Nsawkaw in the Tain Constituency is known as one of the role players in the elections that brought to power Prof. John Evans Atta Mills (late) and the National Democratic Congress in 2008. Ghana had to witness an election in three rounds before a decision was made by the electoral commission. This is the town I am talking about and the interest lye in the fact that, the peace and stability in the town since 1979 should not be jeopardized by the same politicians who may benefit from the citizenry in some other elections to come. What is the interest of a politician in governance over traditional chieftaincy matters?
I chanced on a petition to the Judicial Council of the Brong Ahafo House of Chiefs on a matter that is pending before the house since November 2015 and an unlawful act that occurred on the 8th of January 2018. It is regrettable to say that with my naïve legal mind, I could see a clear case of dishonor by a party in the suit against the court. How I wish the animal called contempt had been applied in this matter to maintain the sanctity and the piety of the court as had been used in the case of the “muntie trio” and even during the elections petition hearing.
People who are not kingmakers have been able to install a paramount chief in Nsawkaw against a suit pending in court. I now know why politicians make everything possible whether legally or illegally. This was possible because of the heavy security presence sent from the National unit because a politician (name will be given at the right time) in power had an interest. When a restraining order by the Regional Police and even Wenchi Municipal Police Division was in place, the politician could send security to bypass all these orders of command to Nsawkaw to effect an unlawful installation of a self-styled chief who is not even a native of the town. Such is the world.
The law-abiding citizens of Nsawkaw State – and five Royal Gates or Families of Nsawkaw instead of confronting the illegal situation which could have escalated and even worse than what we have witnessed elsewhere about matters of chieftaincy rather chose to allow the legal processes to proceed. They registered their displeasure in the strongest possible terms to the Judicial Council of the Regional House of Chiefs. They pleaded with Nananom to act on the disgraceful and disrespectful installation which is an insult to the whole institution of Chieftaincy, which our constitution upholds.
What is the situation in Nsawkaw now?
Nsawkaw for almost 10 years has been without a queen-mother. After her demise, the royals nominated a substitute who actually was gazette by our legal system. The nominated substitute was even the one who took the then Chief to the Brong Ahafo House of Chiefs to be accepted, gazette and recognized as the Paramount Chief of the area.
When the Royals decided to officially complete the process to install the then “acting” queen-mother, the then Chief opposed the act. The search revealed that, the Chief who stood in great opposition passed-on to his ancestors leaving Nsawkaw without both substantive queen-mother and a Paramount Chief. The sub-Chiefs continued the opposition to the installation of the chosen queen-mother even after the funeral rites of the late Chief. It was on this and the respect for the laws, that the matter was taken to the Judicial Council of the Brong Ahafo House of Chiefs for determination in November 2015. A lot has gone on over the period and it is good to know that, the peace of the district is intact but one asks for how long?
The displeasure of the Royal Gates
“Undeniably, we the five Royal Gates of Nsawkaw collectively dispute, disregard and vehemently oppose the so-called installation of a paramount Chief that took place on 8th of January 2018. It was done without any consultation with any recognized member of the above mentioned five Royal Gates; not even our Head (Nana Abakomahene), officially knew about it. However, it is instructive to note that the late Queen-mother and the late Chief died in May 2009 and June 2014 respectively. In early 2015, in the absence of The Krontihene who equally passed on in December 2011, all the Sub-Divisional Chiefs led by Gyaasehene – acting as President of the Nsawkaw Traditional Council (NTC), called all the Royal Gates led by Nana Sraha, The Abakomahene. The Gyaasehene and the rest of the Sub-divisional Chiefs officially requested from the Abakomahene and the rest of the Royal Families; that Nsawkaw needs new queen-mother and a paramount Chief. The Abakomahene welcomed the request and primarily informed the Adwo family to prepare and install a queen-mother first. The Adwo Family then announced with a public notice about the proper impending installation of Nana Pokuah Ankamu Boatemaa II within 14 days as per the constitution.
However, the same Gyaasehene and two others (Ankobiahene and Akyeamehene) objected to the installation of the queen-mother without any legal or customary basis. The reason why the Adwo Family brought the Three Respondents to court to explain the basis of their objection. Whiles all the Royal Families are waiting for the outcome of the case before Nananom, the same three respondents have bypassed we the five Royal Families to Uncustomary and unlawfully install a stranger as a paramount Chief on January 8, 2018 without the involvement of a Queen-mother- because we do not have one.”
Political influence to allow unlawful installation of a Chief
“On behalf of the law-abiding citizens of Nsawkaw State – and on our own behalf as five Royal Gates or Families of Nsawkaw. We would like to register our displeasure in the strongest possible terms that the so-called “installation of a paramount Chief” on January 8, 2018 – led by Nana Amoah Sakyi (Gyaasehene of Nsawkaw); Nana Osei Gyan (Ankobiahene of Nsawkaw) and Nana Nyina Yaw (Akyeamehene of Nsawkaw) – is not only unlawful, uncustomary, premeditated and extremely prejudicial to existing court cases; but also, disgraceful and disrespectful to the whole institution of Chieftaincy, which our constitution upholds.
What happened at Nsawkaw on January 8, 2018, is extremely unfortunate and a clear act of bad faith; given that there is a pending case since 30th of November 2015, before The Brong/Ahafo Regional House of Chiefs. A case seeking among other claims; an order of perpetual injunction on the above mentioned Sub-divisional Chiefs, who are indeed the Respondents. The perpetual injunction being sought is meant to restrain these three Sub-divisional Chiefs and their agents from proceeding to nominate, elect and install either the queen-mother or Paramount Chief of Nsawkaw Traditional Area. The very “petition” (of 30th November 2015)” they have prematurely disregarded with such impunity and contempt.”
The illegal installation of the self-styled paramount Chief on January 8, 2018, was done without the active participation of the law-abiding citizens of Nsawkaw. The established customary process of nomination, election and installation were ignored because there was no queen-mother. We emphasize again that whiles the case is still pending before Nananom, they went ahead and capriciously imposed a stranger to the five Royal Families as a Chief, over the Mid-night of January 7-8, 2018. This obviously is not only unacceptable but certainly a premeditated act.”
The position of the Royal Gates
It does not lie in the mouth and powers of politicians appointed to serve, to choose who should rule people as their Chief. Such acts will be resisted and must be condemned by all well-meaning citizens. Not condemning such show of power will plunge the nation into situations that might be difficult to manage.
“We repeat that what happened at Nsawkaw is unlawful, uncustomary, capricious and unreasonable on the part of the Three Respondents and their cohorts. As such, we the FIVE ROYAL GATES WILL NEVER ALLOW IT TO STAND. Nsawkawman is crying out loud in the face of our recent history of installation of paramount Chiefs – and swearing per the Jews after the holocaust that – NEVER AGAIN!
Our contention that it is unlawful is rooted in the re-stated fact that, there is a case on the installation of Queen-mother, which also prayed for an injunction on the installation of paramount Chief; still pending before The Regional House of Chiefs. An institution which is sanctioned in the 1992 constitution under Act 759 of chieftaincy Act 2008 – to determine the merits or otherwise of the above-mentioned case. Yet, the respondents who ought to know better decided to blatantly disregard the law and do as they pleased; by installing the so-called Chief on 8th of January 2018. It is indeed uncustomary because – in Chapter 4 of “The Making of a Chief” – in Justice S.A. Brobbey’s book on the Law of Chieftaincy. He unequivocally detailed and we quote: “succession to stools and skins is by right, in a limited sense, traceable to the progenitor or originator of the royal family. In the matrilineal system of family, the son of a Chief can never be installed as a Chief under normal circumstance, subject to few exceptions” Such exceptions include in times of war, like happened in the case of Nana Kru Kwame of Nsawkaw (who is The Self-imposed Chief’s paternal grandfather) who died in April 1944.
For now, we would want to make it clear that ascension to the great Nsawkaw stool is not through the patrilineal system. The “Rambo Style” manner of the January 8, 2018 installation has raised questions. One of such questions on the lips of most people is that “must he become a Chief at all cost?”
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