Nsoatre In Crisis Over Protracted Chieftaincy
Date published: February 18, 2014
From Michael Boateng, Nsoatre
The Nsoatre Traditional Area in the Sunyani West District of Brong-Ahafo is in deep crisis over a protracted chieftaincy dispute bedeviling the area. The dispute has created factions among the people, thereby depriving the town of development.
At the weekend, a faction of the Nsoatre traditional council, led by the Akwamuhene, Nana Asi Kwasi and Ankobeahene, Nana Baffour Gyamfi Awuah, performed traditional rites at the Afranfo Palace for the destoolment of Nana Professor Boache Amoa-Kromansa II, the Paramount chief of Nsoatre.
The two kingmakers, flanked by other sub chiefs, and a section of the nine royal gates of the traditional council, the king makers slaughtered two sheep to signify the destoolment of Nana Prof Amoa-Kromansa II.
The action of the chiefs followed a number of complaints they had leveled against the Omanahene in a nine-page statement issued in Sunyani.
Among the charges are that Nana Prof. Amoa-Kromansa in his conduct had brought to the people of Nsoatre untold hardships, as currently there is lack of orderliness, insecurity and despondency among citizens in the town.
It noted that Nana Prof Amoa-Kromansa had exhibited acts of great disloyalty to the entire people, elders and the Nsoatre stool.
'Nana Prof Amoa-Kromansa has created disunity in the Nsoatre community, by adopting divide and rule tactics, which had resulted in great mistrust, unnecessary enmity and hatred among the royal gates of Nsoatre.'
According to the charges, the Omanhene has breached various customs and traditions of the Nsoatre Traditional area, stating that he has never sacrificed a single sheep to the ancestral gods and the stool since his enstoolment for over 12 years.
The Omanhene has never fed the ancestral spirits or the stool which such function is performed during celebration of the 'Kwafie' festival of the people of Nsoatre. Again he has no inventory of any movable or immovable property of the Nsoatre stool.
Announcing the purported destoolment of Nana Prof Amoa-Kromansa, the Krontihene of Nsoatre, Nana Obeng Effa Kukurodurufour said the Omanhene failed to comply with the two-week ultimatum given him to answer the charges leveled against him.
However, in a telephone conversation with Nana Professor Boachie Amoa-Kromansa, he denied all allegations leveled against him, and described the action of the said kingmakers as inappropriate.
He therefore called on the people of Nsoatre to remain calm and peaceful in order not to foment chaos in the traditional area, and wait for the ruling of the National House of Chiefs.
According to Nana Prof. Amoa-Kromansa, the supposed chieftaincy dispute which has created factions among the people has cause the town dearly, and it was about time unity must prevail for development to thrive.
He emphasized that the Nsoatre stool was the preserve for only royals, and that it was regrettable that instead of some of the royals to support in the development of the area, they had adopted calculated methods to make him unpopular because he had resolved to bring transparency in all matters at the traditional council.
Nana Prof. Amoa-Kromansa indicated that Nsoatre would have been bloody if he had not intervened to calm down his supporters, expressing optimism that the people would continue to remain calm and give peace the chance.
Nana Prof Amoa-Kromansa was enstooled Nsoatremanhene in 2001, but a section of the royal gates petitioned the Judicial Committee of the Brong-Ahafo Regional House of Chiefs against the installation.