Oseadeeyo Kwasi Akuffo III, the Okuapemhene has finally been gazetted after almost seven (7) years of chieftaincy dispute after the demise of Okuapemhene, Oseadeeyo Nana Addo Dankwa III and there was the need for a successor.
This was contained in a certified true copy of the gazette sighted signed by the registrar of the National House of Chiefs (NHC) Mr. Baafi Nsiah on Friday October 7, 2022.
A wild jubilation and heavy sigh of relief greeted residents of Akropong and by extension the Akuapem Ridge when they received news that Oseadeeyo Kwasi Akuffo III, the Okuapemhene has finally been gazetted.
At a presser over the weekend, by group calling itself Akuapem Youth for Development (AYD) in Akropong on Sunday, Mr. A.S Nana Addo-Aikins Jr., leader of the group called on both factions to let peace reign after the gazette.
He further appealed to the factions to immediately cease the insults and insinuations and rather joined their shoulders to the development wheel.
The spokesperson for AYD indicated that it is time to reflect on the loss Akuapem has suffered and come together as one people to move forward peacefully and work hard to reinstate the peace and unity the Akuapem stand for.
“A call for peace is paramount since it is clear beyond any doubt considering the evidence and ruling by the RHC and NHC that there is a legitimate King sitting on his throne – His Royal
Majesty Oseadeeyo Kwasi Akuffo III, OKUAPEHENE”, he stressed.
On the other hand, Odehye Kwasi Akuffo (Joe Farrell) who was the main candidate of Okuapehemaa, Nana Afua Nketia Obuo II confirmed the gazette of his main contender when contacted.
He explained that he has sighted a certified true copy of the gazette which was signed by the registrar of the National House of Chiefs (NHC) Mr. Baafi Nsiah on Friday October 7, 2022.
Notwithstanding that, he directed this reporter to his lawyer, lawyer Ansah Asare for further interpretation of the issue and next action they intend taking after the gazette.
All efforts however to reach the lawyer proved unsuccessful because his cell phone could not be reached.
Background
It could be recalled that His Royal Majesty Oseadeeyo Addo Dankwa III passed on to rest with his ancestors On August 3 2015 and just like every great kingdom, when a king dies, there are customary laws which are followed in selecting the right royal for the throne; this such law could be found in the customary law (Akuapem State) 1960s L.I. 32 as laid down by our ancestors.
Oseadeeyo Kwasi Akuffo III, the Okuapemhene known in private life as Odehye Kwadwo Kesse Antwi arrived in Ghana January 2016 was nominated to go through the process of selection and installation to be King however, due to internal family disputes and other contentions this process took another two years.
Odehye Kwadwo Kesse Antwi as known in private life, was contended by Odehye Kwasi Akuffo popularly known as Joe Farrell who is the nephew of Odehye Kwadwo Kesse Antwi.
In the Akan tradition the lineage or succession is by a matrilineal system; for instance, when a mother’s brother passes, the nephew inherits him and under no circumstance a grand- nephew inherits a grand uncle when a nephew is available and in line of succession. This is a fact according to the matrilineal inheritance system by the Akans.
Madam Lilly Agyemang is the Abrewatia (OLDEST FEMALE ROYAL) of the Sakyiabea Royal Family and as per traditions and customary law (Akuapem state) order, 1960, L.I. 32 it is her sole prerogative to nominate a name for the Asonahene to be given to the Queen mother to announce to the rest of the kingmakers who then vet, approve and install the next king of the Ofori Kuma Stool.
The Abrewatia Madam Lilly Agyemang nominated Odehye Kwadwo Kesse Antwi whose name was given to Asonahene to be given to the Queen mother to present to the kingmakers.
When the Queen mother brought the name to the kingmakers, she had added another name to that which was given her from the Abrewatia. The additional name was no other than Odehye Kwasi Akuffo (Joe Farrell) who is the nephew of Odehye Kwadwo Kesse Antwi.
This brought confusion which stalled the process and divided the kingmakers to two with 8 backing Odehye Kwadwo Kesse Antwi and 3 including the Queen mother backing Odehye Kwasi Akuffo.
Without a unified mind, the Queen mother went ahead with her associates to perform some rites to install Odehye Kwasi Akuffo without the backing of the other 8 kingmakers, when this happened Odehye Kwadwo Kesse Antwi was also taken through the same process to become King.
The Abrewatia noticing this confusion and breach, brought a suit against the Queen mother for performing the duties of the Abrewatia.
The Okuapehemaa, Nana Afua Nketia Obuo II, and the Asonahene of the Akuapem Traditional Area, Nana Kwasi Omenako II, have jointly asked Odehye Kwadwo Kesse Antwi to vacate the Okuapehene’s Palace at Akropong-Akuapem in the Eastern Region after being found guilty of contempt in the process that installed him as Okuapehene.
On March 17, 2020, a High Court in Koforidua, presided over by Justice Mrs. Doris Dabanka Bekoe, found Odehye Kwadwo Kesse and Madam Lily Agyeman, the Abrewatia of Akropong, guilty of disobeying the order of the Judicial Committee of the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs, which directed them to follow the appropriate traditional process for a fresh nomination of the next Okuapehene.
The Judicial Committee had given the ruling on Thursday, April 30, 2020, but the next day, Friday, May 1, 2020, instead of following the traditional process where the Okuapehene is nominated by the Okuapehemaa, Odehye Kwadwo Kesse Antwi was enstooled as Okuapehene after the Abrewatia had secretly selected and nominated him in total disregard of the ruling and the traditional process.
The High Court, after finding them guilty of contempt on March 17, 2020, imposed a GHC10, 000.00 fine each, in default of which each would serve 14 days imprisonment.
On March 24th, this year, they both paid the fines to the High Court.
In a letter written through their lawyer, Mr. Kwaku Ansa-Asare, dated March 28, 2021, the Okuapehemaa and the Asonahene said the conviction of Odehye Kwadwo Kesse Antwi and Madam Lily Agyeman, meant that the purported “installation” of Odehye Kwadwo Kesse has been nullified and he, therefore, ceases to be a chief.
It reminded the two of the need to fully comply with the decision and order of the court.
The letter said “each of you on March 24, 2021, paid the fine of GHC10, 000.00 in impartial compliance with the decision of the court but you are still occupying and using the seat of the Okuapehene to wit the Ahenfie.”
It reminded them of the need to use the appropriate process in the nomination and installation of the next Okuapehene.
Meanwhile, Odehye Kwadwo Kesse Antwi and Madam Lily Agyemang appealed against their conviction in the contempt case saying the High Court erred in assuming jurisdiction of the case.
Among other reliefs being sought is the refund of the GHC10, 000.00 fine they paid to the Court.
The Akuapem chieftaincy dispute has ‘since travelled’ to the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs and finally at the National House of Chiefs, in Kumasi, the Ashanti regional capital.
The case was filed with the Judicial Committee of the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs; after almost 2 years of deliberations, arguments by the different counsels, and fact checking, the Judicial panel of the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs made a ruling on Thursday, April 30 2020, that the petitioner, Lily Agyemang, the Abrewatia of the royal Sakyiabea house has the sole prerogative to appoint the new king.
The panel also gave a restraining order against Odehye Kwasi Akuffo (Joe Farrell) from carrying himself as the Chief of Okuapeman thus nullifying his enstoolment.
On 1st May 2020, after the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs ruling, Odehye Kwadwo Kesse Antwi was presented to the kingmakers and the process of Enstoolment began, This customary process was initiated based on the court ruling which specifically stated that the Abrewatia should go back and present the candidate to the queen mother to announce and pass on to the kingmakers.
On Friday the 1st of May, 2020, when the kingmakers sat waiting for the queen mother to present the name, she simply did not avail herself or the name which had already been given her.
On that note the majority of the kingmakers continued the process without her and confirmed the name from the Abrewatia. So based on the court ruling by the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs, they confirmed Odehye Kwadwo Kesse Antwi and continued the process. On 3rd May, 2020 Odehye Kwadwo Kesse Antwi was sworn in as the 26th occupant of the Ofori Kuma Stool.
Okuapeman saw a historic event as Odehye Kwadwo Kesse Antwi became the youngest King to occupy such a prestigious position with all five divisional chiefs present at the same time to swear their oath
Monday 4th May 2020, the Queen mother Nana Afua Obuo Nketia II and her associates brought an appeal to the National House of Chiefs to overturn the decision of the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs ruling.
After 2 years of court appearances and facts checking, a deliberate attempt to prolong the judgement, the Judicial Panel of the National House of Chiefs finally set a date for the judgement.
On 29th September, 2022, when the judicial committee of the National House of Chiefs sat, it ominously dismissed the appeal filed by the Queen mother and her 3 other associates and affirmed the judgement of the judicial committee of the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs and mulcted them with cost of GH.50, 000.00.
It required that custom is followed which had been followed since 3rd May, 2020. Akuapem has A King (gazetted on 5th October, 2022) HIS ROYAL MAJESTYOSEADEEYO KWASI AKUFFO III.
