Okyenhene Heats Up …Orders All Ritualists To Leave Okyeman  

The Okyehene, Osagyefo Amoatia Oforipanyin

The Okyenhene Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin, has waged war against the activities of immigrant ritualists who are operating under the guise as traditional priests and abusing the hospitality of Okyeman.

According to Okyehene, these ritualists are engaged in activities that threaten the lives of residents, social order and the health of the national economy.

To this end, he has ordered for the removal of all alien shrines and put ban on alien ritual activities in the Traditional area.

In a statement, Okyenhene Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin said it was necessary to take action with respect to the “provocative specter of the establishment of alien shrines by Fetish Priests with no clear social ties and identity mainly from the neighboring Countries, directly linked with the violation of Akyem Abuakwa customary observances, ritual murders, fake currency racketeering and other violent criminal activities.

He noted that there have been the unperfected influx of these ritualists and the time has come for all to me made to return to their various countries or communities.

“It must be stated that although the acquisition of land and landed property is permitted for non-subjects of the Ofori Panin Stool, it is strictly forbidden for migrant traditional rulers and traditional priests to invoke alien rituals and purport to exercise customary authority, which is the sole prerogative of Nananom of Akyem Abuakwa,” he said.

According to him, alienation of land does not confer jurisdictional authority on the alienee and further the performance of unregulated ritual activities, stressing that the police on April 21, 2020, arrested suspects Christian Gameli Lawerh, alias Power, 36, and Famous Adorkunu, alias Scorpion, 37, who hail from the Volta region but reside at Maame Dede near Adeisu.

He also revealed that on April 29, both suspects admitted having interacted with a missing person for some time, but he was later shot and killed on January 15, 2020, at their shrine.

“The suspects reiterated that the deceased was buried at a particular spot within the shrine and led police to the scene. The area was secured for an exhumation order to be granted by the court. After a search was conducted at their residences, police retrieved two pump action guns, a single barrel gun, together with eleven packets of cartridges from Lawerh’s room.”

Osagyefuo indicated further that the Adeisu incident is not an isolated incident and hence, has found it prudent and timely to order that all alien shrines be closed down within two weeks and an immediate end to all customary rituals alien to Akyem Abuakwa custom.

He also ordered for the retrieval of all ammunitions to ensure the safety of lawful citizens and ordered all Chiefs in Akyem Abuakwa not lease lands to immigrant traditional priests and their associates.

He congratulated the Police and other security forces for their handling of the Adeisu incident and further call for their cooperation to erase the rather ugly spectacle from the face of Okyeman and other parts of the country.