Following the feud between His Majesty Nana Agyeman Badu II Dormaahene and His Majesty Nana Osei Tutu II the Asantehene, the Ghana Journalists’ Association (GJA) issued a statement signed by its gentle President Mr. Affail Monney.
In that beautiful statement, Mr. Monney showed crux competence and grasp of conflict resolution tenets by imploring journalists in part to “filter any pronouncements from the two chiefs through a very tight weave of journalistic responsibility and gatekeeping. This is to ensure that the public is fed with ethically wholesome and culturally edifying information which will not escalate the tension nor compromise the peace and security in the two traditional areas, and by extension the entire nation”.
This rather wholesome exhortation seemed to have incurred the wrath of Concerned Youth of Asanteman whose leaders have twisted the words of Mr. Monney as disrespectful and insulting and has called on him to apologize to the Asantehene.
The youth group in demanding apology from Mr. Monney said in part: “The GJA President if he was well versed with tradition, as well as the constitution and the Chieftaincy Act, should have known that the Asantehene is above the Dormaahene in status”.
Afropolitanonline.com sought the views of several individuals in Ashanti, Bono and Ahafo regions on the statement issued by the youth association. One Richard Yeboah, a native of Mampong stated: “I have encouraged people to ignore the statement. A woman in Berekum who only gave her name as sis Akose said ‘When two elephants fight, the grass suffers. It is peace we need’. An elderly man, a Kumawu royal, who resolved to speak to us on grounds of anonymity, disclosed that such statements do not contribute to the peace we seek.”
Whilst preaching on the need for tolerance to ensure national unity, the Head Pastor and General Overseer of Prevailing Ministries International, Emmanuel Perry Appau in Kasoa, recalled the statement issued by the Concerned Youth of Asanteman and chastised them for demanding apology from Mr. affail Monney saying: “It’s unwise to indict a man who is calling for peace”.
Others scorned the leaders of the youth group as young, amateur, ill informed and lacking understanding.
Jeffery Jones
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