Osudoku Queen mother, two Gates dismiss Animle Gate's claim to Osudoku Paramountcy

By Michael Oberteye 

The Paramount Queen mother of the Osudoku Traditional Area of the Greater Accra Region together with the Heads of the Agblom and Amponsah Gates of the Dorsi Royal (Paramountcy) Clan have condemned the Animle Gate’s claim to the Osudoku Paramountcy.

Nana Amponsah Dokua III backed by the heads and members of the two Gates at a press conference at Osuwem on Thursday, October 31, 2024 questioned the Animle Gate’s sole installation and outdooring of a successor to the late chief.

Nana Dokua III who is also the President of the Queen mothers Platform, Ghana and the elders and members of two Gates at the presser accused the Animle Clan of usurpation of power.

The Animle Gate, following the demise of the Paramount Chief of the Osudoku Traditional Area, Aadegbor Ngmongmowuyaa Kwesi Animle VI early this year, installed and outdoored Nene Kweku-Otiti Animle VII as his successor.

But dismissing the purported succession claim by the Animle Gate, an elder of the Agblom Gate reading the press statement explained that the three gates including Animle, Amponsah and Agblom, make up the Dorsi Clan from which a successor is nominated, elected and installed according to custom, tradition and law.

Richmond Tettey-Wayo stressed that the Paramount Stool of Osudoku belongs to the Dorsi Clan and not the Animle family alone, noting that ascension to the stool is rotational among the three gates.

"The crux of the matter is that the said Animle Gate has been holding itself out by its words, acts, conduct, posture and omissions as the only Gate entitled to ascend the Paramount Stool of the Osudoku Traditional Area," said Mr Tettey-Wayo on behalf of the two Gates.

Describing the actions of the Animle Gate as negative, uncalled for, subversive and belligerent, the elder said the Gate’s attitude is not only contrary to the “known, time-honoured customs and traditions of the Dorsi Clan,” but also “contrary to [the] Commission of Enquiry set up by the colonial government of the Gold Coast.”

Richmond Tettey-Wayo furthered that the "attitude of the Animle Gate is contrary to a compilation of customary law pertaining to the nomination, election and installation of chiefs in the Osudoku Traditional Area" and also "contrary to a binding judgement by the then Eastern Region House of Chiefs."

Mr Tettey-Wayo while notng that the actions of the Animle Gate is a recipe for undermining the peace and unity of the Royal Dorsi Clan of Osudoku, emphasized that this could retard the socio-economic development of the Osudoku Traditional Area.

According to the elders, the Animle Gate also failed to inform and involve the queen mother and other Gates of the death and burial of the late chief, Aadegbor Ngmongmowuyaa Kwesi Animle VI.

Richmond Tettey-Wayo asserted: “To this day, we the heads of the Agblom and Amponsah Gates have not seen the dead body of the supposedly dead paramount chief or been shown his grave. If indeed it is true that the Paramount Chief of the Osudoku Traditional Area is dead, it is the three Gates who must come together and perform certain rituals.”

Insisiting that a successor was yet to be announced, he noted, “No Paramount Chief has been nominated, elected and installed to succeed the current Paramount Chief of Osudoku Traditional Area…no recoginition should be given to anybody who comes parading and advertising himself as paramount chief.”

According to the elders, in due course, a befitting successor will be nominated, elected and installed according to custom and law.

They mentioned, that they've laid the issues before the Greater Accra Regional House of Chiefs for arbitration.