THE KOFI DZAMESHIE VETO POWER

AMU ROYAL FAMILY AGBOZUME The Minister for Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs M. C. R. A. ACCRA Honourable Minister, PROTEST AGAINST THE AUTHORITY GIVEN TO TOGBUI SAPEY V FOR THE BURIAL AND FUNERAL OF TOGBUI HOR II We, the members of the Amu Gate of the Adamah Royal Family of the Somey Traditional Area, otherwise known as the Makorsor Royal Family, write to protest against the power and authority you have given Torgbi Sape Agbo V, for the organization of the burial and funeral for the late Togbui Hor II. Your letter (Ref No. MCT/PET/18/SF3 of 16th November 2017) which is a response to Torgbi Sape Agbo’s letter (Ref No. TSA/HED/001/ED/17 of 6th November 2017) has raised a lot of pertinent issues which need to be addressed. Togbui Sapey Agbo V in our view should not be given any authority to lead the organization of the burial and funeral rites of the late paramount chief of the Somey Traditional Area Togbui Hor II, because he Togbui Sapey Agbo V, among others, is the main architect of the confusion that has arisen since the demise of Togbui Hor ii in 2012. Togbui Sapey Agbo V is a subject of suits at the judicial committee of the VRHC, Ho. He is both a plaintiff and a defendant all concerning issues, the subject matter of which is the death, the burial and funeral celebrations of Togbui Hor II. In the first place, to the best of our knowledge, we do not think you have, as a minister, the constitutional mandate to direct how a chief should be buried, and Togbui Sapey Agbo V has no customary authority to organize or supervise the burial and funeral of a paramount chief of Somey. Also, your letter, instead of promoting peace in Somey (as you claim) has rather worsened the situation. The letter has sought to undermine the authority of the duly nominated, installed and outdoored Paramount Chief of Somey, Torgbi Adamah III. It has denigrated further and raised the agitation level of the people to fever pitch. We feel very strongly that you were misinformed, ill-advised and forced by your political godfathers into taking the action you have taken, and that you have joined forces with those people – faceless and known – who are determined to obliterate the Amu Gate in the traditional administration of Somey. Our conviction is informed by the fact that upon sighting your letter, we of the Amu Gate called you and drew your attention to the mistake you were about to make, and advised you to withdraw the letter. But you ignored our advice and stuck to your political godfather’s well-mapped-out agenda. You told us point blank that as far as Torgbi Sape Agbo’s heading the Hor Funeral Committee is concerned, it is a “closed case” and that is “a favor you are doing the Adamah family”. We beg to differ; you are rather helping others to drive the nail deeper into the coffin of the Amu Gate. Honourable Minister, we wish to refresh your mind again about the case in point. The paramount stool of Somey is rotated between two Gates – the Amu Gate and the Hor Gate. With the passing on of Torgbi Hor II (of the Hor Gate), it now becomes the turn of the Amu Gate. The Royal Makorsor Family met and tasked the Amu Gate to find a successor who will subsequently preside over the funeral of the late chief. A worthy candidate was therefore chosen – he was duly nominated, installed and outdoored as Togbuiga Adamah III, according to the sacred customs and practices of the Somey people. But, sad to say, soon after the installation Mr David Fianyor, (who hails from the Hor gate), who had harboured a secret ambition of succeeding his late uncle, in collaboration with Torgbi Sape Agbo V and some members of a so-called Nukpornuku family which has no royal dynasty in Somey, began their machinations to deny the Amu Gate their sacred right to the throne. Togbui Nukpornuku dynasty is at the moment ruling in Keta. Mr David Fianyor then went to court and challenged the installation. The suit filed by Mr. David Fianyor was withdrawn and settled amicably by the Makorsor Family. The family had also drawn a roadmap for the resolution of all pending matters. The other suit filed by Togbui Sapey Agbo V is still pending before the Judicial Committee of the Volta Region House of Chiefs (VRHC). Honourable, it is because of these developments that Mr. David Fianyor, the children of the late Torgbi Hor II, Torgbi Sape Agbo V and the Nukpornuku family are bent on making sure that the Amu Gate and for that matter, Torgbi Adamah III is not part of the funeral Planning for the late chief. They have a hidden agenda to pursue and are trying to use you to achieve that. Discussions on the funeral have been stalled several times because of this ploy to deny the Amu Gate its royal right, and not because of the lies being spread around that the Amu Gate does not want the funeral to be held. The Amu Gate is very desirous of seeing the late chief buried and given a befitting funeral. Honourable Minister, it is in the light of these concerns and developments that the Ketu South MUSEC, in collaboration with the Volta REGSEC and the Volta Region House of Chiefs, in their wisdom, decided to allow only the Kingmakers of the Royal Makorsor Family to plan the funeral without the involvement of the Makorsor, Torgbi Adamah III, and any other chief at the highest level – the Central Planning Committee level. At the meeting at which this decision was taken, it was made clear to Torgbi Sape Agbo V that he could not be a member of that committee, let alone preside over it because he is not a member of the Royal Makorsor family. The good people of Somey (and even Klikor and Aflao) accepted that initiative in the belief that it will bring peace and calm to the area. We believe that you are aware of the wise counsel of the MUSEC, REGSEC and VRHC. But you ignored it and rather issued a rather provocative and divisive unilateral directive or veto, much to the chagrin of all of us – the chiefs, the Amu Gate, the Dumegawo and the people of Somey. They are not prepared to work with the directive you have given because they know it will not work. For your information, your two agents – Mr. David Fianyor and Torgbi Sape Agbo V have their daggers drawn and ready to do battle with each one claiming the right to convene a meeting to plan the funeral. Each has issued separate letters convening meetings on different dates. Moreover, the paramount chiefs of Klikor and Aflao have not taken kindly to your decision of asking them to serve in a committee presided over by a divisional chief. Sir, what other proof do you need to convince you that you have taken a wrong decision and that your plan will not work. Mr. Minister we humbly submit that by your appointment of Togbui Sapey Agbo V you have ironically made him both a referee and a player. The Amu gate which he has sued is then placed at a disadvantage. We, the members of the Amu Gate bear no grudge against you. We have more to achieve when we work together than when we go our separate ways. So please, adhere to good counsel and stop collaborating with those who are bent on erasing the name of the Amu Gate/Adamah family from the history of Somey. Theirs is an exercise in futility for we have time, history, custom, the people and the Almighty God on our side. Honourable Minister, we believe that there are processes by which redeeming your image in this funeral impasse can be solidified, and these are: (i) recall your infamous letter to Torgbi Sape Agbo V, (ii) apologize to the good people of Somey and the Amu Royal Gate as well as the Paramount Chief (iii) allow and support the MUSEC, REGSEC and the VRHC to continue with the initiative they have taken. When this is done, we believe all the stakeholders in this regard will re-rally behind you in all your efforts to carve a niche and leave a lasting favorable legacy not only for yourself but also for the people of Somey and the Volta Region, the Ministry of Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs and the Government of Ghana. Accept our warmest regards and best wishes for the year 2018. The Good Lord be with you. Yours in the service of the People of Somey. GODWIN DOE ADAMAH STOOL FATHER, (THE AMU ROYAL FAMILY)