One of the elders in the Kwahu community in Manhyia has recalled how he advised Afia Pokua to display utmost remorse in the palace for a more lenient outcome, but she refused.

He mentioned that before the proceedings began, he suggested that Pokua kneel before the elders, roll on the floor, and cry profusely.

In a media interview, he explained that such a gesture could touch the hearts of the chiefs and elders at the Manhyia Palace.

“I told her to roll on the floor and cry extensively to show remorse, but she refused. I called her, and she didn’t even listen to me,” he stated.

He described the day as eventful, noting that in his 29 years in Manhyia, he had never encountered a case like this before.

“Today took me by surprise. I have been in Manhyia for 29 years and have never seen anything like this,” he said.

During the proceedings at the Manhyia Palace, the chiefs stated that their investigations revealed Afia Pokua is not from Kwahu, as she claims.

They found out that her father is from the Frafra tribe and her mother is a Krobo.

The Kwahu elder added that he also discovered the same information and wanted to reiterate their point, but they didn’t allow him to speak.

“I don’t know this girl. At one point, I wanted to tell them that she is not from Kwahu, but they didn’t let me speak,” he stated.

Afia Pokua's apology rejected

After hours of pleading at Manhyia Palace, Afia Pokua was asked to leave and never set foot there again.

Not even the faction of elders who advocated for her could persuade the Otumfuo’s representative to accept her apology.

One elder pleaded on Afia Pokua’s behalf, that she (Pokua), had been on her knees since her arrival and had brought an apology that should be considered.

However, the Otumfuo’s representative remained resolute, stating that in the palace, an apology isn’t always sufficient in such matters.

He emphasised that there are times when offenders are left to face their consequences, and Afia Pokua’s situation was one of those.



Afia Pokua and Mona Gucci summoned

After apologising on their respective social media platforms for disrespecting the Asantehene and offering another apology on live TV, Afia Pokua and Mona Gucci honoured the invitation to Manhyia Palace to deliver a formal apology to Otumfuo Osei Tutu II.

They were accompanied by Prophet Kumchacha and a delegation from Onua TV, the media house where Afia Pokua made comments about the Asantehene.

Dressed in all black, Afia Pokua was seen kneeling in front of the Otumfuo’s representative almost throughout the proceedings.

Moderated by the Otumfuo’s Okyeame (Linguist), both parties addressed the issues, and the offenders presented their third apology to the delegation.

Background

The controversy began when Afia Pokua, a journalist at Agoo TV, criticised the Asantehene for his perceived silence amid ongoing conflicts involving his subjects and other tribes, including the Bonos.

On Onua FM’s ‘Bribi Gye Gye wo,’ hosted by Mona Gucci, Pokua expressed frustration with what she sees as Ashantis displaying superiority over other tribes and the Asantehene’s refusal to act on it.

These statements have sparked massive outrage among the Ashantis, with many individuals, including sub-chiefs and queen mothers, openly voicing their criticism.

Also, the angry Asante youth staged a protest and held a press conference to address the situation.

EB