Feature Article of Sunday, 19 July 2015
Columnist: Adofo, Rockson
I have come to establish that in the present day Ghana, TRUTH has been sacrificed on the altar of LIES to the appeasement of the numerous worshippers of the Devil. Many a Ghanaian feels discomfort when truth is discussed or told. They support the evildoer. They make conscious efforts to grace the evildoer’s misdeeds by rather castigating the honest person who rises to the occasion to expose or rebuke whoever is perpetrating a crime.
For how long are the few honest ones in the society going to sit on the fence, doing nothing, but watching and twirling their fingers; completely lost in memory, probably drowned in nonchalance, overtaken by the shy of voicing out, or for the fear of attack on them by the evildoer’s supporters?
That deplorable Ghanaian attitude of cult-worshipping evildoers who enrich themselves at the expense of innocent persons must stop. Why should we prostrate, or kowtow, to, those who acquire immense wealth through embezzlement or misappropriation of public funds, or by the abuse of their power bestowed on them by some sort of convention?
Ghana will never prosper to the greatest admiration of God and the populace themselves until the citizens disabuse their minds of seeing rich people and the dubious traditional heads as tin gods who deserve to be revered for their wealth or position, but not for their honesty and service to the people and the nation.
Going forward, a 13-year old boy has been enstooled the chief of Pakyi No.1 near Kumasi following the destoolment of one Barimah Kwadwo Bonsu, until then the chief of the area. Barimah Kwadwo Bonsu is accused of allegedly inciting the youth of Pakyi No. 2 to cause commotion that stalled development in the area hence his destoolment.
I wonder how and why he was able to goad the youth into taking mobbish actions that prevented the development of their area while he probably developed his own area, Pakyi No. 1. I cannot humbly swallow the charge preferred against him without asking a few questions to satisfy or to kill my curiosity. Presuming he incited the youth as it is alleged, would they obey him if they did not see sense in his advice so given? Are the youth so thick to listen to preposterous advice that has the potency to ruin their area while the adviser, from a competing neighbouring area, was rather happily developing his area?
During the violence by the youth of Pakyi No. 2, I heard someone who claims to hail from Pakyi No. 2 speak from Accra on one of the radio FM stations, alleging that the chief, Nana Kyei Aduakwa, has connived with some powerful chief (name withheld) to sell their lands on which they farm to some alleged foreign investor. Additionally, that powerful chief has installed the wrong person (Nana Kyei Aduakwa) as the chief of Pakyi No. 2, the person asserted. I am yet to conduct my own private investigations to ascertain the veracity or otherwise, of the person’s claim if time will permit.
I just hope the truth will be unravelled in this Pakyi Nos. 1 2 saga. I want to know exactly the role played by Barimah Kwadwo Bonsu that instigated the youth to rise up against their chief, Nana Kyei Aduakwa, culminating in forestalling the development of the area as alleged by Asantehene.
Who were the supposed foreign investors? What types of investment were they bringing to the area and how? Were any lands confiscated from the residents of the area for the purported foreign or local investment ventures? Were the people properly compensated for the seizure of their farmlands for the intended investment project(s)? How could the projects have brought jobs to the local people? There are many possible questions to ask in attempts to reveal the real motive behind the destoolment of the chief of Pakyi No. 1, but do I have time for that at the moment? No, I don’t.
I am not against a 13-year old boy, although very inexperienced in life and in Ashanti traditions and customs, being enstooled the chief of Pakyi No. 1 as long as Ashanti or Akan traditions and custom permit it. However, I am not at all enthused over how he was appointed, selected or elected to the position of a chief. From the newspaper publication following the boy’s elevation to the position of a chief, as read on Ghanaweb, it says, “The queen mother of Pakyi No 1, Nana Yaa Asantewaa Bonsu, who is also the mother of the enstooled chief said she was ordered by Otumfuo to enstool her son and wouldn’t go contrary to tradition” She went on further to say that even though some people would criticize her, she would not disobey the orders by the Asante Overlord, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II. Tradition must be maintained, she said.
The fact that the queen perceived she would be criticized for enstooling her adolescent son as the chief is more than enough to inform any sensible person that she is being tormented by her guilty conscience. She is very much aware that what she did was wrong. Are there not any responsible grown up men in her royal family who could be elected the chief of Pakyi No. 1? Is she not conniving with Asantehene to install someone who can easily be bullied, or become a complete puppet to do the puppeteer’s (Asantehene) bidding at all times? Can this 13-year old boy stand before any Council of Chiefs presided over by Asantehene to share his views in a bold manner without quaking with fear?
I personally detest the new order of manipulating tradition as it is obviously being pursued by some Ashanti queens where each of them wants to enstool the seeds of their own womb as chiefs when the opportunity offers itself on the death of the chief of their area. Their argument has always been Asantehemaa Nana Afua Kobi enthroned her own son, Mr Kwaku Duah, now going by the Stool name Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, as the chief of Kumasi and the Overlord of Asanteman.
Once a precedent has been set, regardless of how good or bad it is, it has to be followed, probably the idea of almost all the queens. Let these queens note that their conscious efforts to have the fruits of their womb elected or appointed as chiefs are not made in good-faith. Such efforts are born out of selfishness, greediness and divisiveness. Even if Nana Afua Kobi really appointed her own biological son as Asantehene, are we happy about all that we see and hear about him in the media and particularly in Kumasi, his presumed private turf?
From all pursuits, there are vivid indications that “I am for peace; but when I speak, they are for war” – Psalm 120:7.
Let those abusing their positions, selling lands without the requisite mandate, enstooling persons as chiefs by wrongful procedures, stop.
“Se kekrekekre no gyae a, kukrukukru nso begyae” When the skirmishes stop, the full-blown war will cease. “A word to the wise is enough”. Don’t reap from where you have not sown. Don’t arrogate powers you are not due to yourself. Don’t see all others as inferior, except yourself. He who humbles himself shall be exalted but he who exalts himself shall be humbled. Being dictatorial will not enhance one’s dignity when others discover his weaknesses. Pride goes before a fall.
To the modern day Ashanti queens, please bear in mind that everything that has a beginning has an end. What will it profit you, if you install your sons as chiefs and kings but they end up messing things big time? A chain is only as strong as its weakest link. And the day of reckoning is nigh (near).
Do I enjoy speaking in proverbs? Of course yes, I do! All my publications are for edifying the readers, conveying the messages of truth, knowledge and empowerment to all those who are willing to know the truth to subsequently have knowledge in abundance.
Does the bible not say, “For lack of knowledge my people perish” and “The truth shall set you free?” Why then are you not ready to know and accept the truth, my fellow Ghanaian compatriots?
Rockson Adofo