It has been said that when you want to know where your ancestors were buried, just enter politics, and a group identified as Concerned Citizens of Akyem State, has just done that by telling the 80-year Presidential Advisor, Yaw Osafo-Maafo, his actual hometown.
They condemned the ethnocentric statements, which was captured on a secret recording, and asked the a former Member of Parliament (MP) for Akim Oda in the Eastern Region, him to stop holding himself as an Akyem, because he is not one of them.
In the said tape which has recently gone viral, the presidential advisor during a meeting with delegates of the New Patriotic Party in the Eastern Region, questioned the contribution of the Ashanti people, while touting the Akyem tribe as having led the fight for independence.
However, in a press release signed by its convener, Evans Arkoh-Frempong Oware, the Concerned Citizens of Akyem State, pointed out that the senior presidential advisor is a known tribal bigot as this will not be the first time he has made such a statement.
“In 2016, Mr Osafo-Maafo in a meeting in the Eastern Region with Hackman Owusu Agyemang and Nana Akufo-Addo, he was secretly taped, saying Akans, deserve to rule over ethnic groups in the country, since their areas are resource endowed than other ethnic groups in the country. This is the second time Mr Osafo-Maafo has been heard on tape stoking tribalism in Ghana,” the group pointed out.
Questioning his authority to make such pronouncements as were heard on the secret tape, the Concerned Citizens of Akyem State, have emphasized that Nana Yaw Osafo-Maafo, per tradition is not a true Akyem and can therefore not make such statements.
“The man in question must be carefully be scrutinised to know why he keeps stoking ethnocentric feud between Akyem and Asante and Akans and other groups in Ghana.
“His father was Opanin Kwabena Maafo from Akyem Awisa. His mother was Madam Akosua Boatemaa from Assin Nsuta. Mr Osafo’s elderly brother, Mr Jacob Kwakye Maafo, is the Chief of Assin Nsuta with the stool name Nana Ohemeng Awere V.
“Per Akyem customs and traditions, Mr Osafo Maafo is not an Akyem. He is an Assin since Akyems inherit matrilineally,” the group said of the man who served as a Finance Minister as well as Education Minister in the John Kufuor administration ahead of his appointment as Senior Minister by incumbent President, Nana Akufo-Addo.
It added that the presidential advisor traditionally “has no right to speak for the Akyems as he is an Assin. What if he is saying what others can’t say?”
On the role of Ashantis in the fight for Ghana’s independence, the Akyem group, said “Historically, Asante Kingdom was free from British rule and was independent. However, they decided to unite with their Akan brothers by accepting to be part of Ghana. So, what makes the contribution of Asante trivial in the independence of Ghana?”
The group distanced the people of Akyem from the statement of the presidential advisor, describing it as being contrary to the pursuit of unity between Ashantis and Akyems.
“We the people of Akyem want to distance ourselves from such ethnocentric utterances that do not promote unity and development. Akyem and Asante stands for unity and progress, anything that goes contrary to the agenda must be eschewed,” the group said.
Read the full statement below:
Concerned Citizens of Akyem State Condemns Osafo Marfo Ethnocentric Comment.
Mr Yaw Osafo-Maafo, the Presidential Advisor to His Excellence Nana Addo Dankwah Akuffo Addo and Former Senior Minister, was heard on a secret tape on 10th June, 2022 saying the Akyem chiefs contributed significantly to the Independence of Ghana than the Asantes. This is not the first time such ethocentric comment has proceeded from Mr Osafo-Maafo.
In 2016, Mr Osafo-Maafo in a meeting in the Eastern Region with Hackman Owusu Agyemang and Nana Akufo-Addo, he was secretly taped, saying ethnic Akans, deserve to rule over ethnic groups in the country, since their areas are resource endowed than other ethnic groups in the country. This is the second time Mr Osafo-Maafo has been heard on tape stoking tribalism in Ghana.
Is Mr Osafo-Maafo An Akyem?
The man in question must be carefully scrutinised to know why he keeps stoking ethocentric feud between Akyem and Asante and Akans and other groups in Ghana.
His father was Opanin Kwabena Maafo from Akyem Awisa. His mother was Madam Akosua Boatemaa from Assin Nsuta. Mr Osafo’s elderly brother, Mr Jacob Kwakye Maafo, is the Chief of Assin Nsuta with the stool name Nana Ohemeng Awere V.
Per Akyem customs and traditions, Mr Osafo Maafo is not an Akyem. He is an Assin since Akyems inherit matrilinearly.
So traditionally, he has no right to speak for the Akyems as he is an Assin. What if he is saying what others can’t say?
Historically, Asante Kingdom was free from British rule and was independent. However, they decided to unite with their Akan brothers by accepting to be part of Ghana. So, what makes the contribution of Asante trivial in the independence of Ghana?
We the people of Akyem wants to distant ourselves from such ethocentric utterances that do not promote unity and development. Akyem and Asante stands for unity and progress, anything that goes contrary to the agenda must be eschewed.
Thank you
Evans Arkoh-Frempong Oware
Convener
