SENYA BERAKU CHIEFS AND CHIEFTIANCY.

 

SENYA BERAKU CHIEFS AND CHIEFTAINCY.

by: BIC Abeiku Okai

The root meaning of the word 'Odefe', which means chief, is 'Ambassador', ie He who sells (fɛ) the good (ɔdɛ) of the land.  Ɔdɛfɛ became Odefe. It is also known to mean, Excellent (ɔdɛ) beauty (fɛw). 

It connotes a person who represents the integrity and rich culture of the people. And is also responsible for bringing good or excellence to the land and people. 

Senya Beraku has had several chiefs from the two feuding royal families, ie., Anona and Twidan. According to the Anona, at least, ten chiefs have ruled the land from their family;

They included:

1. Nenyi Akondoh I, 

2. Kwesi Nkwantah

3. Edu Bateh

4. Saakwa

5. Akondoh II

6. Naase Adede (Female)

7. Akondoh III

8. Nkwantah 

9. Saakwa Edu Bateh;

to the very recent Anona chief, being the late Nenyi Akondoh XI (1929), who also identified as 'Ababio' (Akan; has returned), to indicate the return of his family to the throne after the Twidan had ruled for hundred years, to the time of 'the Akondoh's return'. 

The Twidans began to rule from 1829. Their stool was created by the Adu-ebi (Asafo companies). They have had six chiefs, from Nenyi Kweku Issiw I to the current paramount chief, Ampabo Kweku Issiw VI, who came to the throne on 22nd April, 1985. 

Below are the Twidan chiefs who ruled from 1829:

1. Kweku Issiw I -- 1829-1895

2. Kweku Issiw II -- 1986-1911 

3. Kweku Issiw III -- 1912-1931

*4. Akondoh Ababio X (Anona) -- 1932-1943

5. Kweku Issiw IV -- 1944-1957 

6. Kweku Issiw V -- 1958-1975 

7. Kweku Issiw VI -- 1985 - present

Following the long-standing conflict between the two families regarding who is legitimate to rule the land, the Anona instituted a court action in 1976 against the Twidan family at the Central Regional House of Chiefs, praying the court to restrain the Asafo Companies (Kingmakers) to install chiefs only from the Anona Royal House; thus preventing the Twidans from installing a chief, with the claim that they (the Anona) are the owners of the land and original leaders of Senya Beraku. 

In 1978, a judgement was given in favour of the Anona. Thus per that judgement, the Twidan 130 years rulership had come to a perpetual end. 

However, the Twidan filed an appeal at the National House of Chiefs, and in 1979 judgement was given to the effect that even though the Anona stool was prior in coming, the Twidan family cannot be removed from royalty, having also ruled the land for a long time. Thus the court established, in 1979, that there are two royal houses in Senya Beraku: Anona and Twidan. The court also affirmed that the two Adu-ebi (Asafo Companies), ie. Tuawo and Dentiwo, are the Kingmakers of the Senya Beraku paramount stool.  

The battle for leadership regarding which of the family was to enstool the next chief continued until 1985 when Ampabo Nenyi Kweku Issiw VI was enstooled by the Dentiwo Asafo company. 

The installation was met with legal resistance, but the passing of 1989 PNDC Law 212, gave legitimacy to the enstoolment, ending the resistance. 

In 1992 Ampabo Nenyi Kweku Issiw VI left the shores of Ghana and did not return until 2014. Following his absence, the Anona Royal House enstooled Mr. Albert Aboagye as Nenyi Akondoh Ababio XI in 1994 after Ghana returned to democracy in 1993. This was met with legal resistance from the Twidan Royal Family at the Central Regional House of Chiefs. After six years of legal battle, with the Anona claiming Nenyi Issiw VI had abdicated the throne, judgment was given in favour of Anona, in the year 2000. 

That same year the Twidans filed an appeal with the National House of Chiefs. Seven years later, in December, 2007, judgement was again given in favour of Anona, largely because there was not enough evidence that Ampabo Nenyi Kweku Issiw VI, who had since been out of the country, had not abdicated the stool.

It was after this judgement that the Twidans further filed an appeal to the Supreme Court in 2007. The case continued until the return of Ampabo Nenyi Kweku Issiw VI in 2014 and then finally in July, 2018, the Supreme Court ruled that Ampabo Nenyi Kweku Issiw VI, even though had failed his people and broken the oath of custom by being away for such a long time without any trace of his whereabouts, that did not amount to abdication as long as the customary rites that brought him to the throne had not been reversed customarily and legally. Therefore, the throne is not vacant. The Supreme Court, acknowledging the right to condemn the actions of Ampabo Nenyi Kweku Issiw VI, however advised that he grabbed the 'second chance of a sort' they were giving him with both hands, and reconcile his people for their development.

Researcher: Abeiku Okai

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NB: Additional information or suggested corrections with reliable evidence are joyfully welcome.