Chieftaincy institution (Ghana)

The chieftaincy institution in Ghana is a system that structures and regulates the activity of local chieftains (or monarchs) in the Ghanaian society and state.

Paper and legislation

In pre-colonial times, leadership was the axis of executive, legislative and judicial powers. Since the colonial era, the institution has been linked to Ghanaian politics. Several governments - the colonial, civilian, or military - have attempted, in one way or another, to influence the role of chiefs in political affairs.[1] The legislation that underpins the chieftaincy institution in Ghana currently is itself Ghana's constitution[2] (chapter 270-277) and the chieftaincy act of 2008.[3]

Categories of chiefs

The chiefs are divided by the act of leadership into 5 categories (as for authority):[4]

  1. the Asantehene and Paramount Chiefs
  2. Divisional Chiefs
  3. Sub-divisional Chiefs
  4. Adikrofo, and
  5. such other Chiefs not falling within any of the preceding categories as are recognised by the Regional House of Chiefs.

Popularly and informally divides chiefs between royalty and nobility, using the European comparative scale of equivalence:

Royalty

They are the monarchs proper, who prevailed before colonization with sovereignty or complete autonomy (depending on the primacy). We can divide in:

  • Emperor: The leader of a whole ethnic group, usually referred to only as a king, but acting as "king of kings". It consists of a Chief Paramount Chief who has a primacy (currently only ceremonial) over all other chiefs of his ethnic group.[5] One example is the Ashanti Empire of the Akan people, which is led by the chief of Kumasi. Another example is the Ewe Fiaga, chief of all Ewe and based in Notsie, in turn located in the Republic of Togo.
  • King: The paramount chief leads a traditional area, which can range from a grouping of towns and villages to a sub-ethnic group. He is always the chief (prince) of the capital of a traditional area and by his primacy is the chairman of the traditional council of his area. He is always present when a subordinate prince is installed.
  • Prince: The division chief is the base ruler of the system. The primary determinant of whether he will be a supreme chief (king or emperor) or not will be the size, relevance and antiquity of the community (city, village group or village) that he governs. His function is similar to that of a hereditary mayor, since the basic unit of elective Ghana is the district.

Nobility

The primary difference between the nobility and traditional royalty is the "stools" which the latter possess, that is, the thrones. Just as royal titles are very diverse and vary from ethnicity to ethnicity, so too are those of nobles, but when comparing them to the basic categories of the Western European standard we have:

  • Duke / Marquis: Development King or Chief: This is an honorific title, which is received by the installation ceremony and its protocol is similar to that of the royal chiefs, which makes him somewhat equivalent to the duke, who in turn in the West is the noble that most approaches the position of the prince. They are granted by each divisional chief (as a fons honorum) with the aim of seeking sponsors for his community. The title is a recent one in Ghana, and has been criticized for the confusion of its bearers with traditional kings. Often, those who receive it do not honor their commitment to development.[6]
  • Head of Clan: Similar to the Scottish nobility the head of a sub-division is known as a clan chief within the traditional community. Sometimes, they are part of a divisional council.
  • Lord: The adikrofo (a title that can vary from region to region) is the base of the system, without a city or class to lead but respected and at the service of every community.

Chivalry

A relatively new phenomenon has been observed in Ghana, as in other parts of Africa. Dynastic orders related to the royal chiefs and their lineages have begun to appear.[7][8] Some examples:

These, on the one hand, have been an alternative to the banalization of the development chief category, but have themselves been criticized by certain conservative monarchists for not respecting the tradition of cavalry not belonging to the traditions of most of Africa, although few question reigning kings right to reformulate and create honors at will.

Notable chiefs

Supreme chiefs:

Divisional chiefs:

Development chiefs:

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See also

References
  1. "The Role Of Chieftaincy In Ghana". www.ghanaweb.com. Retrieved 2019-06-09.
  2. "Constitution of the Republic of Ghana". www.ghanaweb.com. Retrieved 2019-06-09.
  3. "Chieftaincy Act - GhanaLegal - Legal Portal for Ghana". laws.ghanalegal.com. Archived from the original on 2019-04-10. Retrieved 2019-06-09.
  4. "Chieftaincy Act - GhanaLegal - Legal Portal for Ghana". laws.ghanalegal.com. Archived from the original on 2017-02-06. Retrieved 2019-06-09.
  5. "Manhyia Palace - ghanagrio.com". www.ghanagrio.com. Archived from the original on 2019-06-06. Retrieved 2019-06-09.
  6. Aidoo, Kwame. "Meet the 'White Chiefs' of Ghana". Culture Trip. Retrieved 2019-06-09.
  7. "The Royal Order of the Lion of Godenu". royalgodenu.org. Retrieved 2019-06-09.
  8. User, Super. "Royal Order of the Golden Fire Dog". Official Website of the Royal house of Sefwi Obeng-Mim. Archived from the original on 2019-06-06. Retrieved 2019-06-09.
  9. User, Super. "Royal Order of the Golden Fire Dog". Official Website of the Royal house of Sefwi Obeng-Mim. Retrieved 2020-01-21.
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