Nana Boakye Yam II, the Otumfuo Nifahene and Nkwantakesehene, has issued a stern warning to students across Ghana to refrain from violence and the destruction of school property during grievances, describing such acts as “barbaric.”
Speaking at the official launch of the 70th anniversary celebration of Kumasi Academy, the traditional leader emphasised that demonstrations should strictly be a last resort and urged students to exhaust internal conflict-resolution channels before taking drastic actions.
He called for stricter enforcement of laws to hold perpetrators personally accountable for damage to institutional properties.
“If there’s a misunderstanding between the students and the teachers, demonstration should be the last resort. Damaging properties shouldn’t happen because people have paid for them,” Nana Boakye Yam II stated. “If you damage them, you pay for them. I think the law should be clearly laid out that if you damage these things and you are caught, you should be held responsible.”
The chief attributed the recent rise in student unrest partly to negative influences from social media and television, noting that younger, more impressionable students are easily led to replicate harmful behaviours they see online.
Extending his message to parents, Nana Boakye Yam II highlighted the primary role of the home in character formation.
He cautioned parents against defending children who are disciplined at school, noting that enabling bad behaviour at home directly undermines institutional discipline.
“They spend more time in the homes, so if they are not treated properly there, they will bring those questionable characters to school,” he said. “If your ward is punished by the teachers, why do you have to take them to task? They are punishing your ward for their own future.”
The traditional ruler also called on media organisations to practice responsible journalism, criticising outlets that sensationalise disciplinary actions without investigating the context or root causes.
He urged the media to instead leverage their platforms to educate the public, parents, and students on civic responsibility and institutional order.
Nana Boakye Yam II concluded by advising student leaderships, including the Students Representative Council (SRC), school boards, and alumni associations, to maintain open avenues for dialogue to ensure peaceful resolutions to campus grievances.
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