Wenchi Traditional Area against removal of Busia's statue

Accra, Sept. 18, GNA- The Wenchi Traditional Area on Friday called for an end to the stalemate over the removal of the statue of Dr Kofi Abrefa Busia, Ghana's late Premier at the Sunyani Jubilee park. The Busia Foundation is contesting in court, the replacement of the statue, which had fueled speculations that it would be substituted by that of Dr Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana's first President by the Brong Ahafo Regional Co-ordinating Council (RCC) as part of the 50th anniversary celebrations of the region, which was created by Nkrumah's administration.

A document submitted on the issue to the Ghana News Agency in Accra by Nana Owusu Ansah Kokroko II, Krontihene of Wenchi noted that the RCC and the Foundation did not seek the good counsel of the chiefs over the impasse.

Nana Kokroko said the Traditional Council was of the view that the removal of Dr Busia's statue from the park would be politically and culturally traumatic for the people of Wenchi who were likely to be offended.

"Will anybody predict the political and social consequences such an act can bring to the Regional Co-ordinating Council as well as the Regional House of Chiefs that must stand up to defend one of the sons of their Region?"

"It is the considered opinion of the Wenchi Traditional Council that the matter can be resolved out of court," he said and suggested the need for the two personalities to have their statues at the park. Nana Kokroko observed that the two political leaders were never enemies but merely opposed each other over issues and principles that they both believed in.

"The two figures fought for Independence side by side in spite of their sharp respective stances. The tragedy at the time was that we as a new nation were beginning to appreciate the full rigours and beauty of democracy.

"Many Ghanaians until today have been intolerant of each other's principles. Indeed we perhaps inadvertently tend to raise the status of others by diminishing that of others. It should be possible for Dr. Busia and Dr. Nkrumah to remain in their graves as opponents on certain basic principles and politics of democracy without seeing each other as enemies who can draw daggers at one another."

He said it was the view of the Traditional Council that the two political giants could stand side by side not only as relations and comrades but as former Prime Ministers of the nation. "Both men fought for Independence, one in government and the other in opposition. The two complemented each other's principles and arguments for responsible democratic governance. The motions by Dr. Nkrumah that were tabled in Parliament before and after the grant of Independence were both seconded by Dr. Busia as Leader of the Opposition.

"The debate that ensued after the question must be read by all Ghanaians. Independence was won for all and by all the political shades of opinion at that time, and Nkrumah must be recognised as the first among equals at that time," he said.

Nana Kokroko said the RCC and the foundation forgot that the two political heroes hailed from Wenchi.

"Indeed they were both cousins and royals of the two gates that provide occupants of the Wenchi Black Stool. Whereas Dr. Kwame Nkrumah's family at Nsuaem still maintain their ancestry to the Ahemfi Yefri Royal House of Wenchi, Dr. Busia's position as the Abusuapanin of the Sofoase Yefri Royal House of Wenchi has never been questioned," he said. Nana Kokroko said Dr. Busia was nominated to be the Omanhene of Wenchi in 1949, but he declined the offer in favour of his own brother Nana Kusi Apea I.

"It is pertinent to know also that Dr. Nkrumah's family traced their ancestry to Wenchi in 1958. A big welcome ceremony took place at Wenchi whereupon Dr. Nkrumah was installed the Yefrihene of Wenchi by the reigning Omanhene Nana Abrefa Mbohre Bediatuo VI under the stool name Nana Anye Amoampong I.

"Until today, the Blackened Stool of Dr. Nkrumah is kept at the family house of Dr. Nkrumah at Nsuaem (his second ancestral home. The first being Wenchi.

"The current occupant of the Yefri stool at Nsuaem, Nana Anye Amoanpong Ntabrako II is a regular participant in all traditional ceremonies at Wenchi. The royals in Wenchi participate in all traditional events that take place in Dr. Nkrumah's home at Nsuaem. "These regular exchanges of visit between the two sets of royals have brought the two leaders much closer. after their death," he said.