Investiture of Chiefs, a Relic of Colonialism? Reflections of an Ignoramus on the Installation of Chiefs in the Upper East Region of Ghana

抄録

Chieftaincy in Ghana is highly resilient notwithstanding post-colonial efforts to downplay itssignificance or obliterate it altogether. While the institution is dynamic and responsive to change, theunrepresentativeness of selecting its officeholders is questioned. Mamprugu, one of the oldest traditionalstates in northern Ghana, exercises ‘heritage’ investiture rights over chiefs in the Upper East Region, anentirely different political administrative region. The paper argues that these rights are transient basedon mythic conquest and resurrect vestiges of colonialism. Moreover, investing chiefs in a dichotomousmodern and traditional spaces is incongruous with a democratic dispensation, particularly as the practiceis a source of coronation conflicts in some of the traditional areas. These conflicts hinder developmentand negatively impact young people due to a pronounced silence of the state on jurisdictional limitationsof chiefs because of administrative borders. The practice also mirrors the claim that the paramountciesare subservient to Mamprugu, although this is inconsistent with current realities. The paper, usingconcept/theory of invention of tradition and primary data, concludes by advocating for an opendiscussion to enhance the participatory investiture system in the ‘areas under domination’.