruling tribe, further solidifying their historical authority in Osudoku's governance.

Moreover, attempts by other tribes, such as the Gbese, to claim the Paramount Chief position in the past have been met with judicial rejection.

Despite historical evidence to the contrary, Nimo Tettey Kwame Ofori and his allies persist in their efforts to challenge Osudoku's traditional leadership structure.

The press statement also addressed misconceptions regarding the Osudoku Traditional Area's history and customs.

It refuted claims that certain clans were refugees and highlighted the paramount importance of the Paramount Chief's role in Osudoku's governance.

Additionally, the Paramountcy asserted its commitment to maintaining peace and stability within the Osudoku Traditional Area. They called on all divisional chiefs, sub-chiefs, and community members to remain calm while they navigate the current challenges.

“First of all, the story of the Gbese people being the original inhabitants of Osudoku is factually inaccurate. Page 1863 of the Gold Coast Gazette Extraordinary, published on 1st December 1955 on the History and Tradition of Osudoku was emphatic to that effect.

“It states thus, "The Aboriginal inhabitants are said to have descended from the sky at Kasunya (about 6 miles E. of Osudoku). They were joined later by immigrants coming from a distant place east of the River Volta.

"With these immigrants came some people under the leadership of the Nadu priest who became known in their new home as the Gbese Section, establishing themselves at the foot of the Ningo (Yongwa) Hill.

Neneme, Naname, Ladies and Gentlemen of the press, if what is stated in the Jackson Report, historical evidence that remains unchallenged and or uncontroverted till date is anything to go by, then clearly what was published by Nimo Tettey Kwame Ofori and his cohorts is nothing but a falsehood.”