NHCs, ERHCs Judgement Saga: Chiefs And Elders Of Akuapem Traditional Council Breaks Silence! --Over Okuapehene Chieftaincy Dispute

The chiefs and elders of Akuapem Traditional Council in the Eastern Region have dispelled misinterpretation of both the judgement of the Judicial Committee of the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs and the National House of Chiefs entered on 30th April, 2020 and 29th September, 2022 on the long ended Okuapehene chieftaincy dispute.

At a crowded press conference in Akropong which was addressed by the Counsel of the Council, Mr Augustine Asarfo-Adjei, the Council indicated that this press conference has become very necessary to be called by Lilly Agyemang to clarify what the judicial committee of the National House of Chiefs stated as their judgement in the suit entitled Nana Afua Obuo Nketiaa II and 3 others vs. Lilly Agyemang with suit Number NHC/1/ E1/2020.
 
In the first place, the Counsel stated that OSEADEEYO KWASI AKUFFO III IS HAS NOT BEEN A PARTY TO THE SUIT THOUGHOUT, HENCE, THE JUDGMENT DOES NOT BIND HIM. 
 
In fact, the counsel indicated that Oseadeeyo Kwasi Akuffo III was only installed after and in line with the judgement of the Judicial committee of the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs. 
 
"Lilly Agyemang, our client is the Abrewatia of the Sakyiabea Royal Family. It is her case that there are three Royal Houses namely: Nketia House, Ama Ogyaa House, and Sakyiabea House that can ascend to the Ofori Kuma stool and that has been codified under the declaration of the customary law (Akuapem State) order, 1960, L.I. 32. 

"The L.I. further provided that these three houses ascend on a rotational basis and when it is a house’s turn, it is that house that nominates. Refer to regulation 2 of L.I. 32 above-mentioned. Read page 853 of the Record of Appeal,' the Counsel noted.

According to the Counsel, the  Queenmother and her associates felt that it was for the Queen mother usurped that right of our client even after having got the current chief’s name from our client, presented Odehye kwasi Akuffo as the Queenmothers nominee to the kingmakers. 
 
The lawyer Asarfo-Adjei noted that 
It was against this conduct that our client initiated the suit at the judicial committee of the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs to set the record straight that pursuant to L.I. 32 and the customs of Okuapeman, it is not the preserve of the Queenmother to solely nominate the Okuapehene.

He pointed out that THE JUDICIAL COMMITTEE UPHELD the case of our client and entered a judgment in favour of our client. 
 
Dissatisfied with the judgment, he indicated that the Queenmother and her associates, appealed against the judgment. Find the grounds stated at page 806-807 of the ROA. 
 
He asserted that on 29th September, 2022, when the judicial committee of the National House of Chiefs sat, it Ominously dismissed the appeal filed by the Queenmother and her 3 other associates and affirmed the judgement of the Judicial committee of the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs and mulcted them with cost of GH.50,000.00. 
 
"In light of this, how can those whose case has been dismissed and have been mulcted with cost, still have the guts to claim that they have won the case at the National House of Chiefs. 
 
"Let peace reign after the judgement of the judicial committee of the National House of Chiefs. Let the insults and insinuations cease. The judgment is clear and nowhere in the judgment did it call for a restart of the nomination processes. It required that custom is followed. 
 
"So far as our client is concerned, custom has been followed and Akuapem has A King now who was not installed by our client. 
Note our client is not a kingmaker. Her only role is to nominate within the tenets of L.I. 32. " the Counsel stressed.
 
He further emphasized that "We hope this would settle the deliberate misinterpretation and distortion of the judgment of both the judicial committee of the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs."