The Paramount Chief of Ekumfi Traditional Area, Odeefo Akyin VIII, has rejected claims that he authorized representatives to approach President Akufo-Addo seeking the autopsy report of the late President John Evans Atta Mills.
On January 13, 204, the family of the late former President, Professor John Evans Fiifi Atta Mills, appealed to President Akufo-Addo for the autopsy report, expressing concerns about the undisclosed cause of his death and emphasizing the need for closure and historical documentation.
Addressing the issue in a press conference on Monday, Odeefo Akyin VIII clarified, stating, “To set the records straight, the Paramount Chief Odeefo Akyin VIII has not appointed nor delegated anyone or any group of individuals to His Excellency (H.E.) the President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo or any other institution to request an autopsy on the late Professor Mills on our behalf or on behalf of the family.”
He denounced attempts by certain groups and individuals to connect the Ekumfi Chiefs to the issue as malicious. Odeefo Akyin VIII firmly stated, “We want to emphasize that any attempt to link the Chiefs of Ekumfi to such actions is malicious, untrue, and mischievous, and must be treated with the contempt it deserves. Ekumfi Nananom, led by the Paramount Chief Odeefo Akyin VIII, also want to send a strong message to anyone or group of persons claiming to be from Ekumfi or elsewhere, and who allow themselves to be used for such disgraceful and malicious acts, that they may have to prepare to face the wrath of Nananom. The late Professor Atta Mills must be allowed to rest in peace.”
Additionally, the Paramount Chief characterized the ongoing media exchanges between the family of Prof Mills and other individuals as “appalling and disgraceful.”
He urged the involved parties to seek resolution through private discussions instead of engaging in public disputes. Odeefo Akyin VIII expressed dismay, stating, “The Nananom of Ekumfi believe that if the extended or any member of the family has issues with the report, they could engage in private discussions with the immediate family to settle their disagreements once and for all, instead of the recurring media banter. Nananom wish to state that the ongoing back-and-forth wrangling is not only appalling but also disgraceful and disgusting, projecting the family as a disintegrated one.”