Royal Family Row Forces Man Into Exile
A royal family dispute in Gambia Number 2 Kenyasi in the Asutifi North District of the Ahafo Region has reportedly forced a Ghanaian man to flee the country and seek asylum in Canada over fears for his life.
Johnson Okyere, who hails from a royal lineage in the area, is said to have gone into hiding for years after rejecting demands by some family elders and traditional authorities to inherit a family throne following the death of his grandfather, Nana Kwame Kontor Okyere II.
According to information gathered, Okyere was identified from birth as the rightful successor to the stool because he was the firstborn son of the king’s sister, in line with the customs of the royal family.
Sources claimed that traditional rites and sacrifices were allegedly performed on him during childhood after he was declared heir to the throne. However, his parents, who are devoted Christians, reportedly opposed efforts to raise him according to traditional worship practices.
Instead, they focused on giving him formal education and raising him in the Christian faith.
As he grew older, Okyere is said to have openly rejected traditional rituals and ancestral worship, a move that allegedly created tension between him and some elders of the royal family.
The situation reportedly escalated after the death of his grandfather when pressure mounted on him to return home for rituals connected to his installation as chief.
He allegedly refused the demands on religious grounds, insisting that his Christian beliefs would not allow him to participate in rituals involving sacrifices to gods and ancestors.
His refusal is said to have angered some family elders and traditional authorities, who allegedly threatened him with severe punishment if he failed to honour the customs of the land.
Reports indicate that Okyere went into hiding in Kumasi after receiving several threatening phone calls from unknown persons. His mother was also allegedly threatened by a relative wielding a machete who demanded information about his whereabouts.
Sources close to the family further claimed that some traditional leaders insisted that rituals involving Okyere’s blood had to be performed before another chief could be installed because he was originally chosen for the throne.
Fearing for his safety, Okyere later relocated to the Greater Accra Region before eventually fleeing Ghana for Canada to seek protection.
He is currently seeking asylum in Canada, claiming he fears persecution and possible harm if he returns to Ghana.
The incident has renewed discussions about conflicts between traditional succession practices and religious beliefs in some communities across the country.
