Kingmakers Clear Air On Ayikai Doblo Chieftaincy; Declare Nii Ayi Kodjo V Chief

The kingmakers and elders of Ayikai Doblo in Ga West Municipality of the Greater Accra Region have warned various self-seeking individuals and elders who are interested in the position of Ayikai Doblo Chief to stop their continuous habit to attack the integrity of the traditionally and customary installed Ayikai Doblo Mantse, Nii Ayi Kodjo V.

“If some individuals are interested in the position of the Ayikai Doblo Mantse, it is not proper for such persons to wrongly accuse the only recognised and legitimate principal Kingmaker of the Ayikai Doblo under the Akumajey Traditional Area, as well as the current Ayikai Doblo Mantse, Nii Ayi Kodjo V, and fabricate stories and lies just because of their selfish interests.

“The continuous habit of attacking prominent personalities, peddling falsehoods and destroying their hard-earned reputations because of chieftaincy positions is not good for the Ayikai Doblo community and must stop now in our chieftaincy politics,” the aggrieved kingmakers warned.

The kingmakers issued the warning while debunking a report published on media outfit that has been jailed by High Court at Amasaman for contempt.

The newly chief installed is set to serve a 14 – day jail term for flauting a court order restraining him from carrying himself about as chief of the Ga community.

The Amasaman High Court presided over by Her Ladyship Justice Priscila Dapaah Mireku (Mrs), sentenced Nii Amo Duodo, popularly called Nii Azonto after pleading guilty without showing remorse for disregarding the orders of the Judicial Committee of the Ga Traditional Council.

“It is the humble view that the 1st Respondent deliberately acted in breach of the orders of the Council and has not shown any remorse whatsoever either by deed or action. The 1st Respondent is hereby sentenced to fourteen (14) days in prison to serve as a deterrent to others,” the court ruled on Suit No: E12/AHC/06/24 in The Republic Vrs Nii Amo Doodo and Nii Akwei Allotey” she stated.

The Applicants, Alhaji Ibrahim Adjah, Daniel Nii Armah Tetteh (Nii Attoh II) and Haruna Laryea Amartey prayed the honourable court for an order to commit Nii Amo Doodo and Nii Akwei Allotey to prison for contempt of interlocutory injunction order granted by the Judicial Committee of the Ga Traditional Council on 7th July, 2021 in Suit No: GTC/JC/20.

According to them, the Ga Traditional Council, after hearing an application for interlocutory injunction on 7th July, 2021, restrained all the Parties to the Suit from holding themselves out as chief of Ayikai Doblo and dealing with the stool property.

However, Nii Amo Doodo disregarded the orders of the revered Council to install himself as chief of Ayikai Doblo with the stool name Nii Ayi Kodjo V thus heightening tensions in the community.

Nii Amo Doodo admitted the offence in court with the excuse that the applicants too are guilty of contempt, but, the court did not accept that as there were no records of ongoing contempt case against the applicants.

But in a quick counter of the claims by these self seeking individuals, the kingmakers noted that so far as Ga tradition and customs were concerned they never knew these individuals as the recognized people in the Ayikai Doblo any group, adding that this group was fake and non-existence.

They stated categorically that no court had ruled on the matter of illegitimacy of the newly-installed chief of the area, saying that the sentencing of Nii Ayi Kodjo V for the contempt has nothing to stop the rituals which were performed by the accredited kingkers and elders led by the Paramount of Akumankay Traditional Area, Nii Ayikai III.

“Our chief Nii Ayi Kodjo V, remains the legitimate Chief of the Ayikai Doblo in accordance with the Chieftaincy Act 759 of 2008 which is well captured in Section 57, Sub-Section (1) Who a Chief is,’ they declared.

They explained that based on Section 57, sub-section (1) of the above Act, a chief is a person hailing from the appropriate house and lineage, validly nominated, selected, enstooled or installed in accordance with the relevant customary laws and usage of the particular area.

Thus, it was not true the court had taken a decision on the illegitimacy of the said chief, they added.

They re-affirmed that the Ga traditional and customary power was invested and entrusted into the hands of Nii Ayikai III to install the rightful person from the royal ruling houses in succession whose turn was due
to ascend the throne to succeed the late substantive Ayikai Doblo Mantse, Nii Ayi Kodjo IV who died some years ago.

According to them, those self seeking elders who took Nii Ayi Kodjo to the court have traditional capacity to take such legal action, which has informed the decision of Nii Ayikai III to write to the court.

After the contempt jailed term was slapped Nii Ayi Kodjo V, Nii Ayikai III wrote a letter to the Court which reads in party; “l, Nii Ayikai III, the Paramount Chief of Akumajay has been informed that one of my sub-chiefs by name Nii Ayi Kodjo V, has been incarcerated by going against the elders of the court.

“I wish to state that l have installed him to represent me in Ayikai Doblo since the village falls under my jurisdiction.It is so sad that a faction of my people should take him to court by challenging his authority. I have invited these aggrieved elders to my palace but they have refused to honour the invitation for settlement of the matter. I am ready settlement the matter at home,” part of the letter dated July 1, 2024 reads.

According to them, the above letter of overlord of the land has affirmed that Nii Ayi Kodjo V has not installed himself as a chief of Ayikai Doblo and that it was rather Nii Ayikai III with the support of the accredited elders and principal kingmakers who did the installation.

Source:newsghana.com.gh