The Anlo state has explained that it is having a hard time re-strategising and finding other means of performing some rituals they were supposed to perform for the late President Rawlings who was a chief of the land.
This comes after their demand for the former president’s mortal remains to be interred in Anlo was not granted as government went ahead to organize a state burial for him.
Throwing more light on the repercussions of their inability to bury their kinsman, spokesperson to the Awoemefia, Agbotadua Togbi Kumassah exclusively told GhanaWeb that according to Anlo custom, a chief’s oath must be retrieved when he dies and since that particular rite was not performed for the former president, it will be impossible to enstool another person to succeed him.
“The Anlo State is very old, nothing happens which will be new or the first time. In the past, during the interstate wars, some of our chiefs were captured during the war by the enemy forces and taken to the enemy country and killed, so we did not have the body so funerals were organized for them back at home.
"Some of them were drowned in the sea, their bodies were not retrieved but funerals were organized for them, others disappeared but funerals were organized for them because if funerals are not observed, it is very difficult to put another person on the stool because the installation rites of a chief involve swearing of an oath and that oath must be taken back when the person passes on and that would have been done for the late president so that someone can be enstooled in his stead.
"Now that that rite was not performed, it will be impossible to enstool another person to succeed him and if that oath is not retrieved,” he stated.
Touching on the issue relating to the Awoemefia’s absence at former president Rawlings funeral, he said the Anlo tradition does not permit the paramount chief to publicly attend the funeral of his subjects.
“Anlo custom does not permit the Awoemefia to be present at any of the funerals of his subjects. Anlo custom does not permit informing him on the death of any of his subjects and that was why he was not playing any role on the various occasions that I mentioned (meetings with the funeral planning committee) rather, his second in command; that is the Avadada of the Anlo State, he acts in his stead,” he established.
Meanwhile, the Anlo State e has planned to meet on Saturday, January 30, 2021, to discuss how best they can push through with the necessary chieftaincy rites for former President Jerry John Rawlings.
Former President Jerry John Rawlings