<<Print>>

Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the Asantehene, has threatened to arrest the Techimanhene, Oseadeeyo Ameyaw Akumfi IV, if he dares travel through Kumasi. According to him, should the appropriate agencies fail to call the Techimanhene to order, he (the Asantehene) will "arrest him just as a hawk grabs a hen".

The visibly angry 16th occupant of the Golden Stool, who was obviously not amused by the recent Rambo style, kidnapping of the Omanhene of Tuobodom Traditional Area, Nana Baffour Asare II, who owes allegiance to the Golden Stool, by some macho men said to be operating under the orders of Techimanhene, was addressing the media together with the Asanteman Council at the Manhyia Palace yesterday afternoon.

It would be recalled that drama unfolded at the Wenchi High Court on Friday, March 5th, when some unidentified heavily built men alighted from a white Ford bus with registration number AW 2873 Z, and in Rambo style, kidnapped the Chief of Tuobodom, Nana Asare Baffour II.

The court proceedings were interrupted when Nana Asare Baffour was heard screaming outside the courtroom, "Be3 Kumi oo be3 kumi oo", to wit "they are killing me, they are killing me oo".

The incident was also linked to an event in October 2008 when the convoy of the Techimanhene, Oseadeeyo Ameyaw Akumfi IV, was fired at while it was on its way to Tuobodom to join the Akyempimhene of Techiman and rival Tuobodomhene, Barima Obeng Ameyaw, to celebrate the Yam Festival at Tuobodom.

Barima Ameyaw owes allegiance to the Techimanhene, while Nana Asare derives his authority from the Golden Stool. Nana Asare's elevation to the position of Paramount Chief of Tuobodom by the Asanteman Council in 1996 led to violent clashes between those who owed allegiance to the Golden Stool and those on the Techiman side, resulting in the death of three people and the razing of 45 houses.

The Techimanhene was said to have lodged a complaint with the police concerning the firing at his convoy, but some youth from Techiman rather felt the police were delaying investigations and, therefore, decided to arrest Nana Asare themselves and hand him over to the police.

When information on Nana Asare's arrest got to his supporters at Tuobodom, they also took up arms, resulting in the sporadic shootings that led to the death of the three persons.

According to the Techimanhene, when the incident happened, he reported the matter to the police and even went ahead to submit a list of some of the alleged perpetrators to the police and National Security, but for more than two years now no arrest had so far been made.

It is widely believed that it was out of this inaction that led to Nana Asare Baafuor being bundled into the vehicle and driven to the Techimanhene's palace.

But the Asantehene voiced out his distaste at the treatment meted out to Nana Asare and accused the Kukuomanhene, who is also the President of the Brong Ahafo Regional House of Chiefs of "double standards and failing to stamp his authority when needed most."

Otumfuo Osei Tutu questioned why the actions of the Techimanhene has not received outright condemnation and the rather long silence over the issue by the appropriate quarters.
 
"...the beatings he (Nana Asare Baafuor) suffered, his report that he was physically assaulted which has been confirmed by doctors, what is being done about it? Is the Techimanhene's palace a police station? When the Techimanhene caused his (Omanhene of Tuobodom Traditional Area) arrest, what has been done to him? That is what I am talking about, that is what I'm asking the gov't and the police," the Asantehene fumed.

The Asantehene also issued an ultimatum to government to make its position clear on the matter regarding which traditional area has jurisdiction of the lands in question; otherwise he will arrest the Techimanhene just as a hawk grabs a hen, since "all the committees set up during the NDC 1 regime named him as having rightful authority over the area."

".....he should choose between me and the Techimanhene...if nothing is done about this issue, if this matter is not put in its rightful perspective, should the Techimanhene dare pass through Kumasi, I'll seize him just as a hawk grabs a hen," Otumfuo Osei Tutu II threatened.