The Head of the Royal Twidan family of Gomoa Pomadze in the Central Region, Ebusuapanyin Kweku Atta has come out to deny vehemently a claim by the deposed Chief of the town, Nana Apata Kofi V that a member of the family pulled a gun on him during the final performance of traditional rites at the Shrine last Friday Nov. 18 to signify the Chief’s distoolment.
His denial follows reports in sections of the media that a member of the family had allegedly pulled a gun on the deposed Chief. But the Ebusuapanyin, Opanyin Kweku Atta who is now serving as the Regent or Stool care-taker has come out to deny the claim in no uncertain terms, describing it as a blatant and unwarranted lie, and called on the public to treat the reports with the highest contempt that it deserves.
According to him, as the head of the family, he was performing the final traditional rites that will pave the way for the possible selection, nomination and installment of a new Chief on the said date at the Shrine which was far away from the palace when all of a sudden the deposed Chief, Apata Kofi in the company of a group of men attacked him, the Ebusuapanyin to disrupt the proceedings of the traditional rites, and in the process forcibly took away the ram meant for the sacrifice.
According to the Ebusuapanyin, one of the men, identified as Kwesi Badu who was wielding a pump action gun threatened to shoot and kill him. The Chief, Nana Apata Kofi’s distoolment follows a ruling by the Gomoa Ajumako Traditional Council and the High Court in Agona Swedru respectively. Prior to this event, the Court had issued a warrant for his arrest for contempt when he attempted to perform a rite called ” Eguado to” despite being distooled, forcing the family to seek a Court order for an injunction to restrain him from performing any such activity, which now remains the sole prerogative of the Ebusuapanyin, who is now the Regent of the town and care-taker of the stool until a new Chief is installed.
By Robert Ayanful