Let peace, unity prevail in Manya Krobo; Akute Azu Family urges factions
The Akute Azu Royal Family of Kokum in Odumase-Krobo in the Eastern Region has called for calm in the Manya Krobo Traditional Area following recent disturbances that engulfed the area.
According to the family, what the traditional area needed most was peace and unity to ensure the rapid development of the Manya Krobo state.
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The family, therefore, has urged all aggrieved parties in the area to resort to dialogue to address all outstanding grievances.
The Manya Krobo Traditional Area has for sometime now been experiencing turbulence, with some divisional chiefs declaring their autonomy from the paramountcy as well as the recent destoolment of the paramount queenmother, Manye Koryo Aplam II, by Nene Sakite, the Paramount Chief.
"We, the Akute Azu Royal Family of Kokum, wish to address issues that have been left unattended to for decades in order to restore peace, stabilise our traditional area, preserve the institution of chieftaincy and safeguard the sanctity of our common will as a people", the family added.
Reconstitution of council
Addressing a press conference at Odumase-Krobo in the Lower Manya Municipality on Saturday, the Public Relations Officer of the family, Mr Adolphous Amenyo Torkornoo, called for the immediate reconstitution of the Odumase Council in a way that was transparent, equitable and fair with representatives from "all male descendants of Odonkor Azu through to his 12 wives and brothers".
The press conference, held at the Zimmerman Presbyterian Church auditorium, was attended by elders and family members of the Akute Azu Royal Family.
The family said by reconstituting the council, "We will not only enhance its legitimacy but also create transparency in chieftaincy matters related to the paramountcy".
Judicial Committee ruling
Assigning reasons, the Akute Azu Royal Family said, on May 24, 1994, the Judicial Committee of the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs made a unanimous pronouncement and determination concerning the paramount stool of the Manya Krobo Traditional Area, and that in that decision, the committee acknowledged that all male descendants of Odonkor Azu from his 12 wives and the associated families are royals of Odumase.
It said as to the rightful occupant of the Manya Krobo Paramount Stool, the committee directed "us to be cognisant of the provisions of tbe Constitution of the Republic of Ghana that a chief must hail from the appropriate family and lineage, he must be validly nominated, elected or selected and enstooled, eskinned or installed as a chief or a queenmother in accordance with the relevant customary law and usage".
It said the committee refrained from imposing a paramount chief on "our people and directed us to take the necessary steps to reconstitute the Odumase Council that is vested with that customary responsibility of installing chiefs and queenmother in Manya Krobo".
The family quoted specifically a portion of the ruling of the committee which said " after the dust has settled and the Manya Krobo Traditional Council has settled down to business the recommendation which perhaps involves either the reconstitution or dissolution of the Odumase Council should be done within three months”.
It said per the ruling, the acting President of the Council was to ensure that there was equal, fair and equitable representation on the Council of all royals and the heads of their families to avoid unfavourably packing the council with favourites.
Peace message
The family called on all parties and stakeholders to join "us to fulfil the above recommendations by the Judicial Committee that have been unheeded to, for over 25 years ".
The Akute Azu Royal Family called on all Manya Krobos to remain steadfast in their desire to protect the sanctity of their will as a people.
The family hoped "this peace message will serve as a rallying point for us to unite so that we as one family can soar higher and higher like the eagles that we are".
