Sister of President Akufo-Addo, has technically nailed herself in the Akwamufie chieftaincy crisis by denying claims that she is scheming to destool the Gazetted Ohemaa of the Bekai Stool of Akwamufie in the Eastern Region, in the person of Nana Asaa Safoa II, also known in private life as Mrs. Adelaide Duncan Olabaju.
Marigold Akufo-Addo, however, announced that she is aware that the Bekai family, has performed the required traditional customs to destool the Queen mother of the Bekai Stool.
In a statement, she had said “I, Madam Marigold Akufo-Addo, states categorically that in my personal capacity, I have not initiated any proceedings, judicial or otherwise, to destool any person in either Akwamu or Akwamufie. As far as I am aware, the whole Bekai family, consisting of the family in Abomosu/Kyebi, Kwahu, Akropong, Akwamufie, Anum and Anlo, have performed the required traditional custom to destool the Queen mother of the Bekai Stool Akwamufie”.
Her announcement that Nana Asaa Safoa II, had been destooled, comes despite judicial proceedings at the Akwamu Traditional Council, including an injunction preventing Marigold Akufo-Addo and her group, from going ahead with the destoolment.
This implies that the President’s sister and her colleagues had ignored the rules to pursue their personal interest against Nana Asaa Safoa II, who is gazetted and recognized by the National House of Chief.
Nana Asaa Safoa II, had among others, prayed the Akwamu Traditional Council for “an interlocutory injunction to restrain the petitioners/respondents whether by themselves or their agents, privies or any of them or otherwise howsoever from nominating/ electing / selecting/ enstooling or installing a Queen mother of the Bekai Stool or promoting, projecting, presenting anyone as the Queen Mother of the Bekai Stool pending the final determination of this suit upon the grounds contained in the accompanying affidavit and for such order (s) as this Honourable Court may deem meet”.
Nana Asaa Safoa’s lawyers; Amoako Adjei Consult led by lawyer K. Amoako Adjei in their 16 point statement of claim said that “Until and unless I have been lawfully removed as the queen mother, there cannot be any nomination, election enstoolment of another queen mother on my stool”.
Earlier reports, showed Marigold Akufo-Addo, with the help of state security actors was working to be enstool as queen mother of the area, after the gazetted queen mother was forcefully removed. Picture were seen of the military men in Akwamu, said to have been sent there by her to cause trouble in her attempt to become the Queen Mother; something she had rejected in the past when it was vacant.
But Madam Marigold, has hit back denying ever initiating any proceedings to destool any person in Akwamufie and making attempts to cause confusion, mayhem, and bloodshed in the house.
Marigold Akufo-Addo, in a statement, said, following her continuous disrespect to the family, the whole Bekai family consisting of the family in Abomuso, Kyebi, Keanu, Akropong, Akwamufie, Anum and Anlo, performed the required traditional customs to destool her as queen-mother of the Bekai stool of Akwamufie.
She said, she was not a candidate for queen mother or any other traditional office. Madam Marigold further stated that she has not organized any persons to create confusion or perpetuate violence in Akwamufie.
Marigold Akufo-Addo stated that, she never took any such decision be it judicial or otherwise, to destool the said Queen mother but that, her destoolment was an agreed decision per the customs by all the Bekai families.
She averred that a document in her possession; unsigned and undated which was subsequently revealed to have emanated from Mr. Kwabena Danso, a purported Abusuapayin, has been circulated to various press houses and copied to several dignitaries to the effect that she, Madam Marigold Akufo-Addo has destooled the Queen mother Nana Asaa Safoa II (the destooledqueenmother).
But TheHerald is informed of tension in the community as national security personnel, including Police and military officers, were dispatched to the area that ensured the successful removal of Nana Asaa Safoa II.
Posters of the queen mother have also been splashed in the town with the caption “Destooled ……Nana AsaaSafoa II banned, banished” with a red line used to signify that she is no longer the queen mother.
Meanwhile, a petition filed at the Akwamu Traditional Council by Abusuapanyin Francis Awuku Badu and others against Queen mother Nana AsaaSafoa II, has been sighted by this paper.
Plaintiffs are Abusuapanin Francis Awuku Boadu, Akwamufie, Abusuapanin Kofi Agyekum Nuamah Akyem, Abormosu, Abusuapanin Col. (Rtd) Ampey Oduro, Anum Abusuapanin Kofi Dwamena, Kwahu Abusuapanin Dora Akosua Anyamah, Akwamufie, Abusuapanin Vida Awuraakua Pokua, Kyebi and Abusuapanin Abena Botwe, Kwahu.
Nana Asaa Safoa’s lawyers, responded saying that the action of the petitioners was such that it was to bring chaos to Akwamufie.“That the conduct of the plaintiffs is calculated to bring chaos and anarchy in Akwamufie”.
The statement also said “That the Plaintiff’s behavior is an affront to the dignity of this Committee as they know or they ought to know that they should wait till the determination of this matter by this Honourable Judicial Committee.
That if the Plaintiffs are allowed to go ahead with their intended installation or enstoolment of a queen mother it will greatly affect the status quo”, adding “that it is imperative for the status quo to be preserved until the determination of this matter. That on the balance of inconvenience, I as the incumbent Queen mother, stand to suffer more as against the Plaintiffs. Wherefore I swear to this affidavit in support of this application”.
Earlier, this paper had reported that it information was that the President sister’s some years ago, was approached to take the occupancy of the Bekai Stool, when it became vacant, but she declined thus was made available for Nana Asaa Safoa II, however, for two years now, the occupant has not known peace, because of Marigold Akufo-Addo’s sudden interest in the stool.
A press release signed by Obaa Panin Adwoa Sika- Abrewatia, Mr Kwabena Danso- Abusuapanin, Opani Gyetua- Elder and Obaa Panin Akua Asor and sent The Herald, had stated that “these perpetrators have used the militia to invade and takeover of the Bekai palace!
It was copied to the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), National House of Chiefs, Council of State, Christian Council of Ghana, Moslem Council of Ghana, Speaker of Parliament and Chief Justice of Ghana.
It warned “the security services of the Republic of Ghana, the National House of Chiefs and the peace-loving people of Ghana are duly informed about the great Akwamu conspiracy by the self-imposed Akwamuhene, his Mother, Nana Afrakumah II, Akwamumanhemaa, Ms. Marigold Akufo-Addo, Barbara Osei Tutu, Awurakua Vida Quist, Budu Francis, Opanin Nuamah and others, to destool the Gazetted Ohemaa Nana Asaa Safoa II, so that Marigold Akufo-Addo can be enstooled the Bekai Queen Mother”.
It said that “the Judicial Committee of the Akwamu Traditional Council has duly placed an injunction on the perpetrators, their agents and privies from electing, selecting, enstooling or installing a Queenmother of the Bekai Stool. However, the conspirators are bent on going ahead to carry out this act of lawlessness”.
Besides, these perpetrators have used the militia to invade and takeover of the Bekai palace!
According to the press statement “…Ohemaa Nana Yaa Asaa Safoa’s life has been on daily threat for two years, as she’s been harassed, threatened and intimidated over the past two years. As a result, we the Bekai family of Abomosu and the devout citizens of Akwamu have decided that enough is enough, and are determined to stand our ground and to do whatever it takes to ensure this does not ever happen as long as we live!”
We are, therefore, by this release, putting all relevant authorities on notice and on alert that if the authorities do not do all it takes to enforce the injunction on this act of lawlessness, there might be untold bloodshed in Akwamu, adding “We call on all peace-loving citizens and opinion leaders in our beloved Motherland to rise up and speak up against these acts of barbarism!
Source: theheraldghana.com
