Fear grips 'Lawyer Vordoagu' over Dutor Wenya Kingship claims.
Tuesday, October 3, 2023
Intelligence from the palace of 'Dutor Wenya' indicates that tremble, frustration, fear, and discontent have befallen the Dutor Torgbuiga Wenya III who is known hitherto his chieftaincy claimes as Ephraim Agbeko Vordoagu, a private legal practitioner.
According to a letter written to Mr. Vordoagu, and seen on social media, the Ministry of Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs has directed him to stop holding himself as Dutor Torgbuiga Wenya all, and the overlord of Anlo or he would be dealt with as a criminal, in accordance to the laws of the country.
''According to section 63(a) of the Chieftaincy Act of 2008, act 759, it is an offense for a person to act or perform the functions of a chief when that person is not qualified to act", the letter says, in part.
According to the minister, the Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs ministry has met both the Dutor and the Awormefia factions and has carefully juxtaposed claims they made with independent research and investigations to arrive at the conclusion that was communicated in the letter addressed to Mr. Vordoagu, on 27th September 2023.
''Given the above information, you are to desist from holding yourself as Dutor of Anlo and not to organize any Hogbetsotso Za Festival as your actions have the potential to breach the peace of the Anlo Traditional Area."
On the grounds of balance and fairness, the minister advised the Dutor Wenya faction to ''...make use of the Judicial Committee of the [Volta] Regional House of Chiefs and possibly, the National House of Chiefs" to pursue his claims.
In response to the decision of the state in this matter, a lawyer of the Vordoagu, Dzeble & Co. chamber, Samuel Kissiedu, asserts that his client, Dutor Torgbuiga Wenya III needs no recognition of regional and national house of chiefs to ''...perform his traditional or customary functions''.
In the words of Mr. Kissiedu, lawyer Vordoagu is motivated to 'put to order' the Ministry of Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs rather than pursuing his Dutor chieftaincy claims at the regional and national House of Chiefs.
In an interaction with leading members of the Dutor faction, some described the notice from the chieftaincy ministry as ''mind bothering''.
Lawyer Vordoagu has defiled a High Court order by the Anlo Traditional Council that seeks to injure his installation activities in August 2023.
There has since been controversy, insurgency, and scores of media and legal litigations in Anlo over the legitimacy and position of the Dutor Wenya as claimed by Mr. Vordoagu in the Anlo traditional hierarchy of command and roles.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of National Security has, thus, been informed by the Minister of Chieftaincy and National Security to ''put necessary measures in place to prevent you[Mr. Vordoagu] from organizing any festival [in Anlo]."
Story by Akpagana-kesedovo Logah