Saturday, June 1st marked a historical event in the lives of the people of Awudome Traditional area in the Ho West District of the Volta region.
Awudome Anyirawase is the paramountcy of Awudome traditional area consisting of six communities, but after the death of the Paramount Chief of the area, Togbega Addae Kwesi XI in 2000 there has been no peace in the area over selecting of a successor for the throne.
It could be recalled that in the year 2003, the then President John Agyekum Kuffuor urged kingmakers during the funeral service of the late Chief in Awudome-Anyirawase to select the rightful person for the throne to ensure peace in the area but the call proved futile.
A successor Togbega Addae Kwasi Segbe XII was installed but not without disputes between him and his associates (families of the late chief).
Although there has been no physical conflict, claiming lives and properties in the area for all these years, the internal misunderstanding between the two royal families has deprived the Awudome Traditional area of rapid development putting the area which has tourism and agricultural potentials behind for more than a decade.
Following this canker, a newly installed Senior Divisional Chief for Awudome Avenui, Togbui Adzesi Dzagah VI has been calling for peace between the two families, knowing the Consequences of chieftaincy conflict and identifying what the people of Awudome area have lacked over the years organized a mini durbar to climax a peace process between the two Royal families.
Speaking at the event, Togbui Adzesi Dzagah VI called on the kingmakers and citizens of the area to avoid dispute and collaborate for a peaceful environment.
“The long-standing misunderstanding which stretched over 14 years has robbed the very fibre of our core values and it will surely take time to mend, heal and restore. I, therefore, wish to appeal to all Awudome citizens to foster mutual respect for one another and make a conscious effort to eschew unnecessary acrimony and other similar acts that have the potential to jeopardize the already fragile peace.
“We must, rather in the interest of Awudome promote peace, build trust and ensure sincere love in an attempt to restore the lost glory of the great Awudome. I request the various chiefs, queens, elders and others in a position of traditional authority in the various Awudome towns to sincerely uphold the tenets of trust, fairness and equal attention to all. I urge them to also engage in dialogue and consensus building,” he said.
The young Chief also indicated that an independent committee will be set up to oversee all issues and also ways to redress them saying, “This will help us establish the cause, remedies and prevention of the same in the future.”
The two parties in a glamorous moment shook hands to signify peace and thank Togbui Adzesi Dzagah VI for his visions for the Awudome traditional area, they then called on the government, stakeholders and indigenes of the area mostly in the diaspora to turn to the area with good intentions.
The six communities, Anyirawase, Avenui, Tsito, Tsibu, Nkwanta and Bame falls under the bosom of the Togo-Akwapim mountains with tick green raining forests, suitable for cultivation of cocoa and fruits such as avocado, banana, orange among others.
Source: Ghana/Starrfmonline.com.gh/103.5FM/ Albert Kuzor
