3 Communities in Kpando smoke peace pipe
A protracted chieftaincy dispute involving the chiefs and people of Aziavi, Fesi and Aloyi in the Kpando Traditional Area in the Volta Region has finally been resolved.
Advertisement
The chiefs — Togbe Diawusie III of Aziavi, Togbui Afendza III of Fesi and Togbe Komla Teng V of Aloyi — ate from the same bowl last Thursday to signify the end of the dispute which had existed for more than 32 years.
Attempts
After several attempts to resolve the issue amicably had not yielded the desired results, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Kpando, Mrs Della Sowah, on December 24, 2016, wrote to the President of the Akpini Traditional Council, Togbe Osei Tutu Brempong III, to intervene in the protracted chieftaincy dispute in Kpando.
Togbe Brempong subsequently forwarded the petition to the Volta Regional House of Chiefs.
Reconciliation committee
On February 15, 2017, the Volta Regional House of Chiefs, presided over by its President, Nana Soglo Allo IV, gave the nod to Togbe Brempong to form a committee of reconciliation to resolve the issue.
The Togbe Kwaku Ayim IV Reconciliation/Unification Committee, including a Catholic priest, began work on March 8, 2017.
After many meetings and discussions, the chiefs of the affected towns and their king makers decided that enough was enough.
As a first step, the chiefs of Anyigbe met at Kpando Aloyi, revoked their respective curses and paid the fines as dictated by Kpando traditions and customs.
They performed all the customary rites necessary for the revocation of the curses and slaughtered rams to seal their commitment.
They then set Thursday, October 19, 2017 for the final reunification, where all the chiefs would eat from the same bowl and drink from the same bottle.
Vows
Togbe Afendza, Togbe Teng and Togbe Diawusie shook hands and hugged one another for the first time in public after more than 32 years.
They then vowed to abide by the agreements reached by the Togbe Ayim Reconciliation/Unification Committee.
The chiefs called on their subjects to do same, forgive one another and forget about anything anyone might have done to them as a result of the protracted dispute.
Task ahead
For his part, the Chairman of the Reconciliation/Unification Committee and Paramount Chief of the Ziavi Traditional Area, Togbe Ayim, said the issues ahead were not as daunting because the task had virtually been completed.
He said the committee was optimistic that the chieftaincy challenges in Kpando would become a thing of the past, adding that Kpando would once again resume its enviable position as the shining star in the Volta Region.
The people of Kpando were also optimistic that finally they would be able to celebrate their Dayigba Kaka which had not been celebrated for over 30 years.
They were full of praise for Mrs Sowah.
In a speech, Mrs Sowah said the event was historical because it marked the beginning of the socio-economic development of the area.
Background
About 32 years ago, a chieftaincy dispute erupted in Kpando, resulting in the virtual disintegration of the Kpando Traditional Council.
The Anyigbe Division, which is the Right Wing and customary war leader in the Kpando Traditional Area, was also caught up in the feud. The division comprises Fesi, Aloyi and Aziavi.
With the Anyigbes united, the Togbe Ayim Reconciliation/Unification Committee has overcome the second major step in finding a lasting solution to the problems bedeviling the Kpando Traditional Area.
What is left is for the chiefs and other stakeholders to bring all factions in the traditional area together.