Several feeding factions are making claims to the stool despite an existing Supreme Court decision that has affirmed Nii Asere Boi VII, from the Akortia Oworsika Stool (Agbon-We) of the Asere Division of the Ga State as the Paramount Chief.
Information reaching Ghanaweb.com indicates that there is an uneasy tension brewing in the area following delays from the Ga Traditional Council and the Greater Accra regional House of Chiefs to address the matter.
The details indicate that the Supreme Court had ordered for its decision to be submitted to all other feuding factions to acknowledge Nii Asere Boi VII, as the Paramount Chief of the Asere Division.
In the Supreme Court ruling, it also directed that the decision be read in the presence of the other factions so they would acknowledge Nii Asere Boi VII, as the Paramount Chief. However, that has delayed, and it is generating tension in the traditional area.
The Ga Traditional Council is said to have also invited only (10) representatives from Akortia Oworsika Stool (Agbon-We) to come over to have the issue settled together with the other feudal factions. But upon arriving at the meeting, other matters that were not related to the issue at hand were discussed.
Some individuals have therefore appealed to the National Security Agency to intervene in the antwtr to prevent clashes, especially when the Homowo festivities were fast approaching.
To them, it will be in the national interest to address these challenges before the festival to ensure security, safety, and stability.
The Akortia Oworsika Stool (Agbon-We) further underscored the need for the Greater Accra Regional House of Chiefs to take steps in addressing the already matter surrounding the occupant of the Asere Paramount Stool.
The family referenced a letter written to the Attorney-General, Godfred Yeboah Dame, seeking legal assistance over an earlier Supreme Court ruling that acknowledged that Nii Asere Boi VII, is the Paramount Chief of the Asere division.
The Akortia Oworsika Stool (Agbon-We) had written to the Attorney-Gberal seeking legal assistance over the ruling of the court.
In March 2024, Attorney-General Godfred Yeboah Dame wrote to the Ministry of Chieftaincy and Culture, admonishing the Minister to collaborate with the Greater Accra Regional House of Chiefs in resolving the matter.
The A-G, in its letter to the Chieftaincy Minister, indicated that Nii Asere Boi VII, who was the occupant of the stool, was to continue as Manste for his lifetime, deposition, or abdication, after which the stool shall be occupied in rotation.
“Nii Asere Boi VII, of Akortia Oworsika Stool (Agon-We), who was the occupant at the time, was to continue as Mantse for his lifetime, deposition, or abdication, after which the stool shall be occupied in rotation as follows: Nikoi Olai Stool of the Djorshie-We; then Akortia Oworsika Stool (Frempong-We); then Nikoi Olai Stool of the Djorshie-We; then Akortia Oworsika Stool (Agbon-We),” the letter from A-G to the Minister explained.
The letter from the A-G further indicated that the judgement of the Supreme Court is clear with regards to the occupancy of thestool in question.
“The issue or challenge is the implementation of the decisions of the courts by the various stools. This matter is therefore referred to your good office to collaborate with the Regional House of Chiefs (Greater Accra) to assist the factions of the various stools to amicably settle the matter,” the letter added.
The Supreme Court has issued a judgement indicating that “the Nikoi Olai family belongs to the Asere Djorshie division of Accra. It has a stool named the Nikoi Olai stool. It was claimed that that stool was properly the Paramount Stool of Asere. With that aspect of the matter, we are not concerned. What we feel bound to acknowledge is that Nii Asere Boi VII, is the Paramount Chief of the Asere division.
He (Nii Asere Boi VII) occupies a stool other than the plaintiff’s stool. It is called the Akotia Oworsika stool. Accordingly, the plaintiff’s stool is sub-servient, at any rate, as at present, to that stool. It follows from this that the plaintiff’s family, qua family, are subjects of the Asere Paramount stool.”
The court had also concluded that, being the constitutional position as we see it, the present litigation can be regarded as a domestic difference between the Asere Mantse and some of his subjects—an entirely Asere matter.”
However, there has been an outstanding feud between three clans in the Asere Divisional area of the Ga State.
The feuding factions have claimed occupancy of the stool in question, and for that reason, the occupant that was declared by the Supreme Court petitioned the Attorney-General, seeking legal assistance on the matter.
The court had also ordered for its judgement to be read before the other feuding parties in order to help resolve the domestic issues surrounding the matter.
