The resistance has led to the alleged destoolment of Ekuasehene, Okatakyie Opoku Oware
There is growing tension in Effiduase in the New Juaben Traditional Area over the sale of a portion of public cemetery land, where COVID-19 victims were buried, to a private developer for the establishment of a church building at the cost of GH¢700,000.
The resistance has led to the alleged destoolment of Ekuasehene, Okatakyie Opoku Oware, who has been opposing the move.
The Effiduasehene, Nana Okowia Dwumo Baabu, announced at the palace on Sunday that he had destooled the Ekuasehene for alleged insubordination.
The decision instantly sparked protests from the Ekuase Bretuo Royal Family, who dismissed the destoolment as unlawful and without merit. Armed police were deployed as gunshots were heard.
Opanyin Kwame Nyarko, head of the Ekuase Bretuo Family, stated emphatically that the Ekuase stool is a family stool, and as such, the Effiduasehene holds no traditional authority to destool their chief.
“It is only the Bretuo Royal Family that has the customary mandate to install or remove the Ekuasehene. This attempted destoolment is null and void,” he declared.
Tension escalated further when armed police personnel were allegedly deployed to the palace area.
When contacted, the Ekuasehene, Okatakyie Opoku Oware, urged the public to disregard the purported destoolment, assuring residents of his determination to protect public lands and resist what he described as the indiscriminate sale of communal properties.
“I will continue to fight for future generations against the wrongful sale of public lands and other abuses within the traditional system,” he vowed.
Efforts by Starr News to reach Effiduasehene Okowia Dwumo Baabu and his elders for their side of the story proved unsuccessful, as the palace remained locked after the heated confrontation.
