John Fosu
Asantehene pulls a fast one on Kumawuman elders - with expressed anger resonating in the valleys and hills of Kumawu.
Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II has pulled a clean fast one on the traditional elders of Kumawu. He had arranged a meeting with the elders of Kumawu for Monday, 16th July 2012 following the demonstration staged in Kumawu on Monday, 9th July 2012 by the youth. The youth from Kumawu, Abotanso, Abenaso, Woraso, Ananangya, Bodomase, Besoro, Nkwanta, Temaate, and Pepease embarked on an unprecedented demonstration requesting the illegal disposition and sales of Kumawuman stool lands to stop with immediate effect. They also felt aggrieved by the persistent corrupt and disrespectful attitude by both Kumawuhemaa and the Kumawu Krontihene that has deprived Kumawuman of essential infrastructural development. The attitude of both mentioned persons are deemed retrogressive and a complete hindrance to the development of Kumawuman.
Subsequent upon the realisation that both Kumawuhemaa and the Krontihene have not the least interest and well-being of Kumawuman at heart but the sole pursuit of their egregious insatiable greediness, the youth went on strike. They demanded the removal of the Fulani herdsmen from whom Krontihene took GHC8, 000 and had them relocated to Kumawuman lands after their eviction from Agogo lands. Among other requests, they want Kumawuman to have a paramount chief without any further delay. To the youth, the absence of a paramount chief has made matters worse for Kumawuman, especially Kumawu. It has given every Tom, Dick and Harry the audacity to desire to take Kumawuman for a dirty rough ride with impunity.
Krontihene somehow notified Asantehene about the grievances as submitted by the youth. Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the Asantehene then scheduled an urgent meeting with the traditional elders of Kumawuman to discuss the concerns raised in order to find a way forward. He sent an invite to the Kumawuman elders to be at Manhyia Palace on Monday 16th July 2012 at 08:00. Whoever the emissary was, asked the elders to be there for 10:00, the very day, date and time that Asantehene would be outside in a convoy heading to the airport to enplane to South Africa, then to Israel and the United Kingdom. This is where many intelligent people think Asantehene has deceitfully outsmarted Kumawuman citizens.
Many a Kumawuman citizen is annoyed about the outrageous behaviour by Otumfuo Osei Tutu II to solving the Kumawu chieftaincy dispute. He has always been playing on the intelligence of the people through his usual nonchalance and delay tactics. As many are dying from otherwise preventable diseases and hunger in Kumawuman partly ascribed to the horrendous attitudes by Kumawuhemaa and her cohorts, Asantehene still does not care. What a callous behaviour that is. What infuriates Kumawuman citizens resident abroad is why Asantehene should arrange a meeting on the day, date and almost the hour that he knew he would not be home but on his way to the airport to travel overseas? Why should the messenger tell the elders the wrong time, (B10:00 instead of 08:00? Whom do they think they are fooling?
Many believe it was a perfect arrangement with his girlfriend - Kumawuhemaa - to pretend to show concern for the people of Kumawuman hence that silly but not honoured appointment. He thinks people will blame the elders for turning up late. However, some people had intentionally planned to get them come in late hence the wrong time communicated to them by Asantehene's emissary. What a crafty extension of the cooling off period Kumawuhemaa has been enjoying since the invocation of Asantehene's Great Oath on her about four years ago?
Until when will Asantehene realise the importance of the adage, "you cheat the spider, you cheat yourself?" I do not think Kumawu people are as stupid as he presumes. Hang on, if they were not as assumed, how would they stay quite on to today for Asantehene to forestall the installation of their paramount chief? Do they not know that Asantehene has not any authority over their throne and their lands but for sexual relationship with an old wrinkled-faced woman (Kumawuhemaa), he now thinks to have the entire Kumawuman in his hands like an egg?
Read below an article I published on Tuesday, 10th July 2012 after the demonstration captioned, "Kumawu krontihene seeks police protection against demonstrators"
Kumawu krontihene has had the fright of his life for the first time today, Monday, 9th July 2012. He ran to the Kumawu police station very early this morning to seek police protection. Even a dog running away from danger with her tail tucked in-between her legs would not run that fast.
Kumawu youth demonstrated against the annihilation of Kumawu under the watch of the Krontihene and the queen. They believe the actions of the two mentioned persons have cost Kumawuman essential development. Their continual deprivation of Kumawuman of a paramount chief; their connivance with other chiefs to sell Kumawuman stool lands without recourse to governing traditional and statutory laws have angered the youths.
Although it was a peaceful demonstration, the Kontrihene out of guilty consciousness felt he had better seek police protection before he was overtaken by circumstances. He did the right thing as it says, "Prevention is better than cure" I doff my hat to him on his sense of judgment about his safety even though harming him was not on the agenda of the demonstrators, I should hope.
Will he continue to steal from Kumawuman now that the youths have become conscious of their duties and obligations to themselves and posterity? They have become aware that their inaction to defend the property bequeathed to them by their ancestors will be questioned by the future generation and declared guilty. Will the Kontrihene from today continue to encourage dubious acts against his own people and place of birth because of his selfish gains?
Kumawuhemaa is now well and back to Kumawu on her feet as usual. I thank God for her good health. She instructed the police to stop the peaceful demonstration but her orders fell flat.
It is a lesson well learnt by the demonstrators, the queen and the Kontrihene, the connivers seeking the perpetual downfall of Kumawuman and all interest holders. When the fool becomes conscious of himself, awakes to his useful societal obligations, then the game of underestimation of intelligence has ended. What a congratulatory awareness by the Kumawuman youth.
John Fosu
Opinions of Tuesday, 24 July 2012
Columnist: Fosu, John
Asantehene pulls a fast one on Kumawuman elders -
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