Gloria Akuffo addressing the gathering.
THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL and Minister of Justice, Gloria Akuffo, has taken a bold step to find a lasting solution to the seeming differences between the Osudoku Traditional Council and the fetish priest of the area, Wor Ablao Nadu, over the abolition of some fetish celebrations and practices in the area.
The minister believes the problem could be resolved with the help of leaders in the area.
In recent times, the Osudoku Traditional Council has expressed serious concerns about some of its customary practices and has considered modifying some of the ‘outmoded customs’.
Membership of the traditional council thinks some of the customary practices deserve be modified since 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 prior to the fetish customary rites (Wordom).
The ban is also said to have effects on Easter and May Day celebrations which usually fall within the same period.
A long hour of curfew on the day when the Ablao Fetish (Wortsu Womi) is being re-housed is another practice the council wants to modify. 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 residents because they must remain indoors until the completion of the customary rites.
The agents of the Ablao Fetish Priest were said to be arresting and killing people’s domestic animals and birds for consumption by the priest.
Conversely, 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.
However, speaking at this year’s Aadegbor Festival as the special guest of honour, Gloria Akuffo who hails from the area said “I have also taken note of some of the seeming differences among our people, particularly between the traditional council and our fetish priest. Change will come whether you like it or not.”
“Some changes come by themselves but some are programmed. For those that are imposed, you have to manage them. Our people live on the mountain behind us but when they came down our traditional area was not like this . . . Many changes have occurred in our traditional area, for which reason we cannot resist change,” she added.
She commended the paramount chief and traditional council for taking steps to mediate and amicably resolve the differences to engender peace since litigation brings differences which lead to disunity.
Touching on development springing up in the area, the Attorney-General urged the people of Osudoku to take full advantage of the opportunities government is bringing to the area to better their lives.
From Vincent Kubi, Osuwem