Okogyeman Ankomah Basapon
A Koforidua High Court has directed the Omanhene of the New Juaben Traditional Area, Daasebre Prof (Emeritus) Oti Boateng and for that matter the New Juaben Traditional Council to submit signed chieftaincy declaration forms presented to it by the Suhyenhene, Okogyeman Ankomah Basapon to the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs for onward transmission to the National House of Chiefs to enable him to be gazzetted as a chief of Suhyen.
The Suhyenhene, who is also the Mponuahene of the New Juaben Traditional Area in the Eastern region, was forced to take the Omanhene to court after he refused to sign his chieftaincy declaration forms to enable him to be gazzeted on the grounds that the Suhyenhene was not only properly enstooled but had also not sworn an oath of allegiance to him.
The High Court, presided over by Justice Henry Kwofie in a ruling on June 8, this year, said the Omanhene has no locus in relation to the Chieftaincy Act 2008 (Act 759) to prevent the Suhyenehene from being gazzeted because the Supreme Court had effectively dealt with Suhyen chieftaincy issue in 2006 after the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs had recognized the applicant as the substantive chief of Suhyene with an appeal by the Ekuona family faction?s being thrown out by the Supreme Court and the ruling of the Regional and National Houses of chiefs in connection with that being upheld.
?The respondent, Daasebre Oti Boateng is neither a member of the Asona family of Suhyen nor a kingmaker of the Suhyen stool and eventually did not deny that the applicant has been nominated, elected and installed as Suhyenhene. There is no requirement in the Chieftaincy Act 2008 (Act 759) that a chief became a chief for the purpose of the Act only when he had complied with or effected the constitutional relations between him and another chief. The respondent?s contention that the applicant was not a chief because he has not yet sworn the oath of allegiance to him (respondent) as the paramount chief is untenable,? the judge said in his ruling.
?It seems to me that there is some justification for the applicant?s assertion that the respondent, Daasebre Oti Boateng has motives other than legal for refusing to forward his chieftaincy declaration forms to the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs for onward transmission to the National House of Chiefs. Accordingly it is hereby ordered that the respondent pursuant to the provisions of the Chieftaincy Act reports changes in the New Juaben Traditional Council by forwarding the applicants duly completed chieftaincy declaration forms to the Eastern regional House of Chiefs for onward transmission to the National House of Chiefs for registration of the applicant in the national register of chiefs. There will be no order as to costs,? Justice Henry Kwofie further said in his ruling.
The Suhyenhene, Okogyeman Ankomah Basapon, later in an interview, said the court ruling represented victory for Suhyenman because the town had been deprived of development as a result of this protracted chieftaincy dispute.
?I am calling on all indigenes of Suhyen to unite in one purpose for the benefit of the town?s development now that the way have been paved by the court for me to be gazzetted and lead my people,? Okogyeman Ankomah Basapon said, stressing that he was prepared mentally and physically to help bring development to the town and for Suhyen to take its rightful place in the New Juaben Traditional Area.
From Thomas Fosu Jnr, Koforidua
