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The people of Akuamu in the Eastern Region of Ghana have held a thanksgiving service following the peaceful resolution of a dispute that has endured for three decades.
The dispute pertained to the rightful occupant of the Akwamu Stool, following the demise of the late Odeneho Kwafo Akoto II circa 1992, who happened to be the grand uncle of the current Akwamumanhene.
It involved Abusuapanyin Kojo Kyer Addaquay and Abrewatia Love Adwo Som who filed a lawsuit against Nana Afrakoma II, Nana Nyarkoa (Benkumhemaa), Nana Asomani (Amanguahene) and Kwabena Owiredu.
The petitioners challenged the eligibility of Odeneho Kwafo Akoto III, the Paramount Chief of Akwamu, stating that the chief was an outsider who was not from the royal family.
They also held that the process through which he ascended the throne about 12 years ago, was not in conformity with the customs of Akwamuman.
However, hearing the case, the court ruled that the evidence, facts, history, custom and all the exhibits presented before them affirmed that to ascend to the black stool of Akwamu, a candidate must of necessity come from either the house of Yaa Ansaa or Yaa Botwe.
The court also said there was no established system of rotation in Akwamu to ascend to the Paramount stool.
The court thus affirmed Odeneho Kwafo Akoto III as the paramount chief of the Akwamu Traditional Area.
But dissatisfied with the court’s ruling, the petitioners filed an application at the Supreme Court seeking a review of the court’s decision.
The apex court presided over by Justice Baffoe-Bonney, dismissed the application in a 7:0 ruling, maintaining the earlier ruling by a 5:0 decision that Odeneho Kwafo Akoto III was validly nominated, elected and installed as the Paramount Chief of Akwamu in accordance with the custom and practices of the people of Akwamu.
On this victory, the Traditional Council organised a thanksgiving service at the Akwuamufie Presbyterian Church to mark the peaceful resolution of the dispute.
The ceremony observed on Sunday, November 13, 2022, was under the theme “Rethinking Akwamu.”
Present at the occasion were the Chief Executive Officer of the Volta River Authority, Emmanuel Antwi Darkwah; Deputy CEO Engineer Ken Arthur; Special Advisor to the CEO of VRA, Dr Mrs Stella Agyeman and other staff of VRA.
Others were the Railway Development Minster, Peter Amewu, Member of Parliament for Asuogyaman, and Thomas Ampem Nyarko.
Mr Paa Kofi Ansong, a Council of State Member and a host of other dignitaries, were also in attendance.
The preacher for the day was the Ghana Army’s Director-General of Religious Affairs, Commodore Paul Adei-Djan.
See more photos thanksgiving service below:
