32 years chieftaincy dispute ends in Kpando
The chiefs of Aziavi, Fesi and Aloyi in the Kpando Traditional Area in the Volta Region have smoked the peace pipe to end the over 35-years protracted chieftaincy dispute in the area.
Advertisement
The chiefs are Togbe Diawusie III, Togbui Afendza III and Togbe Komla Teng V of Aziavi, Fesi and Aloyi respectively.
To symbolise their commitment to peace, the chiefs ate from the same bowl to signify the end of the dispute.
Background
Togbe Afendza III and Togbe Komla Teng the V interacts after 32 years
After several attempt to get the chiefs together, the Member of Parliament of Kpando, Mrs Della Sowah on December 24, 2016, wrote to the President of the Akpini traditional council, Togbe Osei Tutu Brempong III (Paramount Chief of Wusuta traditional council) to intervene in the prolong chieftaincy dispute in Kpando.
Togbe Osei Tutu Brempong III subsequently forwarded the petition to the Volta regional house of chiefs.
On February 15, 2017, the Volta Regional house of chiefs presided over by Nana Soglo Allo IV – president of the regional house of chiefs gave the nod to Togbe Osei Tutu Brempong III to form a committee of reconciliation to go into the dispute.
As first steps, the chiefs of Anyigbe met at Kpando Aloyi and revoked their respective curses, and paid the fines as dictated by the Kpando tradition and customs.
They performed all the customary rites necessary for the revocation of the curses and slaughtered rams as a seal of their commitment and also ate and drank from the bowl and bottle respectively.
Vows
Togbe Afendza III and Togbe Komla Teng the V happy to be united again
Togbe Afendza III, Togbe Komla Teng and Togbe Dewusie VI shook hands and hugged each other for the first time in public after more than 30 years.
They then vowed to abide by the agreements reached by the Togbe Ayim reconciliation committee.
The chiefs called on their subjects to do same, forgive and forget anything anyone might have done to them as a result of the chieftaincy dispute.
Task Ahead
For his part, the chairman of the mediation committee, Paramount Chief of Ziavi Traditional Area, Togbe Kwaku Ayim IV, expressed happiness that the chiefs have decided to allow peace to prevail in the area.
He was optimistic that the people of Kpando would be able to now celebrate their festival Dayigba Kaka, which had not been celebrated more than 30 years.
Mrs Della Sowah interacting with the gathering
In a speech, Mrs Della Sowah, the Member of Parliament for the Kpando Constituency (MP), said the event was historical because it marked the beginning of the socio-economic development in the area.