Six years after his death, the body of Opanin Kwasi Marfo, chief of Akyem Maase, is still in the morgue at the Kyebi Government Hospital. This is because of a disagreement between the Ataa Bawa faction and the Afi Tantia family over the status of the late chief. The Atta Bawa faction's position is that the late chief was not a royal and cannot be buried in the royal cemetery, while the Afi Tantia family has vowed that until the late chief is buried, nobody will be installed as chief in the town. The case of who qualifies to be a chief of Maase was instituted by the Tantia family at the Koforidua High Court in 1993, and has since been pending. Addressing a press conference on the situation last Friday, the Tantia family said they had had "enough of the arm-twisting, false claims and tricks of kingmakers of the town". Wearing red arm bands, members of the family and some youth, said “for peace to prevail at Maase, nobody should parade himself as chief of the town until the determination of the case." The Tantia faction appealed to the court to hasten hearing of the case. George Bentum, an elder of the Tantia family and a spokeman, alleged that the Ataa Bawa family is planning to outdoor its chosen chief for the town by the end of April. The Tantra family, he said, will oppose and resist any such a ceremony adding, “Whatever is needed to bring peace and harmony should be done as a matter of urgency." The situation has generated tension in the town. Source: The Times