Central Region:Ransom demanded, before Burial- Chiefs Breman Brofoyedu.

The decision of the Chief of Breman-Brofoyedu, a mining community in the Upper Denkyira West in the Central Region, to bar a family of cocoa farmers from burying their late brother, Kwadwo Konadu (aka KO), is brewing tension in the town.

According to the bereaved family, Nana Amoabeng Kwasu II, who is the Chief of Breman-Brofoyedu, has categorically made it clear to them that he will not allow for the burial and funeral rites of their late brother, Kwadwo Konadu, to take place in Breman.

This understandably became known when the Head of the Konadu family, an Opanyin Kojo Bio, a few weeks ago, led a small delegation of family members to the chief’s palace to inform him [the chief] and his elders about, the death, funeral and burial rites of their deceased brother.

Unfortunately, after pleading with the chief to rescind his decision, Opanyin Bio said Nana Kwasu II asked them to pay a fine of GHC10,000, 10 bottles of Schnapps, and 20 sheep before they will be allowed to go ahead with the funeral, excluding the burial.

    
But addressing a crowded press conference in Breman on Fay, June 3, in all-black and red attire, the Head of the Konadu family, Opanyin Bio, flanked by the widow of KO and his three daughters, said they were surprised at what they described as a “unilateral decision” by the chief.

He stressed that they will use all legitimate means to ensure that they lay their brother to rest on the scheduled burial date—of June 17, 2022, in Breman.

“Our late brother (KO) was born and bred in Breman and raised a family here too. His late father who was a royal was a warrior of an Asafo group in Breman. Therefore, we have nowhere to bury our brother but here in Breathe man!” the head of the family underscored.

Though he said they will not resort to the use of force, he cautioned that failure by the chto to allow them to go ahead with the burial and funeral rites will compel them to carry the corpse to the palace. 

According to Opanyin Bio, the underlying reason why the chief of Breman was preventing the g KO’s burial and the the the the the funeral ceremony was the refusal of “our late brother to give his parcel of land to Perseus Mining Ghana Limited (PMGL) for mining.”

“At least if Nana Kwasu II is claiming our brother verbally abused him some time ago, as our Chief, we would have expected that such a matter would be brought to our attention. Nothing of that sort happened!” he pointed out.

“…resurrecting this issue now which we members of the Konadu family have no inkling about is not only fair but outlandish. It raises loads of doubts,” Opanyin Bio indicated.
     
On that score, he re-affirmed that they had made all the necessary arrangements for the funeral of their brother, adding that any disruptions will seriously affect them.

On the issue of the fine by the chief which was later reduced to GH, C5,000, 2 Schnapps, and 2 goats, he indicated that the family does not have that sum of money.

“We are a poor family and cannot afford this huge fine by our chief, a reason we severally pleaded with him,” he said.
                          
Conclude ding, the head of the family called on the police to intervene in the matter to avoid any chaotic scenes on the burial date.

Meanwhile, when journalists after the press conference contacted Nana Amoabeng Kwasu II in his palace, in an arrogant posture and angry tone he drove them away.

“You journalists don’t know your work. You should have called me first from Accra before coming to see me in my palace, so go away I will not talk!” Nana Amoabeng II angrily said.

Story By Kwaku Donkoh.