Some citizens of Anlo in the Volta Region have expressed mixed reactions following the exclusion of the Awomefia, the overlord of Anloland, from the recent “100 Most Powerful People” list in Ghana, published by Avance Media in its Top 100 Ghanaians Powerlist 2025.
According to them, the omission of the Awomefia from the list was not only disappointing but also a worrying development for Anloland.
Mr Nyidewu Agbodzi Seshieme, a resident of Keta, told the Ghana News Agency that the exclusion regrettably exposed, how far the once mighty Anlo Kingdom has fallen in influence and national recognition.
“The more painful for the Anlo people is seeing other traditional rulers on that list who, years ago, could never have stood in the same shadow as the Anlo king, and today, they are celebrated while the Awomefia is ignored. Why?” he asked.
He said many things have gone wrong over the years in Anloland, which might have resulted in the omission, and called on the chiefs and people of Anlo to prioritise corrections and stop pretending that everything was fine.
Mr Seshieme noted that chiefs and people of Anlo have become their own enemies with endless chieftaincy disputes, petty power struggles, ego battles, and internal sabotage, which have weakened the kingdom beyond recognition and need urgent redress before it collapses.
“Other traditional areas are strategising, attracting investors, building schools, hospitals, youth programmes, among others, while Anlo communities are busy fighting internal chieftaincy conflicts. How can someone elsewhere take you seriously when you don’t attach that seriousness to yourself?” he asked.
He explained that constant arguments over stools and titles while development passes by are among the causes drawing the communities and leadership backwards, warning that this could become a dangerous canker if immediate attention is not given
Madam Rebecca Ladzekpo, another citizen from Abor, reacting to the list, said the leadership of the Anlo Dukor Council needs to focus on influence, advocacy, and action rather than internal disputes to attract more respect and recognition.
She said the absence of the Awomefia from the list indicated that the kingdom has lost its voice in both local and national matters and that it would take extra effort to regain lost influence.
“The problem lies internally with we the Anlo people. We keep destroying our own kingdom with division and complacency. We cannot keep blaming outsiders for our indiscipline,” she said.
Madam Ladzekpo added: “Can you imagine that some chiefs within the 36 States of Anlo boldly say they don’t belong to Anlo and cannot be under the jurisdiction of the Awomefia? We are just inheriting from past history.”
She lamented that if Anlo Dukor continues on the wrong tangent, future generations would only read about its greatness in history books and wonder how such a powerful kingdom was allowed to collapse.
Meanwhile, other citizens engaged by GNA expressed disappointment about the list, describing it as a mere publication without merit, while others questioned the credibility of the outlet.
They believed the Awomefia still wields power and was simply overlooked by Avance Media to generate unnecessary tension among Anlo citizens worldwide.