One of the shrines in the area
THERE IS a seeming rift between the fetish priest of Osudoku Traditional Area, Wor Ablao Nadu and the Osudoku Traditional Council over modification of some fetish customary rites, including shunning some fetish celebrations in the area.
Reportedly, the traditional council is unhappy with some of the customary practices and has considered modifying some of the ‘outmoded customs’.
However, the fetish priest is against the modification as he is worried about lack of interest in the customary rites by the people of Osudoku after the introduction of the Aadorgboor Festival two years ago by the council.
Members of the traditional council think some of the customary practices deserve be modified because they are not only adversely affecting the socio-economic activities of the people but also the development of the area, including the three-month ban on drumming and noise making before the fetish customary rites (Wordom).
The ban is also said to have effects on Easter as well as May Day celebrations which usually fall within the same period.
Another customary practice is the long hours of curfew on the day when the Ablao Fetish (Wortsu Womi) is being re-housed. The curfew is placed on the people at Osuwem until the completion of the customary rites to‘re-enclose’ the Ablao Fetish.
The curfew is imposed during the day without any specific duration which affects daily activities of the residents because the residents must remain indoors until the completion of the customary rites.
Agents of the fetish priest are said to be often moving to houses of residents to quench fire in their house without permission. The agents of the Ablao Fetish Priest were also mentioned to be arresting and killing people’s domestic animals and birds for consumption by the priest.
Touching on the issue, the Paramount Chief of Osudoku Traditional Area, Aadegbor Ngmogmowuyaa Kwesi Animle VI, noted that although the Osudoku Festival has nothing to do with the Ablao Fetish celebration, the Nadu Priest is against the celebration.
He explained that “his contention is that the Aadegbor Djehayem is becoming more popular than the fetish celebration (Nadu Ablao Wordom). His fears are that the popularity of the Aadegbor Dahayem will eventually collapse the Wordom celebration.
According to him, it is not the intention of the traditional council to abolish the customs but from the foregoing, it calls for modification of the customary practices.
Information available to DAILY GUIDE indicates that the fetish priest attempted to seek court injunction on this Aadorgbor Djehayem Festival but was turned down by the court.
Recently, the development nearly triggered tension in the area but the security agencies quickly intervened to investigate, calming tempers.
However, the Attorney- General and Minister of Justice, Gloria Akuffo, who hails from the area is said to be taking steps to address the seeming tension.
From Vincent Kubi, Osudoku