Okuapemman Cultural Association of Ontario has been around Toronto for a long time and is one of the most respected among the cultural associations in Toronto. With the leadership of able Osabarima Nana La-Kumi and Nana Akosua Oparebea Adinkra Apau, the Association has helped Okuapem area in Ghana in many ways.

People of Toronto have witnessed the progress of the Association with admiration, but for the past year, there seems to be a power and recognition struggle in the women’s wing of the Association.

Whenever the Association comes out to community functions we hardly see who is the real Ohemaa of the Okuapems in Toronto.

I am asking the above question because there is no difference of the number of ornaments on Ohemaa and mmabawahemaa, Sometimes even the mmabawahemaa has more ornaments on her then the real Ohemaa.

I have been around in Toronto for a while and during the time of Nana Janet as Ohemaa of Okuapems in Toronto, I never witnessed one day when the present Ohemaa, who was by the then mmabawahemaa had more ornaments on her then the Ohemaa in a public function.

The ornaments on Ahemaa is a dress code for them. You must dress according to your title. This is like the dress code in the army or the police you must dress according to your rank, a Major cannot dress like a Colonel.

Please let Olivia, the present mmabawahemaa know the above facts, she may have the ornaments for Ohemaa, but she should be told to wait until she becomes Ohemaa to dress like Ohemaa.

According to the Association’s constitution the mmabawahemaa can get permission from Ohemaa to represent her, when she the Ohemaa would not be present at a particular function, on that occasion she the mmabawahemaa can dress and act like Ohemaa. It is very confusing for people especially visitors to Toronto functions to recognize the real Ohemaa.

As a person who wants harmony in all the Associations in Toronto, I am appealing to Nana La-Kumi, Nana Asiama, Nana Yerenkyi and the former Ohemaa Nana Janet to call an emergency executive and Ahnfo meeting to address this ugly situation immediately, “IT HAS TO BE STOPPED”.

Yours sincerely,
Kwabena Nimo
Toronto

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