Wontumi Runs To Antoa

THE ASHANTI Regional New Patriotic Party (NPP) Chairman, Bernard Antwi Boasiako, has been ordered to visit the dreaded ‘Antoa Nyamaa’ deity tomorrow (Thursday) and perform the necessary traditional rites to revoke a curse he invoked against the Kokosohene, Nana Kwaku Duah.

The irrevocable order was given to the NPP kingpin when he appeared before the Kumasi Traditional Council (KTC) during their meeting at the Manhyia Palace, the seat of the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, on Monday morning.

The KTC meeting was chaired by the Bantamahene, Baafuor Owusu Amankwatia, in the absence of Otumfuo, who is currently outside the country. Both Wontumi and the Kokosohene, the two feuding parties, were present.

Wontumi openly admitted in the presence of the traditional leaders that indeed he invoked the Antoa Nyamaa deity to strike dead the Kokosohene and also use his family as thanksgiving out of anger because he was wrongly being accused for what he didn’t say.

The chiefs after listening to Wontumi, reprimanded him (Wontumi) for cursing a chief, despite knowing that invocation of river deities to curse people has been banned in the entire Asanteman by the Manhyia Palace.

Some chiefs were therefore selected to accompany Wontumi and the Kokosohene to the ‘Antoa Nyamaa’ river at Antoa, near Kumasi, on Thursday for the necessary traditional rites to be performed to revoke the curse.

Wontumi Cleared

Wontumi was, however, cleared of any wrongdoing in a second charge, where he was accused by the Kokosohene of disrespecting the occupant of the Golden Stool, the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II.

The Bantamahene, however, admonished Wontumi to be circumspect about his public utterances, stating that the NPP leader should behave properly so that he would not have any issues with the palace in future.

Surprisingly, the Kokosohene, who accused Wontumi of disrespecting the Asantehene, came to the palace with 22 people as his witnesses, but the KTC did not allow his witnesses to testify in the case.

According of the chiefs, they have realized that per the accounts the accuser and the accused, Wontumi was innocent of the second charge so there was no need for the 22 witnesses of the Kokosohene to testify.

Kokosohene cautioned

The Bantamahene also advised the Kokosohene, Nana Kwaku Duah, who is the NPP Council of Elders Chairman in Manhyia South Constituency, to desist from indulging in partisan politics, going forward.

He said the Asantehene, the overlord of Asanteman, frowns on chiefs getting involved in partisan politics, stressing that “as a chief you are to remain neutral so that all the political parties can approach you with their issues”.

Maurice Ampaw Missing

In a related development, Lawyer Maurice Ampaw, who was also summoned to the palace on a charge of disrespecting the Asante chiefs, was visibly missing from the palace yesterday. Surprisingly, nothing was said about him.