Attempts by Eric Amoateng, the former MP for Nkoranza North, to reclaim the Amoma stool he abdicated in 2000 to engage in active politics, have hit the rocks.
Mr Amoateng, who was imprisoned in the United States for attempting to import heroin into that country, went back to Amoma in an attempt to reclaim the stool but met strong resistance.
A letter signed by three Amoma royal family members and addressed to the Omanhene of Nkoranza Traditional Area, Okatakyie Agyemang Kodom, which were copied to all Divisional Chiefs of the Nkoranza Traditional Area, indicated that Mr Amoateng, without regard to tradition, came to the town and performed certain rituals at the stool house. The petitioners said since his arrival after serving his sentence in the United States, Mr Amoateng has never met with any of the elders of Amoma.
They said he only came to town to perform the rituals, claiming that he had been asked by the Nkoranzahene to go back and perform his duties as the chief of Amoma.
The leader of the petitioners, who happens to be the brother of Mr Amoateng, Opanin P.K. Kodom, told DAILY GUIDE that they did not believe Mr Amoateng when he said it was the Nkoranzahene who gave him authority to go for the stool because the Nkoranzahene, who has been on his throne for nearly 30 years, knows very well that tradition and the Constitution of Ghana frown on any ex-convict occupying a stool or entering Parliament. He said the Amoma stool is so sacred that they will never sit down for anyone to bring the name of the stool into disrepute.
Recounting how the stool became vacant, Opanin Kodom said in the run-up to the 2004 general elections Mr Amoateng, who was then the chief of Amoma, met the elders of the royal family and told them that he was abdicating the stool to take part in active politics because the Constitution does not allow chiefs to take part in active politics.
Opanin Kodom said the elders agreed and gave him the go ahead to abdicate.
He said to prove that he had actually abdicated the stool, Mr Amoateng
presented a sheep, drinks and cash to the Nkoranza Traditional Council to formalise the rites.
According to Opanin Kodom, Amoateng then contested the Nkoranza North Constituency Parliamentary seat and won on the ticket of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
He said barely two years into his tenure as Member of Parliament, Mr Amoateng was arrested and jailed in the US for dealing in illegal drugs.
Opanin Kodom seized the opportunity to appeal to the Omanhene of Nkoranza Traditional Area not to entertain Mr Amoateng because the
Amoma Royal Stool can boast of well qualified men who can as well sit on the great Amoma stool.
Meanwhile, when DAILY GUIDE visited Amoma the town seemed to be sitting on a time bomb, as supporters of Amoateng had threatened to visit mayhem on anyone who would attempt to prevent him from ascending the throne
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