The Office of the Okuapehemaa, Nana Afua Nketiaa Obuo II, has cautioned against the reported enstoolment of former Chief Justice Sophia Akuffo as Mmrahene of the Akuapem Traditional Area, citing unresolved legal and customary disputes surrounding the process.
In a statement issued on Monday, the Okuapehemaa’s office said it had become aware of reports indicating that the former Chief Justice was expected to be enstooled on Wednesday, May 20, 2026.
According to the statement, the ceremony is expected to be conducted by Odehye Kwadwo Kesse, who continues to present himself as Okuapehene under the stool name Oseadeeyo Nana Kwasi Akuffo III despite court rulings challenging his legitimacy.
The statement referenced a ruling delivered on April 30, 2020, by the Judicial Committee of the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs, which outlined the customary process for selecting and enstooling an Okuapehene.
It explained that the judgment required the involvement of the Abrewatia of the relevant ruling house, the Asonahene, the Queenmother, and elderly female representatives in accordance with Akuapem custom.
The Okuapehemaa’s office argued that Odehye Kwadwo Kesse was purportedly enstooled without adherence to those customary procedures, a position it said was subsequently affirmed by the Judicial Committee of the National House of Chiefs.
The statement further disclosed that contempt proceedings were later initiated at the High Court in Koforidua against Odehye Kwadwo Kesse and Lily Agyemang.
According to the release, both individuals were convicted of contempt and fined GH¢10,000 each. Although the fines were paid, the statement maintained that they had failed to purge themselves of the contempt.
It also noted that an application for certiorari filed at the Supreme Court seeking to quash the High Court ruling was unanimously dismissed on February 20, 2024.
The Okuapehemaa’s office said the dismissal affirmed the High Court’s jurisdiction and left the contempt convictions intact.
The statement therefore urged Justice Sophia Akuffo to exercise restraint regarding the reported enstoolment.
“Her Ladyship remains one of Ghana’s most distinguished jurists and internationally celebrated legal personalities whose integrity, stature, and contributions to constitutional governance and the rule of law are deeply respected both within Ghana and beyond,” the statement said.
“It is therefore our respectful view that Her Ladyship ought not to permit her enviable reputation and distinguished legacy to be associated with a process, title, or authority that is presently tainted by serious legal and customary controversies.”
The Okuapehemaa’s office stressed that the statement was not intended as an attack on the former Chief Justice but rather an effort to preserve the sanctity of Akuapem custom and prevent respected public figures from becoming entangled in unresolved traditional disputes.
It also called on the public, the media, and stakeholders to take note of the legal implications surrounding the reported enstoolment.
