“There Is No Chief at Wenchi” — Renewed Tensions Over Long-Standing Chieftaincy Dispute

In Ghana, chieftaincy is never just about a throne. It is about blood, history, and the sacred bond between a people and their ancestors. And right now, Wenchi in the Bono Region is reminding the whole country of that truth — loudly.

A video circulating online captures aggrieved voices delivering a blunt message: "There is no chief at Wenchi, and we will not sit down for others to override our rights — NEVER." When Ghanaians speak with that kind of conviction, you know this is not a passing complaint.

The two families (the Sofoase Yefre Royal Family and the Nkwaduano Royal Family — both regarded as aboriginal royal lineages of Wenchi) have remained fully committed to challenging the legitimacy of Mr. Kwaku Abrefa Damoah, whom they accuse of unlawfully holding himself out as Wenchimanhene, with legal action dating back to July 2019.

When they say "there is no chief," they mean it in the traditional sense — if the installation process was flawed, the stool is considered vacant regardless of who occupies it. The two families (Sofoase Yefre and Nkwaduano) have dismissed claims that the dispute is resolved as "false, misleading, and deliberately concocted."

This dispute is not just a royal family argument — it is hurting Wenchi's growth. The Wenchi Municipal Assembly has acknowledged that the chieftaincy dispute has stalled development in the area, with the Municipal Security Council continuously monitoring events to maintain peace.

Youth groups have petitioned multiple national bodies, directly blaming the protracted dispute for the underdevelopment of the Wenchi area.

The petition challenging the enstoolment was filed as far back as July 2019, citing unconstitutionality and contravention of the Chieftaincy Act, 2009. For years, no panel was even constituted to hear it. It took a mandamus from the Sunyani High Court to finally compel the Bono Regional House of Chiefs to act. That alone explains the frustration boiling over in that video.

The people of Wenchi are not asking for anything extraordinary. They want a chief chosen correctly, installed properly, and recognised by all. That is tradition. That is justice. And until it is delivered, do not expect them to sit down.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jb9DZsGuwD4