Togbe Azagba IV Breaks Silence

The Warrior Chief of Mepe Traditional Area in the North Tongu District of the Volta Region, Togbe Kodwo Azagba IV, has broken his silence by categorically denying any divisions or conflicts among Mepe’s chiefs, urging citizens to unite for the area’s development.

To restore Mepe’s former glory and accelerate its development, the respected chief pointed out that the best approach is to live in peace, unity, and harmony; forgive one another; embrace volunteerism; and actively contribute to local development programmes and projects.

“In my view and based on my observations, there are no misunderstandings or conflicts among the chiefs in Mepe Traditional Area.

“This is simply what I have to say for now.
We, as traditional office holders in the Mepe Traditional Council (MTC), serve as the final tribunal where citizens bring their various disputes for us to find amicable solutions.

“If the chiefs themselves are not living in peace and unity, how can we settle the disputes brought before us by the citizens?

“I wish to state categorically that there is peaceful coexistence among the chiefs in Mepe, and there is no division among us,” Togbe Azagba IV reaffirmed.

The chief reassured that “If it emerges today or tomorrow that there is division among the chiefs in Mepe, I must say that we have our elders to put our heads together, sit down, and resolve any current disputes among us.”

Togbe Azagba IV has continually emphasized unity to drive community advancement.

By putting aside chieftaincy and land disputes, the chief is urging citizens to channel collective energy toward development and investment.

The chief actionable focus areas for the community include conflict resolution, empowering the youth and community development

He is emphasizing that peace is essential to rid the area of long-standing disputes and attract both local and external investment.

In empowering the youth, the chief is encouraging the younger generation to embrace technical and vocational education to combat poverty and spur local innovation.

In community development, the chief is fostering a direct partnership between traditional council, local authorities, and organizations like the ⁠Mepe Development Association to drive recovery and infrastructure projects.

Togbe Azagba IV urged an end to local disputes in his traditional area, asserting that these ongoing conflicts are delaying vital social and infrastructural development.

The prominent traditional leader noted that although Mepe has historically been a peaceful area, recent disputes have harmed its dignity, hindered its progress, and caused social and infrastructure development projects, particularly the market construction project, to stall.

Consequently, Togbe Kodwo Azagba IV, urged residents to forgive one another so the community can move forward, stressing that peace is the only way to get development in our area.

“Our grandfathers lived in peace and unity and brought us into the Mepe area, which was once peaceful, but recent disputes have divided the area. It is now time for mutual forgiveness so that Mepe, a predominantly fishing and farming community, can move forward,” Togbe Kwadzo Azagba IV advised the citizens.

Togbe Kodwo Azagba IV’s call to action emphasizes that mutual forgiveness and unity are essential to overcoming recent disputes.

For a predominantly fishing and farming area like the Mepe Traditional Area in the North Tongu District, resolving these longstanding conflicts is necessary for communal progress and economic development.

Togbe Kodwo Azagba IV made this foregoing call when he was speaking in an interview with Mr Prosper Seloame Sevor on the Mepe Reform Union (MPU) WhatsApp group to respond to a wide range of matters regarding Mepe community development.

The chief further called on the citizens to settle local disputes amicably and avoid chiefs’ courts.

He emphasized that young people must join the peace campaign by stopping unscrupulous individuals from engaging in behavior that disrupts public peace.

He stated that the youth from various clans in Mepe should play a leading role in stabilizing peace, unity, and safety.

“If you are present when anyone engages in activities like chieftaincy or land disputes, the best thing to do is advise them to cease fire,” Togbe Azagba IV further advised.

“We should not wait for disputes to reach the chiefs’ offices before asking us to settle the matter and restore peace,” the chief stressed.

The chief charged all citizens of Mepe to identify what triggers conflicts so they can stop these disputes before they escalate to the chiefs and traditional office holders.

“It is high time for the citizens of Mepe to champion the messages of peace and unity.
“We must talk about peace, stability, and unity, and we must never crush that spirit.

“He stressed the need to embrace these messages, stating that it is the best way to restore harmony to the area.

The chief noted that development issues do not usually start with the chiefs and trickle down to the citizens.

Instead, conflicts often arise among the youth and elders, which then escalate into disunity.

“I have a lot of love for Mepe. Looking back at my youth, I am disappointed by the low communal spirit among the current generation.

“I call on the young people in the area to show a true commitment to our development. I say every day that if Mepe is not developing as a community, the young people should be held responsible,Togbe Kodwo Azagba IV further advised.

“This is because the youth are not demonstrating their commitment to driving our community forward.I do not hear from the young people of Mepe frequently enough to feel reassured.

“If Togbe Kodwo Azagba IV is no longer here, I want to know that I have left behind a generation that will bring development to the area,” the chief noted.

He expressed great worry over the apparent lack of communal spirit among the youth, noting that this issue deeply concerns him as a chief.

He emphasized that the future of Mepe largely depends on the contributions of its young people, and he cares deeply about their future.

“When I see young people gather like this—such as the Mepe Reform Union WhatsApp group—to learn from one another, I believe that is exactly what is expected of them,” Togbe Kodwo Azagba IV noted.

He urged the local youth to devote their time to community development.

He also commended the members of the Mepe Reform Union for forming the WhatsApp group to contribute to the area’s social and infrastructural growth.

He expressed great joy over the Union’s work to foster sustainable development, peace, and unity.

The chief added that time would not allow him to speak extensively about the Union’s remarkable contributions to peaceful coexistence in Mepe.

According to him, ever since Mepe was established, residents have spoken about building a modern strategic market and a university.

However, they lack the step-by-step plan required to execute these projects in the Mepe Traditional Area.

He emphasized his strong desire to see the construction of the University of Mepe come to fruition to boost local tertiary education.

He mentioned that traditional authorities followed up on the launch of the project, but the organizers do not seem ready to execute it in Mepe yet, despite several meetings held in Accra.

He also noted that they are actively working to establish a modern market in Mepe, but the project has been stalled by land litigation.

According to the chief, the town is in dire need of social and infrastructural development. However, lobbying successfully for these projects requires a lot of hard work.

He added that traditional authorities are actively working to build a modern community social center, but progress has stalled because the very people who promised to help have relaxed their efforts.

“We are planning the construction of these social and infrastructural development projects, but we are our own worst enemies,” Togbe Kodwo Azagba IV revealed.

Author: Freeman Koyekpor