The Southwest Regional Assembly President, Zacheus Bakoma, has rebuked the President of the Southwest House of Chiefs, Chief Atem-Ebako, for challenging the Fako Senior Divisional Officer’s (SDO) directive for traditional rulers to attend the National Day celebrations. In a strongly-worded letter dated May 19, 2025, Bakoma expressed his disappointment and dissatisfaction with Chief Atem-Ebako’s response to the SDO’s directive.The controversy began when the SDO for Fako Division, Viang Mekala, issued a directive to all Divisional Officers in Fako, instructing them to ensure the effective presence of all traditional rulers at the grandstands during the National Day celebrations on May 20, 2025. The SDO further warned that “the unjustified absence of any traditional ruler will immediately be subjected to a request for explanation and a disciplinary file be sent to hierarchy.”Chief Atem-Ebako following the the uproar the SDO’s action caused on and offline, responded to the SDO’s directive, questioning the authority of the SDO to insist on the presence of traditional rulers. He warned the SDO against being insolent and disrespectful to the institution of traditional rulers. He stated that the SDO’s directive was “not only very frustrating, but disparaging to the status, divine honor and dignity of the Traditional Rulers, not only of the Fako Division, but of the whole SW Region.”This did not go well with the President of the Southwest Regional Assembly, Bakoma who quickly sent out a public statement and response in which he stated that Chief Atem-Ebako’s response to the SDO for Fako was misrepresentative of the Southwest Regional Assembly and violated section 312(1) of the General Code of Regional and Local Authorities. In his letter to Chief Atem-Ebako, Bakoma emphasised that traditional rulers are an integral part of the republican setup and auxiliaries of the administration. He argued that the SDO’s directive was aimed at reminding traditional rulers of their republican duty and responsibility to participate in national events, stating that as “much as we respect and recognise traditional rulers as custodians of the tradition of our people, they remain an integral part of a republican set up, and in that capacity are auxiliaries of the administration.”Bakoma’s rebuke of Chief Atem-Ebako has sparked a debate about the role of traditional rulers and their place in society, as well as the limits of administrative authority. The response from the President of the Regional Assembly to the President of the House of Chiefs came after Chief Atem-Ebako had responded to the SDO’s directive, highlighting the complex dynamics at play in the region. Bakoma’s letter to Chief Atem-Ebako concluded that “the South West Regional Assembly dissociates itself from the content of your letter dated 19th May 2025, addressed to the Senior Divisional Officer for Fako Division.” The standoff between Bakoma and Chief Atem-Ebako has raised questions about the future of relations between traditional rulers and the administration in the Southwest region.The debate about the role of traditional rulers and the limits of administrative authority will likely continue, with many wondering whether the administration will find a way to balance its authority with the dignity and autonomy of traditional rulers in Fako, or continue to treat them with in such a callous way and sometimes with disrespect.
By Andrew Nsoseka
