Police Intervention Averts Dispute Over Akwasiho Chief’s 40-Day Observance
The swift intervention of the Eastern North Regional Police Commander, DCOP George Ankomah, has helped avert a potentially serious dispute over the proposed 40-day observance of the late Nana Obeng Darfuor II, Chief of Akwasiho, and restored calm at Akwasiho in the Kwahu Traditional Area.
The dispute centred on the arrangements being made for the 40-day observance scheduled for Wednesday, 23 September 2026, popularly known in the Akan calendar as Awukudae, and concerns regarding whether the appropriate customary consultations had taken place before preparations were commenced.
At the centre of the matter were the Queen Mother of Akwasiho, Nana Serwah Brakatu II, and the Overlord of Akwasiho, Nana Aboagye Nketia II, who also serves as Krontihene of Kwahu Pepease.
According to concerns raised in the petition submitted on behalf of Nana Aboagye Nketia II through his lawyer to the Inspector-General of Police, the Queen Mother proceeded with preparations for the proposed 40-day observance without formally informing or consulting the Overlord of Akwasiho.
The petition further raised concerns that the Akwasiho Oyokuor Abusuapanin, Nana Obeng Tawiah, who is the head of the relevant family structure, was also not officially informed or involved in the preparations.
The failure to involve these traditional and family authorities was presented as contrary to the customary process expected to govern the organisation of such an important traditional observance.
The issue, therefore, was not simply about whether a 40-day observance should take place, but who should be consulted and involved in its organisation under the applicable customary practices of Akwasiho.
That distinction became important because the proposed event concerned the funeral observance of a chief and had the potential to attract a large gathering of traditional authorities, family members and members of the public.
The dispute also highlights the constitutional protection given to Ghana’s traditional institutions.
Article 270(1) of the 1992 Constitution guarantees the institution of chieftaincy together with its traditional councils as established by customary law and usage. The Constitution further provides mechanisms through which questions concerning chieftaincy and customary law are dealt with by the appropriate traditional institutions.
The Chieftaincy Act, 2008 (Act 759) similarly recognises Traditional Councils and provides a statutory framework for matters relating to customary law and traditional administration. Section 12, for example, provides for a Traditional Council in each traditional area, while the Act also provides mechanisms for the declaration and consideration of customary-law rules.
Consequently, where a disagreement arises over the customary procedure for organising a traditional event, the issue cannot simply be reduced to a question of police authority. The police have a responsibility to maintain public order and prevent disturbances, while substantive questions concerning customary authority and chieftaincy remain matters for the appropriate traditional and legal institutions.
The intervention followed the formal petition submitted on behalf of Nana Aboagye Nketia II and an earlier request for police security during the proposed 40-day observance.
Upon reviewing the concerns raised and considering the possible security implications, the Eastern North Regional Police Command moved swiftly to prevent the disagreement from developing into a confrontation.
On Saturday, 19 September 2026, DCOP George Ankomah convened an emergency meeting at the Regional Police Headquarters at Kwahu Mpraeso.
Those involved included the Queen Mother of Akwasiho, Nana Serwah Brakatu II, and the Overlord of Akwasiho, Nana Aboagye Nketia II.
The meeting also involved Akyemfuor Asiedu Agyeman III, Chief of Kwahu Abetifi, and Adontenghene of the Kwahu Traditional Area.
It is understood that the Abetifi Chief had been echoing or supporting the arrangements being proposed for the funeral observance. However, the Regional Police Commander insisted that the matter should not proceed in a manner capable of creating tension or confrontation and that the appropriate traditional processes should first be followed.
The intervention therefore placed emphasis on de-escalation, consultation and the preservation of public peace, rather than allowing the disagreement to develop into a traditional or community confrontation.
The position of Nana Aboagye Nketia II, Krontihene of Kwahu Pepease and Overlord of Akwasiho, was central to the concerns brought before the Police Command.
His position, as presented in the petition, was that the organisation of such an important traditional observance should not proceed without proper engagement with the relevant traditional and family authorities of Akwasiho.
The concern was reinforced by the reported absence of formal consultation with the Akwasiho Oyokuor Abusuapanin, Nana Obeng Tawiah.
The matter consequently became one requiring immediate engagement to ensure that the proposed observance did not become a source of division or public disorder.
Following the emergency meeting, the earlier arrangements for the 40-day observance were directed to be postponed until the appropriate traditional and customary processes could be followed.
Any subsequent arrangements are expected to involve proper consultation with the Overlord of Akwasiho, Nana Aboagye Nketia II, and the Akwasiho Oyokuor Abusuapanin, Nana Obeng Tawiah, together with the other relevant traditional and family authorities.
The purpose of the postponement is therefore not to prevent the customary observance of the late Nana Obeng Darfuor II but to provide an opportunity for the relevant authorities to engage and agree on arrangements that will respect the applicable customary processes and maintain peace.
The intervention further demonstrates the importance of early police engagement, where a traditional disagreement has the potential to become a public-order issue.
The police intervention should not be interpreted as a determination of the substantive customary claims of either side. Its immediate purpose was to prevent confrontation, maintain public order and protect persons and property.
Questions concerning chieftaincy and the applicable customary law are governed by Ghana’s constitutional and statutory chieftaincy framework. Article 270, in particular, recognises the role of Traditional Councils, Regional Houses of Chiefs and other recognised chieftaincy institutions in matters concerning chieftaincy and customary law.
Information reaching the media indicates that the parties have accepted the decision to postpone the earlier arrangements, creating an opportunity for further consultation and engagement.
The immediate priority is now for all parties to maintain calm and refrain from any action capable of disturbing the peace of Akwasiho.
The intervention by DCOP George Ankomah has consequently created the necessary breathing space for the relevant traditional and family authorities to engage further.
The issue now moves from potential confrontation to consultation, customary procedure and peaceful resolution.
For the people of Akwasiho, the message is clear: the 40-day observance of the late Nana Obeng Darfuor II should be organised in a manner that respects the relevant traditional authorities, involves the appropriate family leadership and preserves the peace and unity of the community.
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