THE disturbances at Tuobodom in the Brong Ahafo Region over the weekend, which culminated in the death of three persons and critical injury to a policeman, must have sent shivers down the spines of all right-thinking members of society.
What triggered off the latest violence, we are told, has its roots in a protracted chieftaincy dispute involving two factions in the area — one of which owes allegiance to the Golden Stool, while the other owes allegiance to the Techimanhene.
It is also said to be linked to a shooting incident in October 2008 when the convoy of the Techimanhene, Oseadeeyo Ameyaw Akumfi IV, was fired at while on his way to Tuobodom to join the Akyempimhene of Techiman and rival Tuobodomhene, Barima Obeng Ameyaw, to celebrate the Yam Festival at Tuobodom.
But the immediate cause, we learn, was that one of the rival chiefs, Nana Asare Baffour II, who is said to owe allegiance to the Asantehene, was said to have been pounced on by some youth of Techiman and Wenchi when he stepped out of a courtroom and handed over to the police because he was alleged to be the brain behind the shooting incident that occurred in 2008.
When the news of Nana Baffour’s arrest got to his supporters at Tuobodom, they took up arms, resulting in the violent clashes leading to the unfortunate loss of lives and injury to the policeman.
Even though relative calm is said to have returned to the town, Tuobodom has virtually become a ghost town, as most able-bodied men, women and children have fled the town for fear of further reprisals. Furthermore, as many as 500 residents are said to have been displaced.
The Daily Graphic thinks the whole incident is shameful and stinks to the high heavens. In this time and age, why must we resort to “machoism” and the barrel of the gun to settle issues when the time-tested tradition of jaw-jaw has always been the winner?
Much as we agree that the Techiman Police and National Security appear to have spent a considerable period of time in hunting for the perpetrators of the crime against the convoy of the Techimanhene in 2008, that is no reason for the youth of Wenchi and Techiman to have taken the law into their own hands to forcibly arrest Nana Baffour.
As things stand now, the Daily Graphic urges the security agencies to go the extra mile and bring the culprits in the incident against the Techimanhene in 2008, as well as last Friday’s incident against Nana Baffour, to book. That, we strongly believe, is the surest way to promote absolute peace and fair play in the area.
On the long-standing dispute as to whether Tuobodom should owe allegiance to the Golden Stool or the Techimanhene, we note with concern the words of Oseadeeyo Akumfi that he “will not cede any part of his people’s land, including Tuobodom, to any other authority”.
We believe this is not the time to further poison the atmosphere. We call for tact and diplomacy — time-tested values — to bring the situation under control.
This is a task that must be carried out.
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