Nana Kobina Nketsia V, the Paramount Chief of Essikado traditional area has announced a suspension of this year’s Kuntum festival to enable the traditional area to fully mourn the transition of the President of the Ahanta Traditional Council.
He said his decision was premised on customary values and precedence which demanded that all aligning forces in a traditional area halted any celebration or activities and rather help in search of a “cure or Herb for the sick king or accompany him safely to his village”.
Nana Kobina Nketsia V said this when the leadership of the Ahanta Traditional Council led by the Acting President Nana Aziaku IV, also the Tufuhene of the council, Nana Bolo Kwaw, Ebusuapanyin of the family of Otumfuo Badu Bonsoe XV, Nana Egya Kwamina XI, Chief of Apremdo together with other chiefs paid a courtesy call on Him.
The visit was to officially inform him of Otumfuo’s visit to the “Village ” and to introduce Nana Aziaku IV, as the Acting President of the Ahanta traditional Council as caretaker in the stead of Otumfuo Badu Bonsoe XV.
Nana Kobina Nketsia V alluded to the recent impasse in the traditional area, “we have heard of the misunderstanding as to who becomes what after Otumfuo, but as customs demand, the travelling of Otumfuo Badu Bonsoe XV to the “village” should not knock any heads…. let flow the succession plan …He was a good man, and nothing should dent his reign”.
” I am happy you have come to inform me officially…we will not celebrate Kuntum….please go to Sekondi traditional council and our two brothers in charge of the paramouncies in Dixcove to tell them about what has happened to our revered chief for all of us to come together and support in giving him a revered attention to the “village”.
Nana Kobina Nketsia V also called on the Ahanta Traditional Council to unite for a common purpose at these trying times…”I am sure everybody is willing and ready to help, let us mobilise from all fronts as we smoke the peace pipe and ensure total sanity in our jurisdiction “.
Nana Aziaku IV, the Tufuhene and Acting President of the Ahanta Traditional Council was grateful for the warm reception and thoughtful ideas given and pledged to ensure extensive consultation with all citizens and relevant institutions in the traditional area to deliver on the task ahead.
Nana Egya Kwamena XI, Divisional Chief of Ahanta Traditional Area said it was important for the inhabitants to uphold traditions in these critical times to chart a better course and example for posterity.
He, therefore, encouraged the indigenes of the traditional area to stay calm and throw their weight behind the Tufuhene and other forerunners in the traditional area.