The capital of Wasa Amenfi West district, Asankragua, has been without chief since Nana Anyani Buadoom III joined his ancestors three years ago.
Asankragua, a small town in the Western Region of Ghana, has also not given their late king a befitting burial due to the seeming litigations between clans who revered the late chief as a properly installed chief and those that don’t.
The Ahena clan has led the crusade against the burial of the late Nana Anyani Buadoom III as chief of Asankragua. To them, the late chief was never a chief and deserves not to be given a rightful burial as tradition demands.
The Ahena clan has litigated him since 1952 and even in death; they have secured a court order preventing him from being given a state burial.
They have kicked against the idea of burying Nana Anyani Buadoom III at their Royal Museum with explanations that should he get to finally rest there, it would cement his place in history as a properly installed chief.
However, checks conducted by Peacefmonline.com at the Public Records and Archives Administration Department, established that the late Nana Anyani Buadoom III was gazatted in 1952 as Ohene of Asankrangwa, Wassaw Amenfi State.
Further checks also reveal that as at 1986, the Wassa Amenfi Traditional Council ranked the late Nana Anyani Buadoom III as member.
Composition of Traditional Councils – Western Region
Membership of Wassa Amenfi Traditional Council As At 1986
Traditional Council
Wasa Amenfi
Customary Stool Name
Nana Anyani Buadoom III
Hierarchy Former Name
Kwabina Sakyim
Rank
Member
Date of Enstoolment
24-3-52
L.G.B. M.O And Date
2284.87 of 25/10/52
Status/ Title
Divisional Chief
Division
Oman
Clan
Agona
Tetrete Okuamoah Sekyim II, the Paramount Chief of Wassa Amenfi Traditional Area, has made strides to resolve the issue amicably but has always been forced to constantly fish for caretaker chiefs who would lord over Asankragua due to the chieftaincy dispute.
To get to the bottom of the matter, the paramountcy at Wassa Akropong which has the powers of a District Court has deliberated on the matter and referred it to Regional House of Chiefs.
The matter finally ended at the National House of Chiefs and after carefully studying the case and listening to the parties involved, it was ruled that the late Nana Anyani Buadoom III deserves to be given a state burial as custom demanded.
The chiefs have directed the Omanahene of the area to ensure the late chief get a befitting burial tailored for king.
The latest directive played a crucial role in the speech read by the minister for Chieftaincy and Traditional Affairs, Dr. Henry Seidu Daannaa when he addressed the Western Region House of Chiefs on Thursday, 16th June, 2016 at Sekondi.
According to the minister, ministry is worried about reports reaching it about Nana Buadoom III of Asankragua in the Wassa Amenfi Traditional Area in the Western Region.
Below is a full address by the minister
Address By Hon. Minister For Chieftaincy And Traditional Affairs, Dr. Henry Seidu Daannaa At The Western Region House Of Chiefs On Thursday, 16th June, 2016 At Sekondi
Nana Ag. President of the western region house of chiefs,
Distinguished members of the August house,
Officials from the chieftaincy ministry, friends of the media
Our security personnel, ladies and gentlemen
First of all let me take this opportunity to say that I bring to you warm greetings from the Ministry and for that matter the entire Government of his Excellency John Dramani Mahama, President of the Republic of Ghana.
Nananom to get rid of Chieftaincy disputes in the country, thereby promoting peace within the various Traditional Areas so as to enhance speedy economic development, as well as protecting the dignity and pride of the institution of Chieftaincy has been the major cornerstone of Government policy.
Nananom, it is for this reason that the Ministry is worried about reports reaching it about Nana Buadoom III of Asankragua in the Wassa Amenfi Traditional Area in the Western Region.
Nananom Members of the August House, it will be of interest to you to know that Nana Buadoom III was enstooled and his name entered in the National Register of Chiefs in 1952.
Indeed, enquiry by the Ministry about the status of Nana Buadoom III in the national Register of Chiefs (Kumasi) shows that he is even up to date Chief of Asankragua and a member of the Wassa Amefi Traditional Council.
The worry for stakeholders in Chieftaincy, prominent among whom is the Ministry of Chieftaincy is the fact that after the death of Nana Buadoom III, a dispute has erupted, or, has appeared to have erupted about his status.
Nananom, the sad effect of this has been the undue delay in his burial which in Chieftaincy, is necessary for Nana Buadoom III to join his royal ancestry.
Permit me to say that in our Chieftaincy Law and Practice, to go to court about the status of any person as a Chief or Queen mother is a right for all royals.
What has to be emphasized, however, is the fact that until there is a court order for the removal of a person’s name from the national Register of Chiefs, and, this has been carried out, that person’s status as a Chief or Queen mother remains valid. Let us, accordingly, therefore bury Nana Buadoom III as Asankraguahene with dignity.
Nananom, let us respect the National Register of Chiefs, the Chieftaincy Act and the 1992 Constitution as well as “ammamere” which is our tradition.
In the light of the foregoing, there are two messages to all Chiefs across the length and breadth of Ghana:
1.That as along as a Chief or Queen mother’s name remains in The National Register of Chiefs, please give him or her dignity he or she deserves.
2.If you have any qualm about the status of anyone as a Chief or Queen mother, please change him or her before the courts of the land while he or she is alive. To undress his or her royal robe after death diminishes the dignity of our traditional rule.
Long live Ghana
Source: Chris Joe Quaicoe/ email: [email protected]
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