Asantehene Rebukes Akroso Traditional Authorities For Custom Defiance

The King of the Asante Kingdom, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II has found reasonable grounds to reprimand Akroso Traditional Council for some untraditional happenings and misconducts within the royal house and the traditional leadership.

When their case was called before the Asanteman Council on Monday, October 14, 2024, at the Manhyia Palace, the King expressed his disappointment in their conduct and criticized it.

Dispute
The dispute is threefold. The outstanding issue is the decision to sideline the Queen of the Area in electing a candidate to occupy the male stool while the second and third have to do with the invocation of the Great Oath.

Before the Council, the Queen was granted the chance to make known the cause of the dispute.

“I was sick at home receiving treatment when I was told Amankrado (Kontrihene) had enstooled a new chief without my knowledge. When I recovered, I came here to the Manhyia Palace to report that. A few days ago, I was told the case would be called today and here I am.”

In his submission, Akroso Kontrihene Akuamoah Boateng II noted that he only received the nominee of the royal family and enstooled him as chief.

“I was approached by Owusu Aboagye with Prof Danson as their nominee and since I am not a member of the royal family, I only accepted him and performed the due rites for his enstoolment. It was later I was notified with a court injunction and from the Bono East Regional House of Chiefs that I had sidelined the Queen in the nomination and enstoolment of the candidate.”

When Owusu Aboagye was given the platform, he invoked the Great Oath to challenge the legitimacy of the Queen of Akroso, Nana Adwoa Fosuaa, to the stool she occupies.

It is the case of Aboagye that the Queen isn’t a royal. According to him, circumstances in the past paved the way for her family to take over the stool. He indicated it was with this motivation that he sidelined the Queen to elect a candidate- one Prof Ofori Danson- and presented him to the Kontrihene for enstoolment over the Traditional Area.

The Queen on the other hand, invoked the Great Oath to counter the claim of Aboagye before the Council. The traditional leader explained that she is not related to Aboagye as his family members are stool bearers in the traditional Area.

The other edge of the case is between Aboagye and one Atta Kwakye. The two lay claim to the family Head position of the Royal House, with each invoking and counter-invoking the Great Oath to defend their position.

Criticism
Otumfuo after listening to the parties did not hide his disappointment in the leaders for dishonouring tradition and culture.

He noted that the fact that Akrodie is in the Bono East Region changes nothing.

“Don’t think your current location excludes you from Asanteman. You are a part of us and nothing can change that. You sidelined customs and traditions when you decided to go behind the Queen to nominate a candidate for the vacant male stool. In your statement, you said you could not find the Queen. That is not tradition. By custom, if you are unable to reach the Queen, you contact Atipimhene so I get informed,” he told Aboagye.

The Kontrihene was not spared as His Majesty faulted him for blindly accepting the candidate knowing the Queen had no hand in it.

“You should have enjoined him to wait for the Queen to come back. If he has doubts about the Queen’s legitimacy, you should have supervised the resolution of that case first before proceeding to any other thing. When Nana Bohyen (the late chief) was alive, he used to come here with you. Why didn’t you come to introduce the nominee to me before enstooling him.”

To Prof Danson whose enstoolment as chief has been stayed by the Council, Otumfuo said, “We will have to resolve all the outstanding issues before your enstoolment can be recognized or otherwise. I don’t want violence in the town. I am yet to ascertain the Queen’s legitimacy. If she is indeed found to be a non-royal, it will be declared here. If the contrary is found, it will mean your enstoolment is invalid.”

Source: opemsuo.com/Hajara Fuseini