Thankfully, the Tafohene of Okyenman�s verbal gaffe (if it was at all) has been defused, with his boss, the Okyenhene and Okyenman in general, disowning his words.
The traditional leader was reported to have endorsed the candidacy of Prof Mills for another term, an endorsement which, regardless of its absurdity, given the constitutional provision regarding the chieftaincy institution, was grabbed with both hands by pro-government media establishments.
The glee with which the story was bandied around was ample evidence about its acceptance by government minders. As for the threat it posed to the chieftaincy institution before the timely intervention by the venerable Okyenhene and his elders, the little said about it, the better.
We are not in a position to interrogate what really transpired during the presidential activity in Kyebi when the so-called endorsement was made, suffice it to state however that making public utterances by venerable personalities holding critical positions, be they in government or in the traditional sector, calls for circumspection.
Chiefs are constitutionally debarred from dabbling in politics as captured in article 276 (1) of the 1992 Constitution, thus: �A chief shall not take part in active party politics; and any chief wishing to do so and seeking election to Parliament shall abdicate his stool or skin�.
These important personalities, preservers of our traditional values and heritage, as human beings, have their preferences, no doubt about that. Their ability to subdue these preferences in the interest of public good, however, is of paramount importance. It makes them stand apart from the ordinary person who can do as they please regarding participation in political activities.
Notwithstanding his defence that he was misquoted, the Tafohene, without doubt, gave the newspapers the ammo to do what they did. To be fair to him though, he did explain in the heat of the raging storm over the faux pas that he was not speaking for the Okyenhene but himself.
Since he was at a function representing, as it were, the Okyenhene, under whose authority he holds the office of Tafohene, didn�t he have to be a bit careful about his tongue? He was not and, in the event, messed himself up.
These are times when government minders are all out seeking whatever can present the President in a good light and what an opportunity that was when the Tafohene made his infamous remark. A reed for a drowning order!
This, coming on the heels of a similar remark which implied that the Asantehene would throw his weight behind a Nana Konadu candidacy, prompted us to query this recent tendency to drag the chieftaincy institution into the dangerous and choppy realm of local politics.
We are enthused by the decision of the Okyenhene to take the necessary action against the Tafohene and equally happy that the Asantehene�s Office offered an intervention which put the confusion arising from the Hon. Teye Nyaunu alleged remark to an acceptable rest.
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