Opinions of Monday, 9 November 2015

Columnist: Adofo, Rockson

Asantehene's Bragging About "No Court, No Court" Suffers a Blow!

There is a 16-second recorded video clip on YouTube portal in which Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II is seen bragging about how powerful the decisions he takes are. In the said video posting he says, "No court in Ghana has the ability to reverse the decisions I take or else, there wouldn't be any Golden Stool and me not being Asantehene". The posting is titled, "is any one man bigger..."

However, his bragging can be said to be short-lived. A court has proved that it has authority over his adjudicating decisions that are established to be prejudicial.

He deposed the queen of Adansi many years ago and subsequently installed someone of his choice, not a rightful royal or a person well liked by the townspeople, of course. The queen took him and his supporting Asanteman Council to court.

On Friday 6 November 2015 if I am not wrong, his decision suffered a deadly blow. A competent court of jurisdiction reversed his decision. The court established that Ashanti Nana did not act in good faith when he deposed or confirmed the deposition of the queen of Adansi. Therefore, the queen has been re-instated according to the verdict pronounced by the court.

This is very good news for the people of Adansi and for all those who aspire to see the prevalence of true justice in Ghana but not the "buga buga" type of justice or the injustices as espoused by Asantehene and his Asanteman Council of Chiefs.

It is my fervent hope that all enstoolment cases decided by Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II and his current Asanteman Council will be reviewed. They cannot be trusted to render any judicious verdicts to cases brought before them concluding from how they went about the Kumawu chieftaincy case as captured on video found on YouTube titled, "Asantehene involves in corruption".

I watched the video with wonderment as all the chiefs stood to concur with one another in collusive support of Kumawuhemaa's initiatives, although knowing very well that Ashanti conventions on stool dispute and enstoolment had been breached.

Adansehemaa, more grease to your elbows for taking Asantehene on to ensure justice is done to you.

I salute Anas Aremeyaw Anas for his investigative work that exposed some corrupt judges hence giving fresh impetus to public interest in ensuring that true justice prevails in our courts.

Where is your sting, oh Asantehene? Your empty boasting has suffered a setback. I really hide my face in my palms in shame whenever I watch the above mentioned videos on YouTube. They are so disgraceful the way our supposed trusted chiefs adjudicate cases brought before Asanteman. It is all abuse of power if not corruption galore unfolding in the face of the viewer.

Once again, I doff my hat to ADANSEHEMAA for her bravery.

Rockson Adofo