Kwasi Akuffo speaking at the press conference
A search for Oforigua, a stool which solidifies the authority of a paramount chief at Akuapem, has led to the harassment of key persons in the traditional area, a faction of the Sakyeabea royal family has claimed.
According to elders of the Obuo lineage of the family, some persons accompanied by armed policemen have, over the past months, embarked on unannounced visits to houses of royals to search and interrogate persons suspected to know the whereabouts of a missing stool.
This development, Okyeame Kwasi Akuffo, the senior linguist of the late Oseadeeyo Addo Dankwa III, revealed “is disturbing the peace in the area as families of these key persons live in constant fear for their lives.”
“They claim some stools are missing, including the Ofori stool. So we are appealing to the media to draw the attention of traditional people in particular and the entire of Ghana in general,” he said on Friday at a news conference at Akropong.
He said Nana Obuobi Etiemo, a contender in a chieftaincy dispute relating to the Akuapem paramouncy, was among key persons who had their private residence visited by the security agents and their assigns, adding “and they spent about two hours there saying they were looking for the stool. And that is not proper!”
He has appealed to government and heads of security agencies to call their personnel to order while more efforts are made to enhance security of the people in the area.
Following the passing of Oseadeeyo Nana Addo Dankwa III in 2015, there has been a tussle over who should be the next Okuapehene.
The Sakyeabea family, one of three known royal gates at Akuapem, which is supposed to provide the next paramount chief, is sharply divided.
Currently, the factions have insisted that their choices of Odehye Kwadwo Kesse Antwi and Nana Obuobi Etiemo are the rightful occupants of the stool.
An event was held in May to coronate Odehye Kwadwo Kesse Antwi as a paramount chief, despite the disapproval of the Obuo lineage of the family.
By Issah Mohammed, Akropong