By Christiana Afua Nyarko
Accra, May 14, GNA – Former Chief Justice Sophia Akuffo is expected to be enstooled as the Mmrahene of the Akuapem Traditional Area on Wednesday, May 20, during the Awukudae celebration at the Okuapehene Palace at Akropong-Akuapem in the Eastern Region.
The installation, announced by the descendants of Okuapehene Nana Kwasi Akuffo I, known as the Akuffo Descendants, is expected to attract traditional rulers, jurists, political figures, members of the Akuapem Traditional Council and citizens from across the country.
Activities for the ceremony would begin at Akuffo Fi, the ancestral home of the Akuffo family at Akropong-Akuapem, before proceeding to the palace of the Okuapehene for the main traditional rites as part of the Awukudae festivities, organisers say.
During the ceremony, Justice Sophia Akuffo would be introduced with the stool name Nana Abena Boafoa Akuffo.
In Akan traditional governance, the title “Mmrahene” is generally associated with a custodian and interpreter of customary laws, traditions and ethical standards within a traditional area.
The office is often linked to wisdom, arbitration and the preservation of customary values and governance structures.
Traditional historians note that occupants of such stools are expected to advise the paramount chief and traditional council on customary matters, mediate disputes and contribute to the codification and preservation of customary practices.
Analysts say Justice Sophia Akuffo’s long judicial career and international legal experience make her a symbolic choice for a role connected to customary jurisprudence and traditional governance.
Justice Akuffo, who served as Ghana’s 13th Chief Justice from 2017 to 2019, previously served as President of the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights and currently serves as a member of the Council of State.
She hails from the royal Akuffo lineage of Akuapem and was born at Akropong-Akuapem in the Eastern Region on 20th December 1949.
The Akuapem State occupies an important place in Ghana’s traditional and political history.
Historians trace the formal establishment of the Akuapem State to the 18th-century alliance among Guan, Akyem and other groups following the defeat of Akwamu forces in 1730.
The Akuapem stool later became one of the influential Akan traditional states noted for early Christian missionary activities, formal education and elite political leadership in the Gold Coast and post-independence Ghana.
The Akuffo royal family has also produced several nationally prominent figures, including former ceremonial President Edward Akufo-Addo and President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
The planned installation, however, has generated concerns within sections of the Akuapem Traditional Area and among some customary stakeholders.
The concerns follow recent debates over traditional processes and the increasing involvement of high-profile public personalities in honorary traditional titles.
Some critics and customary commentators argue that such installations must strictly adhere to established customary procedures and broad consultations to avoid future disputes over legitimacy and traditional authority.
Others have also questioned whether the title should be purely symbolic or carry active customary and adjudicatory responsibilities within the traditional area.
Supporters of the move, however, describe the installation as recognition of distinguished public service, intellectual achievement and commitment to justice and governance.
They argue that Justice Akuffo’s elevation could help strengthen the interface between customary governance and modern constitutional leadership, particularly at a time when traditional institutions continue to play mediation and developmental roles in Ghanaian society.
The organisers have invited members of the Akuffo family, residents of Akuapem and the public to witness what they describe as a “historic occasion.”
GNA
Edited by Agnes Boye-Doe
Reporter: Christiana Afua Nyarko