CHIEFS OF the Kumasi Traditional Council (KTC) virtually snubbed the Ashanti Regional Minister, John Alexander Ackon, when he tried to beg on behalf of Kojo Bonsu, who the chiefs had accused of gross insubordination on Monday.
The minister, who was almost on his knees, pleaded with the angry chiefs to tamper justice with mercy and allow Kojo Bonsu to personally plead before them at the Manhyia Palace in Kumasi at a later date, but his request was rejected.
The chiefs, led by the Asafohene, Acheamfuor Kwame Akowuah, who represented Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the Asantehene, at the crunch meeting of the KTC, stated that Kojo Bonsu should keep his apology because the chiefs had nothing to do with him again.
Sacrifice
He explained that the chiefs, who were fed up with Kojo Bonsu’s gross disrespect towards them, slaughtered a sheep at the Manhyia Palace on Thursday to signify that they could no longer work with Kojo Bonsu as the Kumasi Mayor.
At the time of the slaughtering of the animal, President John Mahama was still in the region for his accounting to people tour.
He therefore implored President Mahama to quickly appoint a new person, who would accord the chiefs respect, to come and take over as the Kumasi Mayor to ensure peace and growth.
Mahama Visit
The slaughtering of the sheep over Kojo Bonsu’s gross insubordination took place on the last day of President Mahama’s three-day ‘Accounting to the People Tour’ in the Ashanti Region.
Interestingly, on the day that the sheep was slaughtered, Kojo Bonsu was with President Mahama, who had visited Offinso, hometown of Kojo Bonsu, where the president was welcomed with a mammoth durbar of chiefs and people.
Some political pundits believe that the chiefs strategically slaughtered the sheep whilst the president was in the Ashanti Region, to send a message to the president that Kojo Bonsu’s days as KMA boss were over.
But other observers also think that it was just a coincidence and that it had nothing to do with the president’s visit to the region.
NDC Apology
Meanwhile, the Ashanti Regional branch of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), led by Yaw Obimpeh, has apologised to the angry Kumasi chiefs to forgive and forget about Kojo Bonsu’ gross disrespect towards them.
He disclosed that the NDC would suffer if the Kumasi chiefs remained angry at Kojo Bonsu, who is also a prominent member of the ruling political party, adding that the party was not happy about the development.
According to him, the NDC leadership in the region would soon make the necessary arrangements to visit the Manhyia Palace and officially apologise to the chiefs to soften their stance for peace to reign.
FROM I.F. Joe Awuah Jnr., Kumasi