Ga Chiefs to boycott funeral of late President Mills

It is likely the Ga Traditional Authorities will refrain from attending the funeral of the late President, at least if government insists on keeping the set dates of August 8-10.

This is because the funeral date coincides with the Homowo celebration, a tradition dear to the people of Ga land.

Government scheduled the dates of August 8-10 to celebrate and mourn the death of Prof. Evans Atta Mills. But a social scientist, Nana Dr. Obiri Yeboah believes that is just too hasty.

Clarifying this point on Joy News flagship current affairs program, pm:Express,the social science lecturer said it is only a pauper that is dispatched off with such haste when he dies.

“You see in our tradition, if you bury prominent people as such, it is said that you have buried [them] like a fowl. You see that because they [family committee] are in a hurry, they have a conflict? If they had planned very well, they would have done a lot of consultation. You want to bury him, you have not even consulted even people in the town. They have not consulted the traditional council of the Gas” he said.

Commenting on the issue of where to bury the late President, Nana Dr. Obiri Yeboah said Ekumfi Otuam must be the final resting place of Prof Evans Atta Mills because of the cultural implications of his status. “It is only paupers who are buried in a foreign land. Royals are always brought home”.

Advancing other reasons for his choice of Ekumfi Otuam, he said every illustrious son belongs to the family and their interest must override the national talk of Prof Mills being a statesman who must be buried either at the Flagstaff house, the military cemetery or the Nkrumah Mausoleum.

He maintained the President’s death could be a major blessing to the village which could become a tourist site.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Funeral Planning Committee, Mr. Totobi Quakye insists the funeral will go ahead as originally planned and added that a government delegation led by the Greater Accra Regional Minister had already been to Dodowa for special consultation with leadership of the Ga State.

Citing considerations informing their choice of dates, Mr. Totobi Quakye said the former President’s position as a head of state means the funeral cannot be unduly delayed. Also is the fact that government business has slowed considerably since the death.

He indicated positive feedback from the leaders in Dodowa who appreciated the extenuating circumstances within which this must be carried out.

But Nii Okai V, Korle Wolomo of the Ga State insists the funeral dates do not only clash with their traditional Homowo but is grossly disrespectful of the Ga state.

“Traditional leaders will not attend. The seat of government is in Accra and the leaders will not take kindly to the blatant disregard of their authority and tradition”.

Nii Okai V disputed government’s purported consultation with leaders in Dodowa saying those traditional authorities appreciate the significance of Homowo and they had already fixed the celebration dates and could not have agreed to the funeral dates of 8-10 August.

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