Okoanadwo Afutu Dompreh I, Adoagyirihene & Ankobeahene of Akyem Kotoku Traditional Area
Tension is brewing at Adoagyiri in the Nsawam-Adoagyiri Municipality of the Eastern Region over the ownership of the community. Both the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Council and Akyem Kotoku Traditional Council are claiming ownership of the community.
According to the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Council, Adoagyiri forms part of their lands, under the Apapam Stool, which is a crucial component of the Amantuomiensa Group of the Akyem Abuakwa State.
Addressing a press conference, State Secretary of the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Council, D.M. Ofori-Atta, noted that records show that all Adoagyiri chiefs in succeeding generations had served on the Akyem Abuakwa State Council, adding the records also contained proof of land transactions.
Response
However, a group calling itself Concerned Youth of Kotoku Adoagyiri has refuted the claim by the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Council, saying Adoagyiri had, historically, been a part of Akyem Kotoku.
A statement signed by Convenor of the group, Barima Nana Arkoh-Frempong Oware, said Adoagyiri falls under the Gyase Division of the Akyem Kotoku Traditional Area, contrary to claims by the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Council.
He noted that an Adoagyiri chief holds the title of Ankobeahene of Akyem Kotoku, and wondered how an Abuakwa chief could hold such an enviable position in Kotoku.
He noted that since the days of the first Adoagyiri chief, Nana Dompreh Mpesempese, to date, all Adoagyiri chiefs had sworn allegiance to the Kotoku Omanhene, and wondered what had changed all of a sudden.
“Available records indicate that all substantive Adoagyiri chiefs have been part of the Akyem Kotoku state, including the records and evidence of Okoanadwo Adu korkoor II as chief of Adoagyiri and Ankoabehene of Akyem Kotoku State with gazette number ‘No-59’ issued on 18th June, 1955 by the National House of Chiefs,” the statement added.
Installed
The group added that when Nana Adu Korkor II was installed as chief of Adoagyiri in 1953, he was sent to Akyem Kotoku to pay allegiance to the then acting President of Akyem Kotoku Traditional Council, Nana Abrokwa Gyampim I, who was the Kontihene of Akyem Kotoku and was acting in the stead of the Omanhene of Akyem Kotoku Traditional Area.
“Nana Adu Korkor II and others had some misunderstanding with Nana Frimpong Manso III, Omanhene of Akyem Kotoku Traditional Area, and stopped attending regular meetings of Akyem Kotoku Traditional Council in 1966 even though they occasionally attended.
“In the 1994 Odwira Festival of the chiefs and people of Akyem Kotoku, in the brochure printed to celebrate the festival, Nana Adu Korkor II was captured. When he died in 2007, the family printed clothes to mourn his demise, and printed on the cloth with the inscriptions ‘Ankobeahene of Akyem Kotoku’,” the statement added.
The group has therefore challenged Akyem Abuakwa to produce any records that list Adoagyiri as part of the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Area.
Enstoolment
The current feud over Adoagyiri arose when the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Council purported to disregard the chief of the area.
The council, chaired by the Okyenhene Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin, last week, warned Okoanadwo Afutu Dompreh II to stop parading himself as Adoagyirihene and Ankobeahene of Kotoku Traditional Area.
However, according to the Kotoku youth, the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs on February 2, 2022 confirmed Okoanadwo Afutu Dompreh II as Chief of Adoagyiri. The Judicial Council of Eastern Regional House of Chiefs, ruling on suit number- JC/ERHC/AP1/2008, also confirmed Okoanadwo Dompreh II as the legitimate Ankobeahene of Akyem Kotoku Traditional Area.
“We would like to state emphatically that, Akyem Kotoku Traditional Council and Adoagyiri will not allow any installation of any new Chief in Adoagyiri by Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Council, and any attempt by any chief to hide behind any state institution to commit this injustice will be resisted by the people and the consequences thereof will not be pleasant for all,” the group said.
It has therefore called on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the Inspector General of Police, Ministers of National security and Interior, and all other state security agencies to restrain the Abuakwa Traditional Council from actions that will lead to a breach of peace in the area.
