The Member of Parliament for Assin Central, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong sent a homage gift to Ho on Friday for Togbe Afede XIV, the Agbogbomefia of the Asogli State as part of the ongoing Yam Festival and it was rejected.
This year's yam festival of the Chiefs and people of Asogli State is being climaxed this weekend under the distinguished patronage of Togbe Afede XIV.
The festival started on August 6, 2022, and is expected to end on Sunday, September 11.
The one-month festival seeks to highlight unity, reconciliation, stocktaking and development and is also a platform for the annual reunion with the ancestors and the re-affirmation of allegiance by all chiefs and their subjects in the Asogli State to the Agbogbome Stool.
Rejection of Mr Agyapong's gift
There was a sitting in State at the Asogli State Palace Forecourt on Friday.
Mr Kennedy Agyapong was there in person in Ho on Friday to pay homage.
He sent along some gifts and the gift was rejected at the durbar ground.
Some sub-chiefs, serving as intermediaries to receive the gift on behalf of Togbe Afede rejected it and asked him to take it away.
Their reason was that Mr Agyapong has allegedly been speaking negatively and using unkind words on Togbe Afede.
A video depicting Mr Agyapong on the durbar grounds has some voices in the background shouting "away".
The gift including cartons of bottled water, was packed back into a vehicle that brought them.
Contrary to other reports that suggest that Mr Agyapong was chased out, Graphic Online's Volta Regional correspondent, Alberto Mario Noretti, who was at the durbar grounds reports that Mr Agyapong was not chased away.
It was only the gift that was rejected, he said.
A State Grand Durbar at the Jubilee Park in Ho has been scheduled for Saturday, September 10, 2022.
Togbe Afede rejects Ken Agyapong's gift https://t.co/3eQUOlTgAI pic.twitter.com/q24z8IMBBC
— GraphicOnline (@Graphicgh) September 9, 2022
Why Togbe Afede rejected Kennedy Agyapong's homage at the Asogli Palace
From the Asogli Palace at Ho-Bankoe, Graphic Online's Volta Regional Correspondent, Alberto Mario Noretti reports that it was some sub-chiefs and elders at the Asogli Palace at Ho-Bankoe, who made it clear to the Assin Central Member of Parliament (MP) and New Patriotic Party (NPP) presidential hopeful, Kennedy Agyapong that the Agbogbomefia was not ready to accept any homage whatsoever from him.
Mr Agyapong had turned up at the Asogli Palace at Ho-Bankoe on Friday to pay homage to the Agbogbomefia of Asogli, Togbe Afede XIV, a day prior to the Te Za (yam festival) durbar, but he was not allowed to do so.
Left with no other option, Mr Agyapong who was seen sitting close to the Volta Regional NPP Chairman, Kafui Woanya, then waved goodbye to a section of the gathering and left the palace, reports Graphic Online’s Volta Regional Correspondent, Alberto Mario Noretti, who was at the Palace.
Later, palace spokesman told Graphic Online that the decision to reject Mr Agyapong’s gifts of homage was based on “his gross lack of respect” for the Agbogbomefia.
“A few years ago, Kennedy referred to our Agbogbomefia as a corrupt person who used his position as the chairman of the National Investment Bank board to do fishy deals.”
“We have also not forgotten the comment Kennedy Agyapong made some years ago about the Ewe and Ga people,” said the palace spokesman.
A large number of corporate bodies, including banks and other business groups including the Graphic Communications Group Limited, political and religious groups as well as individuals from far and near flocked the Asogli Palace to demonstrate their love and respect to Togbe Afede XIV and pay homage to him when he sat in state on Friday (September 9, 2022).
The palace spokesman made it clear that the Mr Agyapong was not chased out of the palace contrary to some reports.
“He left without anyone running after him soon after we told him that his presence and homage were unsolicited,” the spokesman added.
Graphic Online observed how Mr Agyapong left the palace peacefully into a waiting vehicle after waving a section of the crowd goodbye.
Source: graphic.com.gh
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At this time and age, mo gyime saaa!
And did I just read that the festival is to foster unity?? What kind of people koraaaa are these?? I don’t know why God created them, after creating human beings!!
For me Togbe Afede went to far. If someone has been insulting you and later turns round to pay homage to you, as an elderly person and a traditional ruler you should have seen this gesture as a sign of remorse. To refuse the gift means Kennedy is now a person non grata in your kingdom. The world is a small place, at times you are compelled to meet somebody irrespective of you social or economic standing, nobody can guarantee that you will not need a particular person for the rest of your life. I remember a conflict between two glans in my areas where the two have not been in good terms for years, they don't see eye to eye in any social gathering. One day Clan A son was driving and accidentally knocked and kill a little boy who happens to be a child of Clan B, can Clan A still refuse to go to Clan B family to console them, can they go ahead a bury the small boy without having anything to do with their rivals. Is Togbe Afede saying if his son were to bring a girl home to tell him this is the lady he wants to marry and it turns out that the lady is the daughter of Kennedy Agyepong, will Togbe Afede object to the union.? He should take a second look at some of his actions, it doesn't help, he should have allowed Kennedy Agyepong's conscience to hunt him. Anyway we are not the same when it comes to character.
This Chief no wonder when Late Mills won the election his public speech was this is the time for voltarins . This altitude of the chief will spread across the country that any Ewe person occupying your land for farming should be spelled out. This chief has sowed the seed for disunity among us and that is bad leadership .He appears to be controversial chief.