Tension is escalating between Asamankese and Anum in the Eastern Region following the recent elevation of Asamankese-Anum Chief by Okyenhene, Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin.
The elevation of Barima Essah Kwesi Mensah, a sub- chief of the settler community to “Osabarima”, a title equivalent to the status of Asamankese Chief, Osabarima Adu Darko III, has sparked controversy and concerns.
Residents perceive this move as an attempt to undermine the authority of the Asamankese Chief.
They accuse Okyenhene of acting unilaterally to satisfy personal whims without considering the potential long-term conflict and tension among the local populace.
The indigenes and family heads of Asamakese are mounting pressure on the traditional leadership to take immediate action to reverse the decision to avert any far reaching consequences in future.
“What is the legitimacy of Osagyefo’s decision, what meritorious service has Anumhene rendered to be elevated. This must be reversed immediately”, an angry indegene said.
The elevation ceremony took place on Saturday,July 20, during which the Okyenhene raised three chiefs, including the Asamankese-Anum Chief, from the status of Barima to Osabarima.
The Okyenhene justified the decision by stating it would facilitate better development within their respective jurisdictions.
However, many in Asamankese especially elders and opinion leaders from the Anum clan are questioning the rationale behind this decision.
An anonymous opinion leader from the Anum palace expressed strong opposition, citing historical and traditional contexts.
“We the Anum people are settlers from Akwamu in Asuogyaman who were given a place by the then Chief of Asamankese, Osabarima Kwaku Amoah I, to settle. It is traditionally unprecedented to elevate any chief to the same rank as the Asamankesehene”.
The opinion leader further emphasized that the current stool occupied by the Asamankese-Anum Chief was consecrated and conferred upon them by the Asamankese Chief, making the elevation a potential source of traditional conflict.
” We are here on the generosity of the Asamankesehene”. He added
“The Anum stool is the only stool in Okyeman without even a single village under it. Our chief doesn’t have any soft stool under him. He doesn’t even have a cemetery. Anum is a suburb community of Asamankese. Asamankese is the biggest town in Okyeman with unmatched land size, possessing stool land, and signs its own indenture.”
“How is it possible that as settlers, as tenants we could be raised to the status of our landlord”. He quizzed.
He added, “Asamankese people are not Akyem. Akyem people came to meet the people of Asamankese, who are Akwamus. But due to war and other issues, Asamankese came under Okyeman. Anum people are settlers. The stool there was created by Asamankesehene.”
There has been a precedent of such controversy between the people Anum and Asamankese over the elevation of the Odikro of Anum to the rank of Asamankese chief.
A Local Government Bulletin cited by our reporter confirm how on 19th May, 1961, an Appeal Commissioner, S.K Banson in his ruling disallowed a planned elevation of the Asamankese-Anum Odikro to the same status as the Asamankesehene.
This was after the then Asamankese Chief, Barima Adu Darko ll filed a petition on October,18, 1958 to protest against the elevation of the then Odikro of Asamankese-Anum, Baffuor Kwesi Anyane 11.
The Appeal Commissioner ruled that it was contrary to the customs of Akyem Abuakwa that an Odikro residing in the town of a Chief should be elevated to the same rank as the Chief.
” Any such elevation amounts to a wrong exercise of the prerogative the elevation of a chief, that in our view, is responsible to the direct misunderstanding and trouble that now exist between the people of Asamankese and the Anums who settled on the land of the Ohene (Chief) of Asamankese.
The modern city of Asamankese was founded by the Akwamu people. They moved from Dormaa around the 14th century, eventually settling in the Twifo-Heman forest in the late 16th century. This move was driven by the desire for better trade opportunities. The Akwamus are part of the Akan people and belong to the Aduana family, which is related to the Asumennya, Dormaa, and Kumawu families.
Oral tradition says that a succession dispute led Otomfuo Asare, a brass-smith, to leave his family and form a new state called Asaremankesee (Asare’s big state), now known as Asamankese. Other settlers from Juaben in Ashanti also came to Asamankese. During the reign of Nana Dokua, who was both king and queenmother of Akyem, a group of Juabens in Ashanti rebelled against the Golden Stool of Ashanti. Their leader, Nana Kwaku Boateng, led them southward, and they settled in various parts of Akyem Abuakwa, including Kyebi, Kwabeng, Tafo, and Asamankese.
Due to this history, Akyem Abuakwa paramount chiefs have always felt uncomfortable with Asamankese’s traditional superiority and have made attempts to gradually undermine it.
The elevation of the Asamankese-Anum Chief to the status of Osabarima has thus heightened tensions and raised questions about the future of traditional authority and harmony in the region.
The current situation has the potential of leading to civil disorder and lasting Chieftaincy disputes, just as it happened sometime in 1961, if not immediately rectified.
Minister for Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Stephen Asamoah Boateng, in June this year expressed worry that over 70% of the National Security budget is spent on resolving chieftaincy disputes related security issues.
“Chieftaincy cases are matters of concern to all of us and in our body politics because it is on record that over 70% of the National Security budget goes into settling chieftaincy disputes across the country. These monies could have been better used if there were no disputes,” he said when speaking at the Royals Conference organized by The Church of Pentecost
source: www.kumasimail.com/Kojo Ansah /Koforiduah
