Trouble In Mo Traditional Area

…As group

attempts to install parallel Omanhene

The

people of the MO traditional area in the Kintampo Municipal District of the

Brong Ahafo region are living in perpetual fear of sudden outburst of simmering

tension in the area following a protracted chieftaincy dispute since 2000.

The

dispute has suddenly taken a new dimension with one of the feuding parties

preparing to install a parallel paramount chief to rule together with the

substantive Paramount chief, Nana Takyi Elaji II.

This

development has sent tempers rising, worsening an already tense situation with

many residents fearing a Dagbon-like crisis would befall the community if

stringent measures are not taken to halt the volatile situation from exploding

and spilling over.

Information

reaching your authoritative Daily Democrat indicates that preparations are far

advanced for the installation of a parallel Omanhene of Mo Traditional Area.

However,

as tradition demands, the name of the new Chief it is yet to be made public.

The

Daily Democrat gathered that the group attempted to carry out its intended installation

last week but was stopped in its track by the police who intervened to quell

the heightened tension in the area.

The

paper has learnt that one Opanin Kwabena Nsiah, an alleged kingpin of the group

was arrested and granted bail on 18th November, 2011.

According

to sources, the membership of the group include Opanin Kwabena Nsiah, Dr. David

Mensah Tabalokala, Gyasehene of Mo; Kwabena Bonfeh, former Kintampo DCE in the

NPP regime; Atta Kofi, NPP constituency organizer; D.K. Okra Amoako, Health

Insurance Manager; Issaku Aneyidachi, Benkumhene and Nana Yaw Dompo, Twafohene

of Mo traditional area.

Sources

argue that what makes it even more unacceptable is that these people are

flouting the laws of the country with impunity because the case is pending in

court.

Nana

Takyi Elaji II has made a special appeal to the Minister of Chieftaincy and the

Regional House of Chiefs to intervene to avert a crisis till the court delivers

its verdict on the matter.

The

Daily Democrat has stumbled on information that on Sunday, 2nd October 2011, a

meeting was held at Mansra under the auspices of Opanin Kwabena

Nsiah, the former Abusuapanin of Leera and the Benkumhene, Nana Kwabena Bisakwan

II to install a parallel Omanhene.

The

meeting reportedly failed to reach a consensus on the prospective chief and

Opanin Kwabena Nsiah was tasked to come out with a name at their next meeting.

Opanin

Kwabena Nsiah, the Daily Democrat has learnt, was removed as Abusuapanin of

Leera family due to his involvement in the chieftaincy dispute disturbing the

peace in the traditional area.

The

Mo traditional area has a long history to its chieftaincy matter dating as far

back as the early 1900s. It has three traditional gates that rule in succession

namely: Leera, Dankwa and Pargo gates.

Between

the early 1900s till date, succession has been handed over from one gate to the

other. After the turn of Nana Yaw Dabui from the Leera Gate, Kwaku Gyaga from

the Dankwa Gate was next but was destooled by his own gate because he was not

educated. He was replaced by Nana Kwasi Adae, also from the same Dankwah gate but

was also destooled eventually.

The

Pargo Gate took over from the Dankwah gate after their

self-managed de-stoolments and Installed Nana Kwaku Dinpon II who died in 1999,

which effectively handed the paramountcy to the Leera Gate.

The

current Omanhene, Nana Takyi Elaji who is from the Leera gate was installed but

elements without clear understanding of the traditions of the area started

opposing his enstoolment, which has continued to disturb the peace of the

traditional area for the past 11 years and

is affecting development.

This

paper has gathered that the President of the Brong Ahafo Regional House of Chiefs,

Nana Osahene Kwaku Aterkyi, has appointed an acting paramount chief, Nana Dompo

Twafo I, though his predecessor has ruled that the current Omanhene is the

recognized chief.

Inhabitants

of the Mo traditional area have accused the president of the Regional House of Chiefs

of interfering in the chieftaincy affairs of the area.

They

have cited the current MCE for Kintampo North of being involved in the

chieftaincy dispute because he is married to the Mansra chief.