Tsadaviefe Clan condemns 'reckless attempt' by group to install paramount chief at Ziavi

The Tsadaviefe Clan of Ziavi Dzogbe in the Volta Region has strongly condemned what it describes as a “reckless attempt” by a group calling itself the Akpevi clan to elect and install a Paramount Chief in Ziavi.

In a press statement issued on February 12, 2026, the clan said: “It has come to the attention of the Tsadaviefe Clan, that the entity calling itself Akpevi is attempting to elect and install a Paramount Chief in Ziavi.”

The statement continued: “The Tsadaviefe Clan reacts with disgust and condemns this unwarranted attempt by the purported Akpevi clan not only to fragrantly disregard custom, but also to whimsically jeopardize the peace and security of the people of Ziavi.”

The clan firmly rejected the authority of the group to undertake such an installation, asserting that “the group calling itself Akpevi clan, in custom and law, does not have any authority whatsoever, nor standing, to install a chief in Ziavi.”

It further questioned the eligibility of the alleged candidate, stating that “the purported prospective candidate of this so-called Akpevi clan, one Mr Alfred Worlanyo Kuma is in fact a third-generation descendant of a Klefe Demete man by name Dei Kumatse, who died as recently as 1933.”

Founding Clan Claims Exclusive Right

Providing historical context, the Tsadaviefe Clan emphasised its foundational role in the traditional area, stating: “The Tsadaviefe Clan is the founding clan of the Ziavi State, and it is on its land that the town of Ziavi Dzogbe is built.”

It added that “The Head of the Tsadaviefe Clan who is the Zikpuitor of the Ziavi Paramount Stool is the only person who has the right to select candidates for election and installation as Fiaga or Paramount Chief of Ziavi Traditional Area.”

Allegations of Historical Conspiracy

The statement described the Akpevi clan as illegitimate, declaring: “The Akpevi clan is a fictitious entity that was created recently, in 1942, which was the goal and outcome of a conspiracy between British Colonial Officers and certain persons, whose ancestry, by their own accounts, is shrouded in deception, myth and mystery.”

According to the Tsadaviefe Clan, the alleged conspiracy was intended to depose “a stalwart chief, Adza Anku Satchie and the Tsadaviefe Clan, because of Adza Anku Satchie’s opposition to certain policies of the British Colonial Government.”

The clan also disclosed that there is “presently an ongoing case before the Ho High Court, which seeks to correct the historical fraud perpetrated through the unlawful collaboration between the predecessors of the fictitious Akpevi clan and British Colonial Officers.”

It stressed that “The pendency of this action makes it imperative that all parties respect the authority of the Court, as its final determination will confirm the lawful custodians of Ziavi’s heritage and the proper structure of traditional authority.”

Injunction and Warning

The Tsadaviefe Clan revealed that the matter is under “an active injunction filed by the Tsadaviefe Clan at the Judicial Committee of the Volta Regional House of Chiefs,” describing the installation attempt as “a blatant act of disrespect toward the judicial process and an unlawful effort to pre-empt judicial determination of matters.”

Issuing a firm warning, the clan declared: “The Tsadaviefe Clan would like to state firmly, that it will use every legal tool available to it, to assert its rights and to protect its heritage.”

It further stated that it “will fiercely resist the continued perpetration of the heinous crimes committed against it by the British Colonial government and their collaborators in the fictitious Akpevi clan.”

The statement concluded with a call for solidarity and intervention: “We are by this statement calling on the sons and daughters of the Tsadaviefe Clan and the people of Ziavi to stand firm and resolute in the face of this further objectionable provocation by this fictitious Akpevi clan.”

The clan also appealed to authorities, saying it was “appealing to the appropriate government institutions responsible for maintaining peace and order to intervene to protect life and property from these troublemakers.”

The statement was issued by the Administrator General of the Royal Family of Ziavi, Tsadaviefe, Ziavi Dzogbe, Volta Region.

Read the full statement below: