The chiefs and elders of Buem Traditional Area in the Jasikan District of Oti Region on Friday declared the Omanhene’s stool vacant.
The Obamoah clan of Bodada (kingmakers) has, therefore, been asked to enstool the eligible person as Omanhene in accordance with the Buem custom and tradition.
Nana Agyei Quansah, the chairman of Buem Amankrados Association, who made the announcement said Mr Eric Ofori, a public servant, was wrongfully installed as Buemhene in 2019, despite protest from Mr Gabriel Osahene, Stool father, and Mr Benjamin Adjei, Abusuapanyin, both of Bodada, that he (Mr Ofori) was not qualified to ascend the stool.
The chairman of the group was speaking at a durbar organised at Okadjakrom in the district to inform the chiefs and people of Buem about steps being taken to correct the anomaly.
Nana Quansah, who is also Amankrado of Okadjakrom, recalled that “the Opasua towns were fined one ram each in addition to one demijohn of palm wine and two bottles of Schnapps for failing to ensure that someone who hails from Bodada, the seat of Buem, was installed as the paramount Chief of Buem.”
He said the Amankrados of the Opasua of Buem, consisting Bodada, Okadjakrom and Jasikan, performed cleansing rites at Jasikan in May last year to avoid any misfortune, pave the way for the reversal of the installation of Mr Ofori as Buemhene, and to select the rightful person as Omanhene.
Nana Quansah indicated that the Nana Osabarima Antwi Agyei V ( Chief of Okadjakrom) and Buriama Issaka (civil servant) committees, confirmed the ineligibility of Mr Eric Ofori, whose parental grandfather came from elsewhere, adding that “this buttresses the point that he (Mr Ofori) does not hail from Bodada, therefore, not the right person to be enstooled.”
The Amankrado said that Nana Obrah Akuamoah VIII, Chief of Kuje, Buem Nifahene, and acting President of Buem Traditional Council, and the President of Oti Regional House of Chiefs, Nana Mprah Besemuna III, Krachiwura, have been provided with evidence of the unlawful installation of Mr Ofori.
Nana Quansah cautioned, “We should never repeat this mistake in our history”, and appealed to the people to promote peace, unity, and support the chiefs to move Buem forward.
He introduced the new Amankrado of Bodada, Mr John Kwame Brown, to the people.
On the sidelines of the durbar, Nana Otoh Aprem, Adontehene of Okadjakrom, and Chief of Dzindziso-Buem, explained that the fact that the omanhene’s seat was not occupied at the durbar customarily meant there was no Buemhene.
The committee of Amankrados tasked to look into the wrongful installation of Mr Ofori as omanhene submitted its report to the Buem Traditional Council at Dzolu-Buem in October last year.
In December the same year, the chiefs of Buem presented a resolution to Nana Mprah Besemuna III in Accra, announcing the termination of the occupancy of Buem Omanhene’s stool by Nana Aburam Akpanja V.
FROM KAFUI GATI, OKADJAKROM
