Eric Mawuko Asiatorme, spokesperson for the Royal Ohen Segufie Ebiradze Family, has dismissed Emmanuel Kutubebi’s claim to the Shama Paramount Stool as illegitimate, calling the installation fraudulent, illegal, and lacking both customary and legal basis.

His remarks follow recent reports over the past two weeks about the alleged installation of Emmanuel Kutubebi, who now claims the title Osagyefo Kwa Fraiku IV and presents himself as President of the Shama Traditional Council.

Mr. Eric Asiatorme in his statement as monitored by Hellovybes.com reads below:

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“In consequence of this I wish to state without any contradiction that Emmanuel Kutubebi is not the Paramount Chief of Shama as his installation and alleged admission to the Shama Traditional Council is void and without any legal basis.

“I shall proceed to set out the brief facts and the grounds upon which the alleged installation of Emmanuel Kutubebi illegal, void,fraudulent and unsupported by the customs and Traditions of the people of Shama”.

He also emphasized a key points in the chieftaincy dispute noting that;

1. In 1975, then Omanhene Nana Kwa Fraiku III passed on to eternal glory. Subsequently, a dispute arose in respect of finding his successor. The dispute resulted in a suit being filed by Nana Kwegya Enyinam II and Others as (14 in number) petitioners and Supi Kwobina Etrue and 11 others as Respondents. The issue in contention relates to who are the kingmakers of the Shama Paramount Stool.

2. In 1987, the issue was resolved in favor of the Defendants which essentially was led by the Ankobia Asafo Number 1 Company of Shama. In that case, the Defendants adduced evidence to the effect that the first Omanhene of Shama Traditional Area who was Nana Sagu (From the Family of the Royal Ohen Segufie Ebiradze Family of Shama) was installed by the 4 Asafo Companies. A fact demonstrating the origin of the Shama Black Stool. I attach herewith a copy of the ruling.

3. That in 1987, the Head of Family then Ebusuapanyin Nana Kojo Fun, and his elders insisted that notwithstanding the ruling, the family was prepared to install a true royal from the lineage of Ohen Segu to succeed Nana Kwa Fraiku III.

At the time, Nana Kweku Binnah had been confined for nearly 12 years by Barima Kwesu Ayensu and others to be installed as a Chief on account of his father having been the previously occupied the Paramount Stool of Shama.

“It is worthy to note that at the time Barima Kwesi Ayensu was the senior linguist of the Ohen Segu Fie Ebiradze family. He pleaded with the family to allow the installation to proceed subject to the family agreeing to present a maiden from the royal lineage to be installed together with Nana Kweku Binnah so that in future, a brother or a child from the said maiden could ascend to the throne thus effectively reverting the line of succession to the Ohen Segu Fie Ebiradze”.

4. An agreement was subsequently executed which saw this 17-year-old maiden called Nana Takyi Akua being carried in palanquin together with Nana Kweku Binnah III. All stool rites were performed for both Nana Kweku Binnah III and Nana Takyi Akua. Attached is a copy of the agreement.

5. Subsequently, it came to the attention of the family that Nana Kweku Binnah had put the maiden in the family way resulting in the birth of two girls, by name Gladys Binnah and Barbara Binnah. (Born in different years). On the account of this, the family stopped and prevented Nana Kweku Binnah from performing any stool rites in the Family House.

6. That in 2012, following the death of Nana Kweku Binnah, a dispute arose again as to who ought to nominate the next omanhene of the Shama Tradtional Area. This resulted in a suit being filed by the Head of the Abakem Effiana Family against the 4 Asafo Companies. Subsequently, another suit was filed in 2015 by the Head of the Ohen Segu Fie Ebiradze family of Shama also against the said AbakemEffiana Family and the 4 Asafo Companies of Shama.

“The two suits were consolidated and the Asafo No 1 Company filed a motion praying for the two suits to be dismissed on grounds that the petitioners were estopped on account of the ruling in 1987. After nearly 13 years, the Judicial Committee of the Western Region House of Chiefs on 14thFebruary determined that the petitioners were estopped but deferred to give their reasons for the ruling within one-month”.

7. However, on the 14th of February 2025 without the reasons, and contrary to the ruling in 1987, the Asafo No 1 Company alone purportedly installed the said Emmanuel Kutubebi as the paramount Chief of Shama.

8. That the subsequently, Nana Wienu II on April 14th 2025 announced that he has handed over the administration of the Traditional Council to Emmanuel Kutubebi was without due recourse to law. In the light of this, Nana Wienu II also informed the public through radio Shama that he handed over because the said Emmanuel Kutubebi has been duly gazzeted which is palpably false and calculated to deceive the good people of Shama and the general public.

“If Nana Wienu II has such copy of the gazette notification of the publication of Emmanuel Kutubebi in the Chieftaincy Bulletin of the National House of Chiefs, he should make it available to the general public. What Nana Wienu II done is to hand over the administration of the Shama Traditional Council to an imposter and a fraudster”.

9. For the avoidance of doubt, the National House of Chiefs has not gazzeted Emmanuel Kutubebi to warrant the illegal acts perpetrated by Nana Wienu II and his accomplices. The people of Shama must remain resolute and disregard the handing over to Emmanuel Kutubebi as a sham underserving of any public attention.

Explaining why Kutubebi’s installation is considered illegal and a fraudulent attempt to undermine the customs and values of the Shama Traditional Council, Eric stated the following:

a. That the installation of the said Emmanuel Kutubebi was on 14th February 2025 the very day the Judicial Committee delivered their verdict without reason, and any regard to due process of law, and the custom of the people of Shamawas void.

It is instructive to note that close to 3 months Nananom have still not produced their reasoning for the said ruling (we have applied and have been told it is not ready). It is the law that a ruling without reason is not valid in law

b. Further and most significantly, Section 62 (2) of the Chieftaincy Act 759 states that “Despite any provision of this Act, the installation of a chief or queen mother is not valid unless, at least fourteen days before the installation, public notice of it in accordance with the custom of the area has been given”.

“The purported installation of Emmanuel Kutubebi was without due notice to the people of Shama where the customs of Shama dictate that 21 days’ notice is given to the public of the confinement and pending installation of a person as the Paramount Chief of Shama. In any event, the non-compliance with the provisions of Section 62(2) makes the installation of Emmanuel Kutubebi void abnitio and incurable”.

c. That the said Emmanuel Kutubebi’s father who is still aliveand has never occupied the Shama Paramount Stool before disqualifies him as a potential candidate for the Paramount Stool of Shama. It is plainly known to the Supi of Asafo Company No1 Supi Nana Gyakye that the candidature of Emmanuel Kutubebi ought to have been approved by all the 4 Asafo Companies and with the customary due notice of 21-days to the Shama Public before the installation of Emmanuel Kutubebi could be valid.

“I attach herewith a copy of said ruling in 1987 which makes it mandatory that the candidate for the Paramount stool ought to be someone whose father has previously occupied the paramount stool before and must be approved by the 4 Asafo Companies of Shama. Also attached is an audio in which supi Gyakyeaffirms this view that the 4 Asafo Companies must agree and approve the candidature before he can be installed as a Chief.

d. That the said Emmanuel Kutubebi was never placed on the Black stool which Supi Gyakye admits is in possession of the Royal Ohen Segufie Ebiradze Family of Shama. That on account of this, Emmanuel Kutubebi cannot validly hold himself out as the Paramount Chief of Shama Traditional Area.

e. Further, per the provisions of Section 57(3) of the Chieftaincy Act 2008 (Act 759) it is the law that a person shall not be considered to be a chief for the performance of a function under this Act or any other enactment, unless that person has been registered for the performance of that function in the National House of Chiefs and that person’s name has been published in the Chieftaincy Bulletin.

“I state without any contradiction that the National House of Chiefs has not registered Emmanuel Kutubebi as a Chief to warrant his admission into the Shama Traditional Council and subsequently take over the Shama Traditional Council as its President. I am challenging them including Nana Wienu the Acting President of the Shama Traditional Council to produce a copy of the gazette publication of the name of Emmanuel Kutubebi alias Osagyefo Kwa Fraiku IV as the Paramount Chief of Shama”.

“We have picked intelligence, that he would be performing some celebration as a Chief in Shama this Saturday April 18th 2025. We will not fight but we will be victorious. Let him who has ears, listen. This fraudulent impersonation will be resisted”.

“Long Live Shama, Long Live Ohen Segufie Ebiradze Family of Shama and long live the people of Shama.” – he ended.

Meanwhile, the Shama Traditional Area has faced a 13-year leadership vacuum without a Paramount Chief (Omanhene), but recent reports in February claimed the vacant stool had finally been occupied.

The reported enstoolment, however, has sparked controversy as Asafo Companies Number 1 and 4 in Shama allegedly took it upon themselves to install a new chief, despite questions surrounding their authority to do so.

The move was reportedly backed by the Western Regional House of Chiefs, which is said to have facilitated the installation. However, the Royal Ohen Segufie Ebiradze Family has strongly rejected the legitimacy of the process, insisting the installation was unauthorized and does not reflect the true traditional customs of Shama.

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SOURCE: hellovybes.com