Stool Mother(Grey hair) ,Ohene Nana Benet and some elders
Stool Mother (Abrewatia) of the Sekyiabea family – one of the ruling houses in Akropong Akwapim – Nana Lily Agyeman, on Thursday swore the Great Oath of the Akuapem Traditional Council against the installation of Kwasi Akuffo aka Joe Faree as the new Okuapemhene.
This action, according to sources, forbids anyone from going ahead to swear in a new chief without her knowledge and approval.
According to the stool mother, Obaa Panyin Georgina Yeboah Akufo, also a member of the royal family, did not consult her (Lily Agyeman) before nominating Joe Faree, who happens to be her son, as successor to the late Okuapehene.
She alleges that Obaapanyin Georgina Akufo had also gone ahead to present a sheep and some drinks to the Asonahene and Adumhene for the necessary rites towards the installation of the new chief expected to take place on Saturday, July 9, 2016.
“We have sworn the Great Oath of Okuapeman against the perpetrators of this wicked act to restrain them from pursuing their intentions in order to avert any chieftaincy disputes,” she explained.
He stressed that it is the duty of the stool mother (in this case Nana Lily Agyeman) to appoint a candidate and present him to the family after which she would inform the Okuapeman queen mother about the nomination.
The spokesperson explained that succession to the Akropong-Akuapem throne is on rotational basis among three Asona Royal Houses, which are Amma Ogyaa, Sakyiabea and Nketia.
Ohene Nana Bennet mentioned that Amma Ogyaa and Nketia families had had their turns and so the lot falls on them to provide a candidate who is credible enough to the people.
Nana Lily Agyeman, accompanied by a couple of elders, moved into the Asonahene’s residence in Akropong with the intention to swear the oath but she was unable to perform the act because he was absent.
They therefore moved to the Okuapeman Palace where they finally poured libation against the three persons (Obaapanyin Georgina Yeboah Akufo, the Asonahene and their son, Kwasi Akufo)
After the final funeral rites of the late Okuapemhene, Oseadeyo Ado Dankwa early this year, the Okuapeman stool became vacant.
Ohene Nana Bennet cautioned politicians to resist any temptation to create any trouble for the people of Akwapim, adding that they are peace-loving people.
By Solomon Ofori