Some concerned Divisional Wing Chiefs of the Agave Traditional Council Have expressed grave disappointment with the behaviour and dealings of Mr. Alfred Agbesi Woyome against the citizenry and leaders of Agave.
The Divisional Wings Chiefs met on 29th March, 2025 with the citizenry of the state following a series of disturbances meted out against their people and revered Chiefs.
Spokesperson of the Divisional Wing Chiefs, Torgbe Boatri said in a press briefing after the meeting,
“We have come to discuss a few things that are bothering us in the Traditional area. And paramount amongst the issues we have come to discuss today is grievous disturbances that one man called Alfred Agbesi Woyome is causing to us in Agave Traditional Area.
He is provoking a lot of people in Agave, especially the Chiefs and Elders. Alfred Agbesi Woyome wants to turn (upside) down the institution of Chieftaincy in Agave and the people of Agave are very angry”
“We want to put on record that Alfred Agbesi Woyome is not a Chief in Agave, neither is he from a royal family in Agave. But he wants to dominate Chieftaincy matters in Agave. This we want to resist and we will resist with our last energy”.
The Chiefs are curious to know what the interest or problem of Mr. Alfred Agbesi Woyome in Agave is, as he is frustrating the efforts of the leaders in trying to make the state better.
‘One thing that is disturbing is the way Agbesi Woyome is using Police against the Chiefs’ Torgbe Boatri added.
The chiefs shared an instance where they had requests from the police in the District inviting them for an emergency meeting on 28th March, 2025 which was a planned attempt to serve the Chiefs with a Writ of summons filed against them.
In the statement after the meeting, Torgbe Boatri raised concerns that the behaviour of some police in this matter is unacceptable which does not build trust in the provision of state in the state.
Background
Following a public declaration made recently by the Divisional Wing Chiefs of the Agave state on 7th March, 2025; after a petition was presented to them by the Agave Youth Council, some actions have forced the Chiefs to speak openly against Mr. Alfred Agbesi Woyome.
One of which is a suit against the Agave Youth Council which was served to some of the defendants on 28th March, 2025.
In the suit, Alfred Agbesi Woyome including some members of his family are seeking an amount of Gh300,000.00 against leaders of the Agave Youth Council for making defamatory remarks against the Woyome family.
“Agave Youths are not the kind you can silence with a court suit. That suit that he has filed, they (we) will deal with it, and we don’t mind how many suits he will file against us.
“We will not be silenced and he can do whatever he wants to do, he can not win over Agave. Agave will triumph against him. He should better stop it and make one, oneness that will bring unity, oneness that will bring peace in Agave” remarked Torgbe Boatri.
The members of the Agave Youth Council include Mr. Awude Goodman Amenyuie, Mr. Oke Boatrie, Eng. Richard Kotey Agbodzi, Mr. Kodzo Ayetor, Mr. Stephen Atsu, Mr. Vorleto Raphael Yao,
According to the suit, the remarks by the Youth Council referring to the Woyomes as ‘Anlo-Whuti family’ is unacceptable as the Woyome family are the ‘Megbeda’ for the Paramount Chief of Agave and the Fievie Traditional Areas.
Torgbe Boatri responded to this; “He is calling himself ‘Megbeda’ of somebody. I don’t know who gave him that position. But he should advise himself and if he doesn’t know he should go back to history and look for where he belongs. Agave loves everybody”.
Reports of men in police and military uniforms patrolling parts of Agave and intimidating residents is becoming rampant in the state.
“Yesterday we heard that some police went to Avegagome, some military officers also went there. We don’t know what they have gone there to do. Some of them visited the Chief’s houses. We want to tell him he should better stop this one because it will not help him. He alone can not win over Agave” Torgbe Boatri added.
On 11th March, 2025, Chiefs of Agave were invited by the MUSEC to discuss security issues surrounding Chieftaincy matters in Agave only for them to be asked to report themselves, plus a tall list of people both dead and alive to the Ho Police Regional Headquarters over what happened on 16th October, 2021.
Mr. Wise Adiabo, spokesperson of the Adiabo family was once harassed by the some men in police and military uniform at his residence after he made a public declaration, later his sister, Vivian Adiabo was also verbally assaulted in the absence of her brother on 6th and 7th March, 2025 respectively.
“Agave will never keep quiet and this we want him to know. Agave is trying to make some amendments in order for Agave to sit well but Agbesi is the one making reports to the police” Torgbe Boatri VII lamented.
In a separate interview Torgbe Boatri VII claimed that the way things have unfolded in recent times have not allowed for the Chiefs to find amicable ways to solve issues with Mr. Alfred Agbesi Woyome.
Paramountcy
Torgbe Boatri VII has given word that plans have started for the installation of a new Paramount Chief.
“We are making all the necessary efforts to ensure that Agave gets a deserving Paramount Chief that Agave will be proud of.
The Chiefs and the elders are working seriously about it. Very soon Agave will outdoor a Paramount Chief that will protect Agave, that will work to make Agave proud” Torgbe Boatri VII assured.
Information circulating suggests that a candidate has been taken to Avegagome (the foundation or founding village of Agave) and the initial rituals have begun in Afedome, Kpogede at Deli’s Shrine.
By Selasi Aklotsoe Mensah
