The Paramount Chief of the Manya Krobo Traditional Area, Nene Sakite II, has destooled the Paramount Queen mother of the Area, Nana Aplam II, 3news.com has gathered.
Sources close to the Manya Krobo Paramountcy say the Paramount Chief announced the immediate destoolment of the Queen mother for “betrayal” before a meeting of chiefs and elders of the Area on Monday, May 11.
The Queen mother’s husband hails from the Manya Division, headed by the Divisional Chief of the Area, Okpatakpla Nene Sasraku IV.
Together with five other divisional chiefs, Okpatakpla Nene Sasraku IV had declared their autonomy from Nene Sakite II in October, 2019 and elevated themselves to independent paramountcies without the approval of the Overlord of the Manya Klo State, Nene Sakite II.
Nana Aplam II’s marriage to a lawyer (name withheld), from one of the breakaway paramountcies, according to sources, did not go down well with the Paramount Chief who summoned her before the chiefs to announce her destoolment.
The Konor, therefore, took the decision to destool her in the presence of other chiefs as he condemned the conduct of the Queen-mother, describing her as unfit to hold herself as Paramount Queen Mother of the Manya Krobo Traditional Area.
Though many of the chiefs reportedly disapproved of the Chief’s decision, none could openly challenge his verdict.
A close source to the Queen mother confirmed the story and indicated the Queen mother’s resolve to seek redress.
“Everything you’ve heard is true,” said the source without elaborating further.
“The Queen was summoned before the Chiefs and her destoolment announced to her.”
Public Relations Officer of the Manya Krobo Traditional Council Nene Asada Ahor, when reached for his response to the issue, failed to confirm or deny except to say that the Council would respond appropriately and in due course.
It’s unclear if the Queen Mother’s marriage is a sacrilege to merit her destoolment or if the destoolment process received any customary validity.
If her destoolment holds, Nana Aplam II will go down in history as the first Queen mother to be destooled in the traditional area.
The Kingmakers of the Manya Krobo Traditional Area will also be under customary obligation to present a new candidate for installation as Queen mother of the Area.
Privately known as Grace Asare, Nana Aplam II was installed the Queen mother of the Manya-Krobo Traditional Area in 2015 as part of the annual Ngmayem Festival at Odumase-Krobo.
She succeeded the former Queen mother of the Area, Nana Mamle Okleyo, who died in 2012.