The founder and leader of the United Progressive Party (UPP), Akwasi Addai popularly called Odike has said he cannot go to the Manhyia Palace to apologise to the traditional leaders until the curse invoked on him is reversed.

According to him, the curse has spiritual implications which will cost him if he steps his foot in Kumasi.

His comments come after the Executive Secretary to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Nana Bediatuo Asante demanded an apology and retraction of alleged defamatory comments on illegal mining made by Odike.

Lawyers for Asante Bediatuo in a letter said claims by Odike that he [Bediatuo] had links to illegal mining in Bosomefreho.

It said: "We are instructed to inform you [Odike] that the said publication that you put in the public domain is absolutely false."

"It is instructive to point out to you that you ought to have taken steps to verify the authenticity of the information before publishing same in the public domain," the letter added.

Asante said the allegation by Odike is "carefully calculated to malign, cause public disaffection, injure the reputation and reduce our client’s reputation in the eyes of right-thinking members of society."

He said he'll take legal action if Odike does not retract the claims.

But Odike said until the curse invoked on him is reversed, he cannot go to Manhyia to apologise.

 "I can't go to Kumasi because of the curse. If I go, spiritually I'll be affected. So until they revoke it, I can't appear before them. So it is difficult for me to appear before them, even if I decide to apologise.

"…And it has spiritual and physical implications." He said.

"If anybody sees you around the vicinity, they can kill you and it is believed to be positive defiance. So I don't have any other means to reach out to the traditional authority to apologise," he added.

Odike incurred the wrath of the Kumasi Traditional Council following comments he made against chiefs, questioning their role in the fight against galamsey activities in the Ashanti Region.

Source…www.sompaonline.com/Eric Murphy Asare