Address chieftaincy dispute between Mallam Futa, Odio Kwao families – Nima Chiefs
The Chiefs of Nima have called on the government and security agencies to address the rising chieftaincy dispute between the Mallam Futa family and Odoi Kwao family, allegedly orchestrated by Head of the Odoi Kwao family, Nii Odoi Kwao II.
The Chiefs stated that Nii Odoi Kwao II on July 12, 2023 attempted to install one Abba Cheena as their representative in Nima, and also as the Chief of Nima, despite an injunction from the Court of Appeal.
They noted that later in the day, Abba Cheena and his cohorts thronged the streets of Nima to announce his installation which came as a surprise to residents and onlookers within the community.
The Chairman of the Council of Zongo Chiefs (Ayawaso East and North), Chief Sariki Louis, was speaking at a press conference yesterday at Nima, a suburb of Accra.
“Our concern is further heightened by the fact that, Abba Cheena is a descendant of the faction that took up arms against the Mallam Futa family in the fatal 1951 land dispute,” he bemoaned.
According to him, Mallam Futa in the early 1930s sought and acquired the land on which Nima currently stands by customary grant, from the Odoi Kwao family.
Around 1940, a faction of the settlers of Nima sought to make a claim on the land against the Futa family which climaxed in 1951, thereby resulting in a fatal conflict and land litigation between the families in the High Court, Accra.
The judgement of the court on June 29, 1959 was appealed and on May 11, 1970, the term of settlement was adopted as the consent judgement of the Court of Appeal.
Chief Sariki Louis noted that the consent judgement has not been appealed against with the respective families agreeing to settle their differences, and collaborate with each other, through their acknowledged representatives.
“There has been a long standing peace and compliance from both parties, it therefore surprises us that the new Odoi Kwao family would choose to ignore and abandon the consent judgement of the Court of Appeal, thus disrupting the peace within the community,” he said.
He stated that on July 5, 2003, the Mallam Futa family nominated and installed Alhaji Mohammed Saini Farl as a Chief of Nima.
The installation was acknowledged by the head and members of the Odoi Kwao family, chiefs and members of the community, former Vice President of Ghana, Alhaji Aliu Mahama, Former Regional Minister, Jake Obetsebi Lamptey and other Members of Parliament.
Chief Sariki Louis, therefore, stated that the people of Nima had lived together in peace and tranquility under the rule of the current chief, Nii Futa over the years.
Hence, the actions of the Odoi Kwao family would escalate into war amongst the zongo communities and disturb the enviable peace in the community.
Some of the residents held placards with inscriptions like: “We Don’t Want the Nima War in 1951 Again!,” “Nima Police Commander Wake Up!,” “Odoi Kwao Family Respect the Chiefs of Nima.”
BY YUNUSAH ESSANDOH