Kwame Zu (in smock) being made to retract the defamatory comment he made about the Okyenhene
THE opposition National Democratic
Congress (NDC) led by some of its national executives yesterday dashed to the
Ofori Panin Fie, the seat of the Okyeman Traditional Council, at Kyebi to
render an unqualified apology to the Okyenhene, Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori
Panin.
The party members who feared they
could be rejected at Akyem following their rude behaviour towards the Okyenhene
entered Kyebi with the main perpetrator, Kwame Zu, to ask for forgiveness from
the Traditional Council after some of their elements had bragged that they
would never apologise.
The NDC gurus that went to Ofori Panin
Fie included their National Chairman, Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo; Second Vice
Chairperson, Betty Mould Iddrisu; former Eastern Regional Minister, Emmanuel
Victor Smith, among others, in the company of the foul-mouthed Kwame Zu who is
their Ashanti Regional Secretary.
Media
When the NDC delegation spotted some
journalists around Ofori Panin Fie, Victor Smith, who was not happy with the
presence of the media, quickly rushed to the Okyenhene’s protocol to beg them
to let the journalists leave the meeting but their plea was rejected.
Main Charges
The Kyebi-Gyasehene, Barima Darko Ako-Ampem,
laid the charges against Kwame Zu and said he should pay 98 sheep to purify the
stool.
However, the Okyenhemaa, Nana Dokua,
quickly intervened by calling on the Traditional Council to reduce the fine imposed
on Kwame Zu.
The council entered into a caucus
meeting and when they were done, the Okyenhene linguist, Antwi Boasiako, said
the council had agreed that the NDC should pay a fine of 48 sheep and 48 bottles
of Schnapps to purify the stool.
Purification
Thereafter, the NDC executives were
marched to the “Okyeman Bosam Bouso” to perform libation. Besides,
they slaughtered a sheep as purification rights with regard to the dent they
brought to the Okyeman Stool as a result of Kwame Zu’s insults.
Kwame Zu was ordered to remove his
shoes and was paraded before the “Bosam Bouso” as onlookers who besieged the
place hooted at him for insulting the Okyenhene.
Chiefs
Warnings
The Okyeman Adontendomhene, Dasebre
Boamah Darko, who is the chief of Akyem-Kukruantumi, then sounded a strong
warning to the NDC to desist from making derogatory remarks against the
Okyenhene and the Okyeman Traditional Council.
NDC Chairman
NDC Chairman Mr. Ofosu-Ampofo, on
behalf of the party, then pleaded with the chiefs to tamper justice with mercy.
He said when the incident happened,
the NDC ordered Kwame Zu to render a public apology which he did and added that
the NDC respects the Okyeman Traditional Council.
Okyeman Boycott
Initially, it was announced that Osagyefuo
Amoatia Ofori Panin was going to be present at the meeting but he did not show
up.
Free To Go
The Okyenhene linguist later announced
that the Okyenhene had forgiven the NDC members and also said they were free to
go without collecting any of the fines imposed on them.
According to the linguist, the
Okyenhene does not have any problem with the NDC and cannot take anything from
them.
He said the Okyeman Traditional
Council had lifted the ban on the NDC and the party had been allowed to operate
on Okyeman lands.
Mr. Ofosu-Ampofo, on behalf of the party, thanked the Okyeman Traditional Council for forgiving the NDC.
FROM Daniel Bampoe, Ofori – Panin Fie, Kyebi
