Residents of Kyebi in the Akyem Abuakwa traditional area in the Eastern Region yesterday embarked on a demonstration to express their displeasure about some comments made by some members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) against their chief, Okyenhene Amoatia Ofori Panin.
Clad in red and black and chanting war songs, they marched through some principal streets of the Kyebi township holding placards with various inscriptions to drum home their message.
Some of the placards read ‘Shameless NDC,’ ‘NDC do you talk this way to your father,’ ‘NDC stop the dirty gutter politics,’ and ‘Kyebi is blessed without your reach’ among others.
The demonstration which started at 7am came about as a result of an unpleasant comment made by the Ashanti Regional Secretary of the NDC, Mr Kwame Zu at a protest match organised by the Coalition for National Sovereignty in Kumasi on September 16 this year.
He was said to have stated that the Okyenhene shared a common source of drinking water with animals until former President John Dramani Mahama, gave them potable water.
Even though Mr Zu was said to have apologised for his comments, the people of Kyebi were still peeved about the comment and called on him to appear before the Okyenhene to render an unqualified apology.
Some of the protestors warned that if he refused, party members should not step foot in the area for their campaign.
Speaking to the media, the Kyebi State Secretary, Dan Ofori Atta, who spoke on behalf of the traditional area described Mr Zu’s demeanor as arrogant one, adding that they would no more tolerate any insult on their chief and Okyeman from the leadership of the NDC
He recalled that over the years several insulting comments have been made against the chief adding that Mr Zu’s verbal attacks had been preceded by similar statements made by the leadership of the party.
He stated that the leadership of the NDC should within three days render a direct, clear and an unambiguous public apology to the Okyenhene.
“A ritual pacification must be performed to appease his majesty the Okyenhene and an apology must be rendered personally by Mr Zu,” he stated.
He also stated that the chiefs also asked that the leadership of the NDC should invoke the appropriate sanctions against Mr Zu, adding that, should they fail or ignore the pronouncements, “Nananom will not accord them any future clemency and redemption of their customary transgression”
Meanwhile, in an apology to the Okyenhene, Mr Zu said “I hereby wish to unreservedly render an unqualified apology to the Okyenhene, Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin, the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Council and indeed all Ghanaians for the said statement. I revere and have always revered the chieftaincy institution in Ghana and for that matter hold the Okyenhene in high esteem and would not deliberately undermine the chiefly powers of the Okyenhene who has shown great leadership over the years.”
After deeply reflecting over the said statement and the interpretation given it by a section of the public, which interpretation is plausible, “I wholeheartedly regret for making that statement, I hereby wish to unreservedly render an unqualified apology to the Okyenhene, Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin, the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Council and indeed all Ghanaians for the said statement.”
FROM AMA TEKYIWAA AMPADU AGYEMAN, KYEBI
