OSEI vs. SIRIBOUR II [1986]DLSC956

Date	1986-03-24
Suit No.
Citation No.	[1986]DLSC956

APALOO C.J

SOWAH JSC

ADADE JSC

TAYLOR JSC

FRANCOIS J.S.C.

TOTOE FOR THE APPELLANT.

A. MMIEH FOR THE RESPONDENT

[1986]DLSC956
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" ><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">

OSEI <o:p></o:p>

{SUPREME COURT, ACCRA} <o:p></o:p>

[1984-86] 1 GLR 588<o:p></o:p>

DATE:
24 MARCH 1986<o:p></o:p>

</div><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>COUNSEL:&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in 0in 0in 0in">

TOTOE
FOR THE APPELLANT. <o:p></o:p>

</div>CORAM:
<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in 0in 0in 0in">

APALOO C.J., SOWAH, ADADE, TAYLOR AND FRANCOIS JJ.S.C.<o:p></o:p>

</div><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>JUDGMENT OF ADADE J.S.C.<o:p></o:p>Adade
J.S.C. delivered the judgment of the court. In 1982 the appellant, J. T. Osei
(hereafter referred to as the plaintiff) sued the respondent, Nana Otuo
Siribour II, Omanhene of the Juaben Traditional Area (hereafter referred to as
the defendant) in the Ashanti Regional House of Chiefs for reliefs which are
better quoted than paraphrased, viz:<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt;
margin-left:.5in;text-align:justify;mso-pagination:none;border:none;mso-padding-alt:
31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">“Wherefore
the petitioner [plaintiff] claims that [the judicial committee of the Ashanti
Regional House of Chiefs] may: <o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt;
margin-left:.5in;text-align:justify;mso-pagination:none;border:none;mso-padding-alt:
31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">(a) Declare
that the petitioner is a royal of the Juaben paramount stool of Ashanti; <o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt;
margin-left:.5in;text-align:justify;mso-pagination:none;border:none;mso-padding-alt:
31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">(b) Direct
the respondent to recognise and to treat the petitioner as such.”<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The
plaintiff alleges that there are three main branches of the Juaben royal
family. These are the Nana Dwuwaa branch; the Nana Akua Mensah branch; and the
Nana Abrafi Mensah branch. He claims that he descends from the Nana Dwuwaa
branch through one Nana Abena Serwaa an elder sister of Nana Dwuwaa. Many many
years ago, this Nana Abena Serwaa migrated from Juaben, sojourned in several
places, and eventually settled at Mfensi where apparently the plaintiff was
born. Later, on hearing of his true roots he, the plaintiff, came to Juaben,
explained his circumstances to the defendant in the presence of elders, and was
acknowledged a member of the Juaben royal family as a true descendant of Nana
Dwuwaa. He performed the relevant custom to seal this acknowledgment.
Subsequently, however, the defendant has conducted himself in such a way as to
deny the plaintiff his royal status. Accordingly, he brought this action before
the Ashanti Regional House of Chiefs to have it declared that he is a royal of
the Juaben stool, and, so to speak, to seek an injunction against the defendant
from denying that he is such a royal.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The
regional house dismissed the action in limine on the main ground that in
Ashanti customary claims to royalty are made to the queenmother or else the
abusuapanin (head of family) of the royal stool, who alone are in a position to
know who their royals are. The defendant, who is himself only one of the
royals, but neither the abusuapanin nor the queenmother, is not a proper
defendant to such an action, even though he occupies the Omanhene stool. On
this ground the suit was dismissed.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The
regional house, however, resisted a challenge to its jurisdiction and held,
contrary to objections by the defendant, that the matter itself is a “cause or
matter affecting chieftaincy” within the meaning of that phrase in section 66
of the Chieftaincy Act, 1971 (Act 370) and therefore it had jurisdiction to
entertain it. The plaintiff appealed from the decision of the regional house to
the National House of Chiefs. The appeal was dismissed on precisely the same
grounds as those used by the regional house. Undaunted, he has appealed to this
court. On 29 July 1985 we dismissed the appeal, but reserved our reasons.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>As has
been stated above the substance of the plaintiff’s claim against the defendant
is that he is a royal and that he should be reco</main>