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Court dismisses suit against celebration of Kundum festival
• Nana Egya Kwamina XI
A Sekondi High Court last Thursday, dismissed a suit filed by a party to prevent the Apremdo Divisional Stool from celebrating its annual Kundum festival, stressing that the case was purely a chieftaincy matter.
The judgement of the court, presided over by Justice (Mrs) Hannah Taylor, has now paved the way for the Divisional Chief of Apremdo, Nana Egya Kwamina XI, also known as William Eghan, to celebrate same.
It, however, did not award any cost against the plaintiffs.
The plaintiffs, Obaahema Kwandoh Kuma and Nana Nware Ezia II, had filed an injunction notice against the defendants (Kobina Burafo, William Eghan and Ernestina Brenya), seeking among others to restrain the three from celebrating the Kundum Festival, until the performance of the funeral rites of the late Chief, Nana Nyankeh Brem.
They again sought a perpetual injunction restraining the defendants from celebrating the Kundum Festival until the determination of an appeal pending before the Western Regional House of Chiefs at Sekondi.
Plaintiffs claimed that, in accordance with the custom and tradition of the people of Apremdo, the defendants could not celebrate the Kundum festival without having in their possession, the Royal Black Stool, and without performing the funeral rites of the late Chief.
They further pleaded that the 1st and 3rd defendants, contrary to the Apremdo customary practices, installed the 2nd and 3rd defendants as the new Chief and Queenmother of Apremdo respectively.
However, the 1st and 2nd defendants denied the claims of the plaintiffs as being a Queenmother and Regent of Apremdo, contending that, by a decision of the Judicial Committee, the plaintiffs were not the Queenmother and Regent of Apremdo and, therefore, had no capacity to initiate the action.
Additionally, they argued that they were lawfully nominated, elected, confined and installed as the Chief and Queenmother of Apremdo, in accordance with the customs and traditions and duly gazetted with stool names, Nana Egya Kwamina XI and Nana Mozu respectively.
In her ruling, Justice Taylor said “Having considered the claims of the plaintiffs and the evidence largely, the case is a disguised cause or matter affecting chieftaincy and the reliefs sought by the plaintiffs are hereby dismissed. The third defendant’s counter claim is also dismissed.”
She again ruled that, “the plaintiff’s failure to call the custodian of customs and traditions of Ahanta land as to who sets the timetable and restrictions thereto of the celebration of the Kundum festival leads to the conclusion that they failed to discharge the burden so placed on them.”
The judge added that, “the reliefs sought by plaintiffs are so linked to the possession of the black stool which is key to the installation of a chief and that they contended in this case that, same is in their possession.”
The judge also referred to Obaahemaa Kwandoh Kuma’s answer to a question on whether William Eghan’s name had been entered in the register of Western Regional House of Chief as Divisional Chief of Apremdo with stool name Nana Egya Kwamina XI and admitted that the case had not been determined yet as no court had set the gazette publication aside.
From Clement Adzei Boye, Sekondi
Massive celebrations were recorded countrywide as the Black Stars opened their 2026 World Cup campaign with a 1-0 victory over Panama in Toronto on Wednesday.
Midfielder Caleb Yirenkyi scored the only goal of the match late in the game as he shot in a decent cross from substitute Brandon Asante.
The win gave Ghana a positive start in the competition, placing them in second position behind England, also with three points but with a superior goal aggregate.
After the final whistle, the streets and other viewing centres were turned into partying grounds as fans, mostly clad in the team’s paraphernalia, danced to several World Cup-themed music.
Others blew the vuvuzelas in joyous mood with others putting up a spirited ‘jama’ session.
Former New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary candidate for the Adentan Constituency, Akosua Manu, has urged party members to move away from what she describes as an “entitlement mentality” and focus on unity, sacrifice and hard work as the party prepares for the 2028 general election.
In a statement titled “Is Loyalty a Queue?”, and posted on facebook, Ms. Manu argued that loyalty to the NPP should not be judged by how long a person has been in the party but by their contributions and commitment to its growth.
According to her, the NPP’s history shows that many of its leaders faced significant opposition from within the party before eventually leading it to electoral success.
She cited former President John Agyekum Kufuor as an example, saying he had to overcome resistance from influential figures within the party before winning power for the NPP in 2000.
Ms. Manu noted that after the party lost power in 2008, former President Kufuor faced criticism and accusations from some party members.
However, she said supporters eventually put their differences aside and worked together to rebuild the party.
She pointed to the experience of former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, who, according to her, faced opposition from some factions within the NPP despite his long service to the party.
“His trials were ten times what Kufuor endured,” she stated, adding that Akufo-Addo eventually overcame the challenges and became President of Ghana.
Turning to the NPP’s current flagbearer, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, Ms. Manu said he also faced resistance from different groups within the party while seeking leadership.
She praised Dr. Bawumia for contributing to policy-based political discussions in Ghana and for remaining composed following the NPP’s defeat in the 2024 elections.
According to her, party members must now rally behind him in the same way they supported former Presidents Kufuor and Akufo-Addo.
Ms. Manu, however, warned that internal divisions and a sense of entitlement remain major threats to the party’s future.
She argued that some party members place too much emphasis on how long individuals have belonged to the NPP rather than on their contributions and capabilities.
“This entitlement does not question impact. It does not ask what you sacrificed or what you built. It asks only how long have you been here,” she said.
The former parliamentary candidate cautioned that such attitudes could discourage committed members and prevent the party from selecting the best people for leadership positions.
She further called on the party’s incoming national executives to strengthen the NPP’s core values of sacrifice, honesty, integrity and dedication to national development.
Ms. Manu addressed the concerns of young party supporters, many of whom she said became discouraged following the NPP’s electoral defeat in 2024.
According to her, many young people remain eager to see the party return to power but are unwilling to support internal conflicts driven by personal ambitions.
She urged party elders to place the interests of the NPP above their individual goals and to demonstrate leadership that attracts rather than alienates members.
“The NPP is bigger than any one of us. It always has been. Our collective responsibility is to act like it,” she stated.
By: Jacob Aggrey
