Chieftaincy at the crossroads
Chieftaincy, Ghana's age-old socio-political institution is passing through tumultuous times. The purported destoolment of the Paramount Chief of Adansi Traditional Area by the Asantehene, and the adamancy on the part of the former to acquiesce, pose questions as to whether or not the institution can meaningfully survive the repercussions of washing its dirty linen in public.The recent chieftaincy fracas in Ashanti involving Otumfuo Opoku Ware II, the Asantehene, on the one hand and Nana Kwantwi Barima II, the Adansihene, on the other, is significant for the fact that it is the first time that a lesser chief has openly challenged the capacity of the occupant of the Golden Stool to initiate and implement a destoolment. This case is also pregnant with far- reaching implications for the future of Ghanaian chieftaincy. Students of Ashanti history, ethnography, as well as customary law have a lot to learn from every development relating to a test case which eventually will be cited by the learned fraternity as: Otumfuo Opoku Ware II Vrs. Nana Kwantwi Barima II.
Our Cultural Analyst takes a critical look at the problem of chieftaincy destoolment in Ghana. In part one, the current dispute in Ashanti is placed in a historical perspective.
Though this unique case may never be resolved, given the nature of the judicial process for litigating chieftaincy disputes, whatever happens in the course of it the once sacred and the most revered institution will not be the same again. The litigation will definitely bring more damage to an already disturbed institution from which it may never be able to recover. More importantly, since substantive aspects of the issue of contention between the Asantehene and Adansihene is being argued at the High Court of judicature by eminent lawyers representing the respective parties the ambivalence that characterises Ghana's pluralistic legal system will be brought to the fore. The unresolvable conflict or the irrationality of trying to resolve Ashanti customary practice and traditional usage by resort to acquired English or colonial legal rules and processes will be a source of great frustration to interested observers and followers of this celebrated litigation.
Chieftaincy litigation in Ghana is as old as the institution itself. In Ashanti, for instance, not all of the seventeen Kings who have occupied the Golden Stool, from the time of Nana Osei Tutu in 1700 to the present, enjoyed a smooth administration. Respective Asantehene Kusi Obodum in 1764, Osei Kwame in 1798, Kofi Karikari in 1874, and Mensa Bonsu in 1883 were involved in bitter litigations. In each of these instances the Asantehene concerned was unable to withstand the rebellious Elders and consequently gave up the Golden Stool.
Elsewhere in other parts of Ghana, destoolment or deposition disputes plagued the reign of various important chiefs. Cases in point include paramount chiefs of the Ga (Accra) Stool, namely, Nii Taki Obilie I in 1918, Nii Taki Yaoboi in 1929, and Nii Taki Obilie II in 1943. Similarly, Nana Twum Ampofro in 1750, and Nana Amoako Atta III in 1912 were forced out of the Ofori Panin Stool of Akim Abuakwa.
On numerous occasions, such disputes have been characterised by extreme violence. In the case of Asantehene Kofi Karikari it is believed that he even threatened to destroy the palace and himself together with the Golden Stool if the Kumasi Elders attempted to forcefully depose him. Nana Twum Ampofro of Akim Abuakwa was executed in the course of his destoolment.
European historians have theorised, erroneously though, that the advent of the white man in Africa brought law and order. All evidence indicates that at least for present day Ghana, British colonization exacerbated chieftaincy litigations and violence. For example, in 1905, destoolment violence spread through Ashanti towns such as Agona, Ejisu, Akropong, Ahenkro and Nsuatre. Similar rebellions occurred later in Juaben, Bompata, Obogu, Bekwai, Agona and Wenchi. in 1920 the chiefs of Offinso and Kumawu were physically molested and injured. In the Colony, the situation was equally bad, if not worse. Nana Kwame Tano II of Sefwi Wiawso was assaulted and destooled in 1935 amidst riots in which two people died and forty others received serious injuries.
In 1942, British Governor Alan Burns, addressing the Legislative Council, lamented the large number of 'interminable stool disputes" in the country. It is four decades now since the colonial representative made that disturbing observation. The problem of chieftaincy disputes and violence, however, has not dwindled. It has rather assumed uncontrollable proportions in terms of the sheer frequency and the casualty rate of litigations and litigants.
The following well-known instances are illustrative. In 1981, the chief of Offuman and members of his royal household were brutally murdered in a violent chieftaincy riot. In 1980, at Wa, twenty-seven people were shot dead while forty-two others were seriously maimed during three days of fighting between rival claimants to the vacant Wala chieftaincy. A year after in 1981 another riot, in which one person died, erupted over the same problem when the National House of Chiefs set aside the decision of the Upper Region House of Chiefs that Bondiri Momori is the rightful Wa-Na.
At Sefwi Bekwai in 1976, the paramount chief Nana Atta Agyeman, then facing destoolment charges before the Western Region House of Chiefs, was shot dead allegedly by some of his opponents. The classic case of Yendi, like many others throughout the count- ry, does not need any further mention except to say that the floodgate for the eventual eruption of bloody violence appears now to be ticking for the opportune time to let out the accumulating sludge.
Already, from every corner of Ghana numerous chieftaincy disputes are either pending or being litigated before various Traditional Councils, Houses of Chiefs, and the Appeal Court. In the Ashanti Region alone not less than five of the thirteen Amanhene or paramount chiefs are facing destoolment. Nana Atakora Amaniampong II of Mampong has been accused by his Elders of embezzlement, disrespectful conduct, breach of taboo, and incest along with twenty other charges. Nana Yaw Sekyere II of Nsuta, Nana Asum- adu Sakyi of Kumawu, Nana Diko Pim II of Ejisu, and Nana Kwantwi Barima II of Adansi are all engulfed in protracted destoolment litigations before appropriate judicial institutions in the country.
Group picture of the National House of Chief with Otumfuo Opoku Ware II seated fifth from left and fourth from left (standing middle row) Nana Kwantwi Barima II, the ex-Adansihene
