The hidden details behind Manhyia’s anger with Oyerepa FM

It has emerged that beyond the details that have characterized the various reportages surrounding the ensuing tensed relationship between Asanteman and the owners of Oyerepa FM in Kumasi, there were other unknown factors.

As far as is publicly known now, the management of Oyerepa FM was summoned before the Kumasi Traditional Council on Thursday, August 25, 2022, over comments made by Akwasi Addai Odike, founder of the United Progressive Party.

Speaking on one of its shows, Odike is reported to have implicated chiefs in the region for the failure to curb the menace of illegal small-scale mining (galamsey).

Following this, the Bantamahene, Baffour Amankwatia VI, the acting president of the Kumasi Traditional Council, banned Oyerepa Radio from operating in the Ashanti Region, effective August 25, 2022.

However, GhanaWeb has chanced on excerpts of the engagements the Kumasi Traditional Council had with the management of the media organization which indicated that there was more to the story than just the subject of what Akwasi Addai Odike said on their platform.

Shared by an account on popular social media site, TikTok, under the name Asantehene’s Blogger, the account shared two short video clips that captured some of the complaints of the chiefs.

In the first video, one of the chiefs (unnamed), laying bare the facts about the things that led them to that point, pointed out the disrespect and lack of regard for the authority of the Council by the management of Oyerepa FM.

“They called the man and he said No, and that the matter was at the Asentehemaa’s court and so he would not speak about it. The man had not gotten home when he had been put up on the internet with his picture and other things, and they soiled his reputation mercilessly, insulted and disgraced him for no reason.

“So, that was when he came to report the matter to us and we ordered for the owner and workers of Oyerepa to appear before us. When they got here, we realized the owner didn’t come but rather a pastor and an engineer.

”So we told them that you are not the ones we are looking for but your boss and one Ante Naa, so go back and bring her. When they returned, they were led by this director, and a certain pastor and others were the ones who came. So we added that they were not even afraid that they were told the issue is at Asantehemaa’s court and they came without their superior? And when they came too, they portrayed the same character they are exhibiting here.

“But in the end, we were asked to forgive them because, once ‘a sinner, always a sinner’. The Bible says God hates six things, and the seventh are things that are detestable to him. If I’m not mistaken, all of you standing there are Akans, except for the man who is a Fante, so I don’t even know why you are behaving like this,” the first chief, seething with anger, said.

Another chief, who started his contributions by indicating that he has a nice working relationship with the management of the station, also stressed how often they have been unhappy with some of the content produced on Oyerepa FM.

He further explained how this particular subject in this particular context emboldened Akwasi Addai Odike so much that he went out from the radio station still propagating unsavoury comments about the Council members.

“Boss, as for you, it was left to the two of us. You know, we have a good relationship, but there are times that when you sit on the radio, the kinds of things you people discuss are very disturbing. The right thing was that, as you have appeared now, you would have had a letter in hand saying that this guy (the host of the show), you have punished him a little, before you bring the items to appease.

“You have not done all of these and you come up with the items to appease us, then that means that you have not given ear to what we are saying. So, if someone says you are supporting him, that’s true.

“Okyeame, it seems we cannot then accept the items they have brought. If it was left to me alone, because of my relationship with them, there would not have been a problem but where the issue got to is beyond us.

“And particularly for the person who hosted the program, we understand that he gave Odike the freedom to speak all kinds of things to the extent that only yesterday, he was standing at a park saying similar things,” he explained.

Odike recently incurred the wrath of the Kumasi Traditional Council for allegedly accusing some chiefs in the Ashanti Region of being embroiled in illegal mining (galamsey) activities.

The Kumasi Traditional Council last week performed rituals to banish Odike on the back of the comment.

According to the Kumasi Traditional Council, the businessman turned politician made inciteful statements that the Council deemed to be distasteful, unsubstantiated and meant to dent the image of Manhyia.

The chiefs slaughtered a ram as part of the rituals to banish him.

Odike is said to have been summoned by the Manhyia Palace and is expected to appear before the chiefs on Monday, August 29, 2022.

Meanwhile, Odike has stated that he will only apologise to Manhyia if the Council reverses his banishment.

According to him, the chiefs denied him natural justice by refusing to hear his side of the matter before going ahead to banish him.