Actualités Régionales of Thursday, 28 January 2016

Source: The Eden Newspaper

Recalcitrant youth attacks Fon at uncle’s memorial celebration

A young man in his late 20s whose name Eden got as Sam Dotta and recently located to his maternal village Dumbu, attacked the Fon of the village, HRH Jebo Augustine Jang, during the memorial celebration of Late Pa Chaba Mbonko an uncle to the Fon.

The duo locked horns in a scuffle after the young man had reigned verbal insults on the Fon in the hearing of many.

Sam Dotta whom many perceived must have been acting under the influence of some kind of drug, immediately sensed danger after they were separated and escaped from the scene.

According to Sam Dotta, the Fon, who has been on the throne in the last 18 years, has been of no use to the village.

Many deduced that his action might have emanated from an article published in a local news tabloid “Shong” headlined “the eighteen wasted years of Fon Jebo on the throne”. Ironically this local news tabloid is published by his uncle, Ezikiel Dotta, publisher of The Watchdog Tribune.

Information from the local police officers stated that Sam Dotta has a record of harassing people and had spent some days at the police cell for attacking the police Commissioner.

According to eyewitnesses, the young man acts as if he has been sent by some undisclosed persons. Sam Dotta’s escape, observers believe, is just temporary for is said to have promised to still attack the Fon in isolation at a road junction leading to the palace.

The unfortunate occurrence last Sunday 10 January 2016 took many by surprise given that in the grassfield tradition, a commoner is not supposed to attack a Fon either verbally or physically and worse still in public.

Villagers especially the royal family are promising hell and one of the three sons of late Pa Chaba by name Chaba Emmanuel Ntuh told Eden that “that boy has been a thorn in the flesh of many in Dumbu village from the moment he relocated to the village. The palace shall effect traditionally sanctions and the young man risks being flogged in public”.

Fon Jebo Augustine said his council shall ensure that others planning to do same learn from the mistake of Sam Dotta. The traditional council is yet to adjudicate on the matter for sanctions to be meted both on the young man and his immediate family.

Sam Dotta’s action did not, however, disturb the celebration given that masquerades in their numbers thrilled onlookers. Several masquerades such as Nkooh and Mabuh were on display in turns and the legs rattling masquerades danced to the rhythm of the xylophone.

Feasting was total as big bowls of fufu corn and vegetable, bitter leaf soup spiced with either goat meat, chicken or bush meat made the rounds. Assorted drinks were in their numbers blended with gin.

The local “shaa” corn beer, honey drink “Ntoop” and palm wine flowed in great quantity. Many who came from far and near nodded their heads in satisfaction, saying Pa Chaba was a great man of the royal family worthy of this ceremony.

To them, this was a sign of giving a loved one a befitting memorial celebration to appease him and others in return blessed the family in harvest and children in health