Independence day Brouhaha in Toronto

At the diner to commemorate Ghana's 49th Birthday an incident occurred that nearly marred the function.

The incident involved an aspiring Asantefuohene of Toronto, Nana Bandoh, the Consul General of Ghana in Toronto, Nana Boahen and the High Commissioner of Ghana, H.E. Samuel Odoi-Sykes(pictured).

Sources available to this newspaper indicated that about 6:30p.m. just prior to the commencement of the function, three persons identified themselves as police officers came to the Banquet Hall where the function was to take place and spoke to a number of people. They also produced what was reported to be a photograph of Nana Bandoh and asked whether he was present. Soon afterward guests started arriving at the function, among them were the High Commissioner of Ghana, H.E. Samuel Odoi-Sykes and the Consul General of Ghana in Toronto, Nana Boahen.

At that point the drama started unfolding.

The organizers of the function sensing a possible potential problem at that point informed the High Commissioner that Nana Bandoh(Asantefuohene of Toronto) was restrained from being in an immediate area where Nana Boahen(Consul General of Ghana in Toronto) happens to be.

Sources further stated that the High Commissioner was unhappy about it and threatened to leave the function if indeed Nana Bandoh and his entourage could not be present at the function.

At that point the High Commissioner angrily left the banquet hall.

Elders of the community sensing a catastrophe in the making interceded and the High Commissioner returned to the banquet hall. As soon as the High Commissioner returned to the banquet hall, the Consul General, Nana Boahen gathered his wife and left the charged atmosphere. As if on cue Nana Bandoh and his entourage made a grand entrance.

The question a lot of people asking in the community is whether the organizers were aware of the situation between Nana Boahen and Nana Bandoh. If so why didn't they anticipate such a problem involving both parties?

Secondly whether the organizers fully informed the High Commissioner of what they knew on the issue. If they did, then one could only wonder at the action of the High Commissioner. On the other hand if the organizers did not fully inform him of what they knew then they did him a disservice. For, it would seem the High Commissioner was also questioning local police in the administration of justice knowing that there was a court order restraining Nana Bandoh from being in the same premises with Nana Boahen.