Otumfuo Spares Praso Baapanin Destoolment after Being Declared Non-Royal

The Baapanin of Praso, Nana Kusiwaa Mansah II, has been spared destoolment after she falsely claimed to be of royal lineage by invoking the Great Oath.

A committee report on the dispute between the Baapanin and the family head, Opanin Kwaku Mensah, was presented to the Kumasi Traditional Council on July 30, 2026.

His Majesty endorsed the findings of the report, confirming that she is not of royal lineage.

“This issue started simmering during the era of the late Nkonsonhene. He brought the case, and I urged him to abandon it. Had she agreed to appoint a member of the family to the male stool, we wouldn’t have gotten here. When I heard she had invoked the oath, I was surprised. She shouldn’t have done that,” Otumfuo said.

Otumfuo disclosed that she was considered for the stool after five consecutive women abdicated the stool due to sickness.

“The Abusuapanin recommended you to ascend the stool. You knew this,” Otumfuo said, before tracing her family tree.

According to the Asantehene, the issue came up when she first attempted to enstool her brother as chief.

“At the time, she [Baapanin] was attempting to enstool her late brother as chief. The family abandoned their initial opposition. Her second attempt to appoint her son to the stool got out of hand and resulted in this,” he added.

However, Otumfuo decided to temper justice with mercy and urged Opanin Mensah to allow her to remain on the stool due to her diligent service.

His Majesty decreed that on her demise, the stool would revert to the royal lineage.

Story by Hajara Fuseini

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