The United Nations (UN) Eminent Peace Ambassador to Ghana, Dr Samuel Ben Owusu, is pushing for peace between the Elders of Nungua and the youth who clashed recently over the Odwira festival.
It was recently reported that the youth of Nungua Amanfa, led by the Council of Elders and the Family Head of the Nungua Amanfa (Omanfna) gate on Friday 21st July 2022 sent Nungua into a state of confusion when they stopped the Nungua Mantse King Odaifio Welentsi Ill from riding in a palanquin through the principal streets of Nungua Old Town to climax the celebration of the Odwira festival.
The elders and the youth who thronged the streets wielding stones and sticks faced off with the youth and Asafoiatsemei from the Sanshie gate of Nungua.
The fuming youth explained to reporters present that, the Odwira festival celebrated by the Nungua Mantse was alien to them as it is not a Gadangme culture.
The people also accused the Nungua Mantse of arrogating the title “Shitse’, a title which is the sole prerogative of the Gborbu Wulomo Shitse on himself.
According to them, to the provocation of the Amanfa people, the Nungua Mantse boldly inscribed the title “Shitse” on banners to publicize an Odwira festival which was instituted some three years ago.
In the end, the youth stopped the Nungua Mantse from going further through the principal streets of the town which resulted in some casualties.
In his quest to ensure peace prevails, the Eminent Peace Ambassador who paid a courtesy call on the Nungua Chief on Thursday, July 28, 2022 expressed belief in the Chief to ensure calm and peace among his people.
“I have been following you for some time and I know the capacity of knowledge and the vast understanding of peace that you have so I know for sure that this will not lead to anything, it will rather come back to the development of our people. The youth needs to understand that whatever we are doing today is what is going to affect our tomorrow, therefore we need to have everything we want to do in peace so that we will not destroy what our fathers built for us,” he said.
Response
Meanwhile, in response, the Nungua Mantse Professor OBoade Notse King Odaifio Welentsi III assured they will do their best to ensure there is peace between his people, acknowledging the fact that violence does not solve problems.
He admitted the youth are supposed to be very vibrant and sometimes do not understand the elderly until they become like them.
Meanwhile, he said whether the youth were ‘wise’ or not, this was not time to show them his authority and what he can do or not, adding that they are his people and so he has to restrain himself from a lot of things to make sure they understand him.
King Odaifio Welentsi III also appreciated the Eminent Peace Ambassador for showing concern and trying to support when he heard about the incident.
Eminent Peace Ambassador
Dr Samuel Ben Owusu expressed hope that the incident would rather draw development to the people of Nungua, noting how far it reached.
He also appreciated the Nungua Chief for admitting to ensure peace between the Elders and the youth and as well ensuring calm was restored even after the incident.
Source: Modern Ghana
