The Paramount Chief of the Nkoranza Traditional Area, Okatakyie Agyeman Kudom IV, has refuted allegations by four divisional chiefs of the area that he has stolen stool regalia and replaced them with fake ones. He has also denied being arrogant and disrespectful to the chiefs. The Nkoranzahene also denied ever keeping to himself royalties from the Administrator of Stool Lands which were meant for all chiefs in the area who deserved to be paid such monies, pointing out that those monies were not channelled through the Omanhene but went straight to the chiefs who were entitled to get them. Addressing a press conference at his palace on Wednesday at Nkoranza in the Brong Ahafo Region, the Omanhene said, "I am confidently informing the press and the general public that there is no iota of truth in the allegations levelled against me by some disgruntled and irresponsible individuals who are purported to have destooled the Omanhene of Nkoranza through the most unorthodox and uncustomary process". Four divisional chiefs in the traditional area on Monday performed some rituals to signify the destoolment of Okatakyie Kudom as the Nkoranzahene after the Akyeamehene had slaughtered a ram and poured libation at the Gyeduakrase. However, the Omanhene, who is also the President of the Brong Ahafo Regional House of Chiefs, fired a rebuttal from the St Theresa's Hospital at Nkoranza, where he was recuperating from a short illness, saying that the purported destoolment was undertaken by a few disgruntled chiefs. The Omanhene, who was flanked by his other chiefs at the press conference, as well as some sympathisers from the town, declared that "in the face of the perpetual rebellion by the Krontihene and others against the paramount stool, as well as the traditional authority, they cannot remain as chiefs and members of the traditional council. “Therefore, the Nkoranza Paramount Stool, in conjunction with the members of the traditional council, have resolved not to have anything to do with the said rebel chiefs," he declared. However, he said, the roles of the Kontire and Benkum wings could not in the least be disregarded, hence the Nkoranza paramountcy and Nananom demand the Kontire and Benkum families to nominate, elect and install new chiefs for the two wings and present them to the Omanhene. The Omanhene gave a 40-day ultimatum to the kingmakers of the two wings to comply with his demand, otherwise "the Omanhene, in his capacity as the custodian of the powers to appoint anybody who is fit to occupy either the Kontire or Benkum stool as Krontihene and Benkumhene, would do so and swear them in accordingly". In the case of the Kyidomhene, he alleged that for the past 12 years he had not seen his Black Stool and that he had been destooled by his own people and "reports reaching Nananom indicated that a new chief is about to be installed to replace him". For the Akyeamehene, Okatakyie Kudom explained that for the past 10 years or so, he had never been seen or performed any customary rites on the stool and that he was not regarded by his kingmakers. Source: Daily Graphic