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The family of the late Prince Emmanuel Yao Boateng has issued a 14-day ultimatum to the New Juaben Traditional Council to either replace the statue that was mounted for him or face them in court.
The family says the demolition of the statue was illegal and will therefore use all legitimate processes to seek redress.
The New Juaben Traditional Council on March 5, 2021 tore down the statue of the late Prince Emmanuel Yao Boateng erected in a popular area in Koforidua called Prince Boateng Rotunda named after the late Prince (Oheneba).
The traditional council called the raid a “dirty and offensive trick.”
The Traditional Council also stated that the bust was erected by the sons of the late Oheneba Boateng without the authorization of Professor Emeritus Oti Boateng -Omanhene of the Traditional Council of New Juaben de Daasebre, describing the action of the family as a serious disrespect for the stool. Yiadom Hwedie.
Traditional council held that the late Oheneba Yao Boateng was not a royal member of the Yiadom Hwedie family, but derived his status from the fact that his biological father was Nana Kwaku Boateng I, who reigned as Omanhene of New Juaben from 1913 until 1930. nothing tangible to deserve such honor.
“One would have expected that the children of Oheneba Yao Boateng, who erected the statue, would exercise due diligence and circumspection by considering their grandfather, Nana Kwaku Boateng I, first for honor rather than their son and father. The inscription Prince Emmanuel Yao Boateng instead of Oheneba Yao Boateng boldly on said statue is also considered very offensive to Akan’s usual practice and usage. From the matrifocal analysis of the Akan royalty structure, Oheneba Yao Boateng, whose mother is not Akan, is also not Akan. The aforementioned inscription is therefore a dirty trick that Oheneba Yao Boateng belongs to the Yiadom Hwedie Royal lineage without the relevant consanguinity blood, ”said the council.
Responding to the allegations, the sons, nephews, nieces and grandchildren of the late Prince Emmanuel Yao Boateng through his lawyer, Osafo Adu Amankwah, described the allegations as false and introverted.
Below is the full Statement:
RE: PRESS RELEASE ON THE REMOVAL OF THE OHENEBA YAO BOATENG STATUE BY THE NEW JUABEN AND GRANDCHILDREN (AHENENANANOM) OF THE LATE OHENEBA (PRINCE) EMMANUEL YAO BOATENG (Client) for whom we act.
Our Clients generally inform us of the events related to the above topic and the erection of the bust of the late OHENEBA (PRINCE) EMMANUEL YAO BOATENG at the Prince Boateng roundabout in Koforidua. Additionally, you have instructed us to respond to your press release dated March 23, 2021 on the matter as follows;
1. Our Clients presume that their press release was directed by the Traditional Council in particular its President Daasebre Professor Emeritus Oti Boateng.
2. During the life of the late Oheneba Yao Boateng, he was generally known and called PRINCE EMMANUEL YAO BOATENG.
3. The fact that Oheneba Yao Boateng was the son of Nana Kwaku Boateng I (Omanhene de New Juaben from 1913-1930) and Nana Kwaku Boateng was the son of Nana Ama Serwaa; who is the ancestral root of the Yiadom Hwedie royal stool from the traditional New Juaben area is not up for discussion. The customary practice and usage of the Akan belonging to such an individual and his progeny with respect to customary rights and responsibilities are also not in dispute. However, it is well established Akan customary practice and usage that Oheneba Yao Boateng and her progeny are named Oheneba and Ohenenananom respectively and belong to the royal family, albeit with their customary rights and responsibilities established.
4. The location in Koforidua, known and referred to by all as the Prince Boateng Rotunda, is known to have been divided for decades. The late Oheneba Yao Boateng settled there starting in the late 1930s and even after his death, his contribution and influence in that environment are once again notorious. The name PRINCE BOATENG ROUNDABOUT evolved naturally from the general public as the political authorities developed such a roundabout.
The notoriety of the PRINCE BOATENG ROUNDABOUT name as a landmark in Koforidua is well established by the New Juaben South Municipal Assembly and incorporated in the development of the GPS system for the Koforidua Municipality, therefore if one Google that location in Koforidua , PRINCE BOATENG ROUNDABOUT is one of the iconic names that would appear.
5. During Oheneba Yao Boateng’s lifetime, she was assigned the name of Ahenemahene, a stool she occupied until her death in 1974.
His contribution to the traditional area is well known. It was during her reign as Ahenemahene that there was absolute peace and understanding between the Ahenemma and the youth of the traditional area which led to the renovation of the palace for Omanhene and many other development activities in the traditional area. He was also a philanthropist who helped in various ways, including paying people to get formal education in the traditional area.
Therefore, it is not true that Oheneba Yao Boateng did not do anything tangible to make the state of New Juaben deserve a bust erection in his honor and it is also false to characterize our Clients as having taken an extremely selfish and internal attitude. decision to erect the bust since the entire process before the erection of the bust was subjected to the established procedures and the required legal regulations.
6. Beyond the traditional New Juaben area, his influence and accomplishments in the Republic of Ghana include being a member of parliament in the first Republican Parliament, president of the Ghana Boxing Association (GBA), who was instrumental in bringing the Great Mohammed Ali to Ghana in the 1960s, what a singular act has impacted the development of boxing in Ghana to date, a public servant serving as Ghana’s Ambassador to Brazil, just to name a few.
7. The question in question is not the lineage of the late Oheneba Yao Boateng or his progeny, his rights and responsibilities within the Yiadom-Hwedie royal family, the question has to do with the appointment of a landmark in a public space, the development physicist in a specific area and the authority that regulates these matters. For the above issues, all public spaces and names are conferred by law to the Municipal District Assemblies (MMDA), in this case the New Juaben South Municipal Assembly.
Again, regulating physical planning and development within any district is solely the mandate of the District Assemblies (New Juaben South Municipal Assembly), therefore it is completely out of place and it is a lack of understanding of the law to suggest that the New Juaben Traditional Council should have been consulted and they grant permission before such physical development can be undertaken as they have no such powers under the law.
Again, the naming of streets and landmarks in public spaces is not reserved for royalty and the natives of a particular traditional area. It is trite that various landmarks and streets in the Republic of Ghana have names of non-indigenous, even foreigners, but, in this case, we are referring to an individual who was a member of the royal family, a former occupant of a stool within the traditional area.
8. The powers of the Chambers of Chiefs and Traditional Councils under the Constitution and the Chiefs Law refer exclusively to matters relating to Chiefship and the promotion of good customary laws and ethics throughout the country.
9. We inform you that the New Juaben South Municipal Assembly, after going through its processes under law, on December 21, 2020 issued a permit to our Clients to undertake the beautification and assembly of a bust in memory of Prince Boateng (Oheneba Yao Boateng). Following the granting of the permit, our Clients made a visit to the New Juaben Traditional Council offices to officially inform Nananom through the Council office of the project they were about to undertake. On that day, a Mrs. Priscilla Odoi was the official in the Traditional Council office and after our Clients declared the purpose of their visit, she hinted, that it is supported by law, that since the New Juaben South Municipal Assembly had granted permission for the project, Nananom will be informed of the project. The aforementioned visit was purely out of deference to Nananom.
10. When the Traditional Council of New Juaben summoned our Clients regarding the erection of the bust of the late Oheneba Yao Boateng, they appeared before the Traditional Council simply out of deference to Nananom, as they themselves are Ahenenananom. The customary Akan practice and usage that you alluded to in your press release dictates that when young people are summoned before the elders and asked about matters that may or may not be right, the youth’s apology is the first step to the dissolution of the matter. Therefore, the apology to Nananom for his summons was purely in accordance with custom and respect for Nananom, but not to admit any wrongdoing.
11. Kindly know that our Clients did not produce any audiovisuals to circulate within the traditional area, Ghana, and / or abroad regarding the unveiling of the bust of Oheneba Yao Boateng, which is not offensive in any way or form.
12. Our Clients welcome the idea that a similar commemoration should be held in memory of Nana Kwaku Boateng I and are keen to support such a laudable idea.
13. Your destruction of the bust and your subsequent press release explaining the reasons for the aforementioned destruction is absolutely illegal even if the bust is offensive to you. If an Assembly grants a permit for a physical development and it is carried out, if there are matters that require destruction or demolition, there are procedures established by law that must be followed and that your office must be aware of.
14. Our Clients indicate to us that they are not interested in taking any steps to seek any legal remedy, however, their office is required upon receipt of this letter and within fourteen (14) days to replace the bust and restore all the embellishment. work in said place (Prince Boateng roundabout) that has been destroyed by you. Failure to do so will force our Clients to seek legal redress. Notice is hereby given. You are informed accordingly.
