IT WAS bittersweet experience for the Ashanti Regional New Patriotic Party (NPP) Chairman, Bernard Antwi Boasiako, when he appeared before the Kumasi Traditional Council (KTC) yesterday.

First of all, the NPP guru, nicknamed ‘Wontumi, who had been accused of disrespecting the Golden Stool, was cleared of any wronging by the Asante chiefs, who were chaired by the Bantamahene, Baffuor Owusu Amankwatia.

However, Wontumi was not second-time lucky as he was reprimanded by the Asante chiefs for using river deities, especially the dreaded ‘Antoa Nyamaa’ deity, to curse Nana Kwaku Duah, the Otumfuo Kokosohene.

Antoa date

Credible sources at the Manhyia Palace in Kumasi, said the chiefs have fixed this coming Thursday as the day for Wontumi’s curse on the Kokosohene to be revoked.

According to them, some chiefs have been selected to accompany Wontumi and the Kokosohene to the ‘Antoa Nyamaa’ river for the necessary rites to be performed in order to revoke the curse.

Wontumi’s verdict

The Bantamahene, who sat in place of Otumfuo, who is currently out of the country, announcing his verdict, after listening to Wontumi and the Kokosohene, said Wontumi was not guilty of the first charge of disrespecting Otumfuo.

He, however, said the NPP chairman erred when he cursed the Kokosohene with river deities, admonishing Wontumi to be extra circumspect with his public utterances going forward to avert being in trouble with the palace in future.

Baffuor Owusu Amankwatia also charged Wontumi to make sure that his employees at Wontumi TV/Radio desist from making disparaging remarks henceforth, stressing that there should be decency at the station.

“What disciplinary action do you take when your employees make disparaging remarks?”, he asked, noting that if Wontumi allowed his station to be used to attack people, he (Wontumi) would be accused of having a hand in it.

Kokosohene’s verdict

The Bantamahene also used the occasion to advise the Kokosohene, Nana Kwaku Duah, who is the NPP Council of Elders Chairman in Manhyia South Constituency, to desist from indulging in partisan politics.

According to him, the Asantehene, the overlord of Asanteman, frowns on chiefs getting involved in partisan politics, stressing that “as a chief you are to remain neutral so that all the political parties can approach you with their issues”.

Politicians

Baffuor Owusu Amankwatia also gave a general advise to all politicians in the country to give maximum respect to traditional leaders in the country, reminding them that chiefs play important roles in the country.

Maurice Ampaw Missing

In a related development, Lawyer Maurice Ampaw, who was also summoned to the palace on a charge of disrespecting the Asante chiefs, was visibly missing from the palace yesterday. Surprisingly, nothing was said about him.

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