The Duamenefa Foundation has called on key state institutions, including CHRAJ, the NCCE, the Centre for National Culture, and the Ghana Police Service, to intervene in the ongoing controversy involving the Tormife Shrine and the Nutakor family. The Foundation is urging these bodies to take appropriate action to address the dispute and ensure peace, accountability, and respect for the rule of law.
The Foundation’s intervention follows a petition from the Nutakor family, who reported that an internal family dispute escalated into a serious controversy after the sudden death of a family member. According to the petition, one of the individuals involved in the quarrel allegedly claimed to have invoked the wrath of the gods, specifically the Tormife Shrine, linking the death to spiritual retribution.
The family further indicated that the matter was referred to the Tormife Shrine, which directed them to consult soothsayers. The outcome of the consultation, as presented to the family, was that the deity demanded a human being to serve the gods, together with other items, before the family could retrieve the deceased from the mortuary for burial.
Faced with difficulty in meeting these demands, particularly the requirement of providing a human being for servitude, the Nutakor family petitioned the Duamenefa Foundation for assistance.
Following this, the Foundation conducted investigations into the matter in collaboration with traditional rulers and relevant state institutions. The findings, according to the Foundation, revealed that the soothsayer had misled the family. It was established that the Tormife Shrine deity was not responsible for the death of the deceased family member.
Subsequently, both traditional rulers and state institutions directed that the Nutakor family be allowed to retrieve their deceased relative from the mortuary for burial.
However, speaking on Fafaa 100.3 FM during the Foundation’s social intervention programme, the Executive President of the Duamenefa Foundation, Mr Ketaman Emmanuel Evortepe, disclosed that the body remains at the mortuary more than a year after the incident. He noted that reports available to the Foundation suggest that the Tormife Shrine is still allegedly preventing the family from retrieving the body, leaving the family in fear and uncertainty.
Mr Ketaman Emmanuel Evortepe further stated that the Constitution of Ghana does not permit shrines to threaten individuals, instill fear, or prevent anyone from carrying out their lawful responsibilities. He therefore urged the appropriate authorities to allow the law to take its course and ensure justice is served.
He has consequently called on state institutions to carry out their constitutional mandate and ensure that the matter is resolved in accordance with the laws of Ghana, allowing the family to give their deceased a proper burial.
The Foundation also warned that continued delay in resolving the matter could escalate tensions and further traumatize the Nutakor family. Mr Evortepe emphasized that religious and traditional institutions must operate within the law and respect human rights at all times.
He revealed that similar disputes in other parts of the country have been resolved quickly when traditional authorities and state institutions work together, stressing that collaboration is key to preventing conflicts and safeguarding community peace.
Finally, the Foundation urged members of the public to report any incidents where religious or shrine practices are used to intimidate, threaten, or extort individuals, reiterating that the law provides protection for everyone regardless of spiritual or cultural beliefs.
Mr Ketaman Emmanuel Evortepe added that the Duamenefa Foundation will continue to follow up on this matter closely and ensure that the right actions are taken until the Nutakor family is able to bury their deceased relative in peace and accordance with the law.
By Hutor Dziwornu, Fafaa 100.3 FM, Dzodze