How Wirempe Stool Case Unfolded Before the Kumasi Traditional Council Today
The affairs of the Wirempe Stool featured on the agenda of the Kumasi Traditional Council meeting on August 3, 2026.
The male stool has been vacant since September 2024, when Nana Opia Mensah II, Wirempehene, was destooled for desecrating and abusing the Great Oath (Ntamkɛseɛ).
The case was called before the Council with three separate Great Oaths invoked against one Opanin Nketia, who was initially identified as the family head.
The first oath related to an alleged broken promise by Opanin Nketia to give the male stool to the son of a woman based abroad, after he had allegedly extorted money from her to pursue the dispute that eventually led to the destoolment of Nana Opia Mensah.
Meanwhile, the second and third oaths were invoked to challenge his status as a royal.
The Council first heard from Ama Agyemang, who invoked the Great Oath on behalf of her mother, Maame Nyarko Abrafi. She said the Abusuapanin had taken a lot of money from them, yet had decided to give the stool to a different person.
“He called me on many occasions to demand money for the dispute. He also took money to buy regalia for my son, including asipim, sword, kete, and fontomfrom, and then capped it all with a demand for money to build a new palace,” she stated.
After hearing this, Otumfuo inquired about the number of existing royal houses in Wirempe and their heads.
While Nketia said there were three and named their leaders, one of the three contested his claim, saying there were only two households, including her household and that of Maame Abrafi.
She further disclosed that Opanin Nketia was not a royal, nor was he the official family head. She said she had selected one in accordance with tradition, with the official introduction done to the Oyokohene.
On that note, the woman presented Kofi Anin as the recognised Abusuapanin of the royal family.
Opanin Nketia outrightly invoked the Great Oath to deny the claims and affirm himself as a royal. His statement was contested by Opanin Anin, who also invoked the Great Oath.
Story by Hajara Fuseini
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