Returned Land: 88-Year-Old Rains Blessings On Otumfuo

Ante Grace, the eighty-eight (88) year-old woman who was given back her piece of land in a ruling delivered last week Thursday by Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has made prayers for King.

 

This was during a session on Opemsuo radio’s M’asem Show on Tuesday, February 28, 2023.

 

The prayers of the octogenarian covered the King and his descendants.

 

 

“God bless you, Your Majesty. You have done me a great favour. May you reign forever. Thank you. May God grant you long life and good health. May you receive a double portion of Nana Afia Kobi’s life…may your descendants be blessed”, she prayed.

 

 

Land Acquisition

The old woman said her husband acquired the four-acre piece of land during his prime with portions of it used to establish a school and residence.

 

 

“I was very young when my husband secured the land. When he died, the late Amakomhene served me a notice to renew my lease. I pleaded for some time and then went to pay it. After the current Amakomhene took over, he also served me notice to renew my lease.”

 

 

Amakomhene, Nana Adu Mensah Asare, tried to take back the land using legal means seven years ago, she said.

 

 

“I was sued over the land by Amakomhene in 2016. The trial was held in the judge’s chamber and no witness was called until the final judgement was given where I lost the case. I was told the land has been reverted to the chief because the lease had expired. The court told me to renegotiate the lease if I wanted to retain the land.”

 

 

According to her, Nana Adu Mensah Asare demanded GHC 1,20o,000 for the renewal which she couldn’t in any way afford.

 

 

At the time, she had raised pillars on the remaining portion of the land to expand her school which is located at Amakom.

 

 

According to the customs of the Asante Kingdom, all lands are owned by the King and given out on lease.

 

 

After a lease expires, the leasee has the option to renew it and retain it, however, if the leasee fails to renew it due to financial constraints, there is an option to retain it too: the land will be divided into three; one for leasee, one for the King and the last for the sub-chief of the area.

 

 

In the case of Ante Grace, the land was sold to the Church of Pentecost by the Amakomhene after she failed to renew the lease despite expressing her interest in retaining it.

 

 

The church bought it for a car park.

 

 

Arrest

The old woman said she was once arrested for allegedly stepping foot on the land and contracting some persons to pelt stones at some members of the church after a complaint was filed by the Pentecost church against her.

 

According to her, she spent hours in police custody.

 

 

“I was there one day when a CID officer came to my house at the command of the Regional Commander…They (church) had in hand a copy of the judgement delivered by the court.”

 

 

Turnabout

Her turnabout came about after she got the rare opportunity of meeting Otumfuo Osei Tutu II upon a directive by the M’asem team.

 

 

After hearing her case and that of Nana Adu Mensah Asare on Thursday, February 23, 2023, the King delivered a verdict in her favour.

 

 

“As it stands, I’m supposed to get a third of the land whereas the woman and chief get one each but I add my portion to hers”, the King ruled.

 

 

He further reiterated his warnings against such “greedy” conducts by traditional rulers.

 

 

Gratitude

The joyful old woman expressed her immense gratitude to the King for upholding “truth” and rained blessings on him and his descendants.

 

 

 

 

Source: opemsuo.com/Hajara Fuseini