5 Akuapem divisional chiefs revoke oath

Efforts to cement the unity among the five divisional chiefs of Akuapem were reinforced last Sunday when the chiefs and people of the area performed rituals to revoke an oath they swore that they would neither go to Akropong nor pay allegiance to the Ofori Panin Stool, which caused a deep rift among them.

The revocation of the oath was one of the conditions agreed on in the Koforidua Peace Accord signed by the chiefs on August 27, 2013.

They pledged to undertake the rituals as part of steps to restore unity among them and the people of the area.

The chiefs first poured libation and slaughtered a white sheep at a durbar held at the Millennium Palace of the Lartehene before sacrificing a fat bull in front of the palace in the full glare of the public.

The rituals have now reversed the Mukasa oath sworn by the three divisional chiefs--the Aburihene, the Lartehene and the Adukromhene-- at Larteh 20 years ago when they declared not to go to Akropong or serve the Ofori Panin Stool.

The declaration led the three chiefs to seek to set up their own paramountcies but the move was vehemently challenged by the Omanhene and supporting divisional chiefs.

But with the performance of the rituals, the “Mukasa” has now been reversed to “Mukanom”, meaning “we are now together”.

The five divisional chiefs who took part in the ceremony were the Lartehene and Benkumhene of Akuapem, Osabarima Enyine Asiedu Okoo Ababio II; the Krontihene of Akuapem, Osahene Ofei Kwasi Agyeman IV; the Aburihene and Adontenhene of Akuapem, Otoobuor Djan Kwasi III; the Adukromhene and Nifahene of Akuapem, Nana Otutu Kono III, the Amanokromhene and Gyaasehene of Akuapem, Nana Osiem Kwatia, who represented the Omanhene of Akuapem, Oseadeeyo Nana Addo Dankwa III.

The reconciliation ceremony was also witnessed by the three chief executives for the Akuapem area---Nsawam/Adoagyiri, Akuapem North and Akuapem South, as well as some sub-chiefs and queenmothers of Akuapem.

The Lartehene, Adukromhene both took turns to address the gathering and were glad they had succeeded to implement one of the conditions they agreed on.

They, however, called on their people to also warmly embrace the peace initiatives they were undertaking to ensure a complete peaceful co-existence among them and rapid development of the area.

The Lartehene stated that undertaking the Mukasa rituals at Larteh 20 years ago led the three divisional chiefs to dissociate themselves from Akropong.

However, with the performance of the Mukanom rituals, they would proceed to Adukrom and Abiriw to perform other rituals.

That would include the exhumation and befitting burial for the three people who died at Abiriw but were refused burial at Akropong, a disagreement that reportedly triggered the 20-year-old dispute.

He added that he, together with the Adukromhene, would proceed to Akropong to swear their allegiance to the Omanhene as they did not do so prior to their installations as the chiefs of Larteh and Adukrom.

“The Aburihene was already a chief before the misunderstanding broke out,” Osabarima Ababio added.

The Adukromhene said, “Today's ceremony marks a positive forward movement that we the divisional chiefs of Akuapem are ready for development, peace and unity.”

The Krontihene of Akuapem, was happy about the commitment of the divisional chiefs to go all out to complete their peace initiative and urged them to apply “wisdom, humility and determination to make the peace we yearn for a reality”.

Speaking on behalf of the Omanhene of Akuapem, the Amanokromhene conveyed the congratulatory message of Oseadeeyo to all the divisional chiefs for their preparedness to dialogue and embrace peace and unity.