Friday, 29 March

Paramount Chief of Nkusukum renounces chieftaincy title conferred on gay Nigerian activist

General News
The gay rights activist, openly disclosed that he practices what he preaches, following his enstoolment as Amankorehen (Developmental Chief) of the Yamoransa Nkusukum traditional area

Davis Mac Iyalla, who was enstooled as Amankorehen (Developmental Chief) of the Yamoransa Nkusukum traditional area in the Mfantseman Municipality of the Central Region, has been destooled.

This was disclosed by the Paramount Chief of Nkusukum Traditional Area, Okesse Essandoh IX, when he spoke to journalists on Tuesday, 31 January 2023, at his Palace. 

He intimated that Mr Iyalla had been enstooled because of how helpful he had been to the community when it comes to developmental projects.

The Paramount Chief of Nkusukum said: “I informed Ebusuampanyinfo of Yamoransa and had a discussion with them and decided to honour him as Amankorahen or Nkosuahen to assist Yamoransa.

“Nkosuahen is only a ceremonial position which could be bestowed on any person regardless of his lineage or linkage to any stool.”

He indicated that: “Nana Kweku Adu has been staying in Cape Coast for over ten years and travels outside the country regularly and comes back,” adding: “It was during the process of his installation as Amankorahen (Nkosuahen) [that] the information came that Kweku Adu is also known as Davis Mac Iyalla and has been supporting LGBTQI+ and its related activities.

“Immediately this information came to our attention, we called for the whole process of Mac Iyalla to be halted.”

The gay rights activist, openly disclosed that he practices what he preaches, following his enstoolment as Amankorehen (Developmental Chief) of the Yamoransa Nkusukum traditional area.  

Mr Iyalla was installed by the Omanhen of Nkusukum Traditional Area, Nana Okese Essando IX under the stool name Nana Kweku Gyasi I, Saturday, 28th January 2023.

The enstoolment of the internationally acclaimed human rights activist has sparked massive criticism over speculations of him being gay.

These claims follow the participation of the activist last year at the 11th World Council of Churches General Assembly held at Karlsruhe (Germany).

At the said event, the activist who became a chief, was captured to have openly proclaimed his status of being gay way back in 2008. 

It is for this reason, he was forced to leave his land of birth (Nigeria) to seek asylum as a refugee in the United Kingdom and his subsequent visit to Ghana.

The activist concurrently runs the Interfaith Diversity Network of West Africa (IDNOWA) in Ghana; an advocacy organisation for the promotion of the acceptance of LGBTQ+ in the country. 

Nana Kweku Gyesi speaking at the durbar grounds asserted to Nana Tawiah "If you know me very well, you will notice I wasn't born here in Ghana but in Nigeria. And by God's grace, I practice what I preach which is equal rights for all persons. I don't like discrimination.

“Whether you're tall, short, black, white, yellow or green, you're a human being and I will fight for that my belief to the very end no matter what it may cost me. 

“I'm not a hypocrite and will not stand now to be a hypocrite.

“You don't need to like me, but you have to respect my views," he noted.

Source: classfmonline.com