Tension is brewing at Odumase-Krobo in the Eastern Region as the youth are angry at the chiefs for giving their coveted prize to Matilda Amissah-Arthur, wife of Vice President Paa Kwesi Amissah-Arthur, as the Best Ideal/Virtuous Woman of Kroboland for the year 2016; although she is not a native of the area.
The Konor of Manya-Krobo and president of the Manya-Krobo Traditional Council, Nene Sakite II, on Monday, October 24, 2016, as part of activities marking the Ngmayem festival, conferred an honorary award (‘Yokama’) on Mrs Amissah-Arthur.
The award has generated a hot debate and attracted condemnations from the youth and the residents who are unhappy with the chief‘s decision.
A few hours after the 2nd lady had been honoured, the youth of the Krobo area took to the social media to spew venom on the Konor, the Traditional Council and the Ngmayem Planning Committee for the nomination of Mrs Matilda Amissah-Athur for the award.
The aggressive youth, who said their coveted prize had been given to the NDC woman because of the chief’s supposed affiliation to the party, said that the award should have been given to distinguished Krobo women who have excelled in their fields of endeavour and not the wife of a vice president.
They also questioned the role Matilda Amissah-Arthur has played to the development of the Krobo area to deserve such a prestigious award.
According to a publication in the annual Ngmayem brochure in the Manya-Krobo Traditional Council and the office of the Konor on the objective/rationale for the ‘Yokama’ awards, ”The ‘Yokama’ (Ideal Woman) Day was instituted and designated by the Konor of Manya-Krobo to bring together women of distinction and achievement to celebrate a day specially set aside for them as part of the Annual Ngmayem Festival celebrations. The objective is also to inculcate in the youth the drive of Excellence.”
DAILY GUIDE learnt that since 2003, when the prize was instituted, a total of 18 krobo women have been awarded with the prestigious title of ‘Yokama’ in the Manya-Krobo Traditional Area.
The angry youth further asked the chiefs to rescind their decision because there are many Krobo women who also deserve such an award.
FROM Daniel Bampoe, Odumase-Krobo