GRi Arts &Culture 27 – 01 - 2003
Jasikan (Volta Region)
The problem is as a result of
the purported destoolment of Buemhene
by the Sub-Chiefs and the Amankrados and regents of
the area last year that was nullified by a High Court at Ho.
The Sub-Chiefs turned down Nana Okotor's effort at a meeting on Saturday at Jasikan. It was not clear whether the Nkonyahene,
who is also the Vice President of the Volta Region House of Chiefs, was acting
on behalf of the House or in his own capacity.
A press release issued after the
meeting and signed by Nana Owusu Ankomah VII, Chief of Kudje
and Nifahene of Buem
Traditional Area on behalf of the 17 chiefs and five Amankrados
said among others, "Nana Akpandja remained destooled in accordance with the customary practice and
usages of the Buem Traditional area."
The statement also described
Nana Akpandja's assertion in recent news reports that
he remained the Buemhene, as ''a joke", adding
that "We have destooled him and nothing can
change our minds."
Sam Baidu
Kelele, the Jasikan
District Chief Executive (DCE), who was at the meeting advised the Chiefs to
exercise restraint. David Tei Tagoe,
Assistant Superintendent of Police in charge of the Jasikan
District warned that the Police would not hesitate to deal with any one who
would disturb the peace of the area and advised the Chiefs to act within the
ambit of the law.
On 19 July last year a Ho High
Court presided over by Justice Richard Apaloo
nullified the purported destoolment of Nana Akpandja by 17 of his sub-chiefs and five Mankrados after Nana Akpandja
brought a certiorari application, which questioned their authority to destool him, the procedures adopted and to have the action
quashed.
GRi.../
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Kumasi (Ashanti Region) 27
January 2003- Professor Emeritus Joseph Hanson Kwabena Nketia,
Director of the International Centre for African Music and Dance, University of
Ghana, Legon, has called for the creation of a Ministry for Culture to properly
handle cultural matters to attract investors.
A country's development was
intrinsically woven to its cultural ideologies, he said and called for the
adoption of an educational system that would help the people to identify and
appreciate their culture.
Prof. Nketia
was delivering the second the Dr Alex Atta Yaw Kyeremateng
Memorial Lectures as part of activities marking the 50th anniversary of the
National Cultural Centre in
His topic was "Promoting
Cultural Legacies In Contemporary Contexts –Dr Kyeremateng and Asante Cultural
Centre". He asked Ghanaians to inculcate in their children the enthusiasm
to appreciate their cultural values and not to educate them with foreign
ideologies, which were destructive to the nation's cultural legacies.
Prof. Nketia
urged Chiefs to re-direct their resources and energies to promote their
traditional sites and not engage in conflicts, which were detrimental to
development. He regretted that social and other changes in the country had led
to the current generation not knowing anything about their cultural identity.
The time has come for the
country to re-define her culture, which would stand the test of time, Prof Nketia said. He said Dr Kyeremateng
would always be remembered for his vision in setting up the Kumasi Cultural
Centre and dedicating his life to the upliftment of
the nation's culture.
Alan Kyeremateng,
He also called added his voice
to that of Professor Nketia for the creation of a
Ministry for Culture and the construction of Art Centres throughout the
country. Wilberforce Otchere-Darko, Ashanti Regional
Director of the Centre for National Culture, called for the protection of the
country's ecology since most of the nation's folktales had imageries of
animals. He explained that this was the reason why the late Dr Kyeremateng promoted the establishment and proximity of the
Kumasi Zoological Gardens to the cultural centre.
GRi.../
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