GRi Arts and Culture 14 – 10 – 2002

Asantehene destools sub-chief

Musicians urged to sing to edify society

 

 

Asantehene destools sub-chief

 

Bonwire (Ashanti Region) 14 October 2002 - The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II has destooled one of his sub chiefs for insubordination. Ohenenana Kwaku Duah, the chief of Bonwire, a popular kente weaving community allegedly refused to swear the oath of allegiance to the Asantehene and the Omanhene of Ejisu Traditional Area, Nana Aboagye Agyei II, his immediate overlord.

           

He is reported to have breached custom by arbitrarily enstooling and destooling his sub-chiefs without consultation with the Bonwire Queenmother.

 

The chief, who has lived 10 out of his 15 years on the Bonwire stool outside the country. At a Kumasi Traditional Council (KTC) meeting presided over by the Asantehene, Ohenenana Duah could not give any convincing reasons for his actions and in spite of promptings by some members of the Council that he renders an apology he remained unrepentant.

 

The Traditional Council was therefore, unanimous in its opinion that he should be destooled. Otumfuo Osei Tutu subsequently ordered the removal of his traditional sandals to signify his destoolment.

 

Meanwhile, news about the removal of Ohenenana Duah from the Bonwire stool has thrown the town into euphoria. The overwhelming majority of the population who disapproved of his leadership styles, widely perceived as crude and unpopular have been throwing big parties to celebrate his destoolment.

GRi…/

 

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Musicians urged to sing to edify society

 

Winneba (Central Region) 14 October 2002 - Musicians in the country have been urged to come out with songs that would edify the society and move it toward social, moral, economic and political development.

 

Mike Allen Hammah, MP for Effutu, gave exhortation when he commissioned a set of new instruments for the "Yamoah's Band" at Winneba. Hammah said musicians held the most powerful divine key that could be used effectively to change the undesirable moral habits of the people for the better.

 

He, therefore, urged composers in the country to do away with materials that would not help the society to develop morally, culturally and spiritually. They should always endeavour to produce songs that would tune the minds and spirit of the people to issues that would breed unity, love, commitment and hard work among the citizenry.

 

Hammah said, "we need songs that would unite the people and make them to develop and realise the impact of fellow-feeling in their national life," adding, "this will definitely push us forward as one people, one nation with a common destiny to build a progressive society for all".

 

He charged leaders and the entire members of the "Yamoah's Band" to use the instruments to compose and sing songs that would unite the people in the Effutu constituency and make them work to uplift the area.

 

Hammah stressed the need for the band to use their medium to intensify the education on HIV/AIDS, family planning and other health problems.

GRi…/

 

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