There is tension at Kwesi Nyarko, a town near Adeiso in the Upper West Akyem District of the Eastern Region.
The tension follows the return this week of a destooled chief who has re-appointed himself as chief, sparking a chieftaincy conflict in the town.
The destooled chief, Barimah Affi Nyarko, resurfaced just as final processes were being undertaken for the enstoolment of a new substantive chief. His action has now created tensions as it could nullify the calm and peaceful transition in the town.
Residents fear the situation could escalate if the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Council does not intervene quickly.
Barimah Affi Nyarko was originally destooled in May 2020 after he brought the stool into disrepute. Following his destoolment, the Queen Mother enstooled a Mankrado to act as caretaker chief on interim basis while processes were initiated to enstool a new chief.
His destoolment came after he confessed live on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem that he had consulted a notorious fetish priest for money rituals.
The fetish priest, Christian Lawoe Gameli, popularly called Power 1, who operated the Power 1 Herbal and Spiritual Centre at Kofi Nyarko near Maame Dede Junction, had been arrested in late April 2020 by Police CID led by COP Ken Yeboah. Security officers at the time discovered at least three headless bodies, a fresh human head, skulls and other human parts tied in polythene bags in his shrine.
After a supposed client list leaked, Barimah Afi Nyarko admitted he paid GH¢3,000 to Power 1 for a ritual that was supposed to give him GH¢30,000 to renovate his dilapidated palace, but the ritual failed.
