Tension mounts in Ada-Foah over ‘illegal’ chief

There is a growing tension in Ada-Foah in the Ada-East District over a chieftaincy dispute.
About 500 youth of Ada-Foah, particularly members of the Lomobia-We Clan on Thursday 25 April, 2019 demonstrated against the installation of one Julius Dugba Daddah as chief of Ada-Foah, following the demise of Nene Tawiah Nanor Kokotey Tettey-Ga IV.

The demonstrators, in a petition, warned the Ada East District Chief Executive, Sarah Dugbakie Pobee, to stay off the Chieftaincy affairs of Ada-Foah.

They accused her of using political power to influence what they described as ‘the wrongful enstoolment, thereby causing unrest in the town, even though her position restricts her from meddling in Chieftaincy matters.

The youth also fingered the Ada Traditional Council, led by Dzetser, Abram Kabu Akuaku III, for masterminding the enstoolment of Julius Dugbah Daddah, even though it was aware that he is not the legitimate person to ascend the throne.

The youth, who demonstrated through the principal streets of Ada-Foah, carried placards with inscriptions such as, ‘Nana Addo, warn our DCE’, ‘Chieftaincy is destroying Ada-Foah’, ‘Daddah is not a Chief’,’ Our heritage is Our Culture’, ‘We won’t accept any fake chief’, ‘Let’s do the right thing for peace to prevail’, and ‘Daddah is a Priest’, among many others, eventually presented their petition to the Traditional Council at Big-Ada, after a 10km walk from Ada-Foah.

The Stool Father of the Lomobia-We Clan of Ada-Foah, Nene Blemano Odehe Yibuer, in an interview, said since 1863, the tradition had been that it is only three gates namely, Nanor Kokotey, Dugbartey and Sappor out of the seven gates of the Oboade Nene Tettey-Ga lineage that had ascended the Ada-Foah stool.

According to him, the Daddah gate had since then played ‘Priestship’ roles and had never ascended the stool before. He therefore described the enstoolment of Julius Daddah as fraudulent and amounting to usurpation of the Chieftaincy of Ada-Foah.

Nene Yibouer, who doubles as the head of the Agbloe family, warned the DCE and politicians to desist from the unnecessary interference in the Chieftaincy affairs of Ada-Foah. He also issued a two-week ultimatum to the Ada Traditional Council to reverse the decision else they will pursue the matter to the Regional House of Chiefs at Dodowa or even to the National House Chiefs in Kumasi.

Reacting to the allegations, the DCE, Sarah Dugbakie Pobee, said though she hailed from the Lomobia-We Clan, she had no influence over the Traditional Council’s decisions and therefore described the claims against her as baseless and unfounded.

The DCE noted that, as the representative of the President, her duty is to ensure the development and security of the people, adding that she is restrained by virtue of her position from meddling in Chieftaincy issues.

The Registrar of the Ada Traditional Council, Richard Zametsi, who received the petition for Nene Ada and his Council, assured the petitioners that he would deliver the petition to the appropriate quarters.

 

By: Daniel Akpaloo Nyorngmor – Ada-Foah