What Will Give A Non-Royal Access To A Stool?

Per the culture and tradition of the Asante Kingdom, stools are reserved for persons born into the royal family.

This means that a commoner or a non-royal has no right to claim a stool in any of the jurisdictions in the Kingdom but that does not seem to rule out the chances.

There is a chance, according to the Kumasi Traditional Council (KTC) but that will end with an ultimate verdict by the overlord of the Asante Kingdom, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II.

Elaborating on this at a presser on December 13, Asokore Mamponghenene, Nana Boakye-Ansah Debrah who represented the Nifa Division said the selection of a non-royal will be decided by elders of the traditional area at a time when all the royals are quite young and not ready to take up the mantle.

The choice will then be presented by the kingmakers to Otumfuo for the final decision.

“The youth cannot decide who they want. It might have happened before that a prominent person moves to reside in the town and helps develop the area. This person may be selected as a choice for enstoolment when the royals are young and are not ready yet to assume the stool. In that case, it is not a decision taken by the youth. It is decided by the elders in the traditional area and the person only becomes a caretaker of the stool,” he explained

He noted that Otumfuo after being presented with the proposed candidate can reject him or otherwise at his discretion.

If such a person is endorsed by Otumfuo, Nana Boakye-Ansah Debrah affirmed that, that doesn’t make the caretaker chief a royal and so a treaty is signed with him in order to forestall future claim to the stool by his family.

This conversation comes amid tensions over who succeeds Nana Wiafe Akenten III.

The controversy surrounding the stool is linked to attempts by some persons led by the queen mother to “sell” it to Dr Kofi Koduah Sarpong, former Board Chairman of Asante Kotoko Sporting Club while 17 royals are up for it.

According to Hemanhene Nana Wiafe Apau Sanwoansan, who represented the Benkum Division at the presser, some royals approached Otumfuo about efforts by the queen mother to compromise on tradition and give away the stool to KK Sarpong.

The royals urged the King to intervene to forestall the unforeseen situation, prompting the establishment of a Committee to probe the allegation.

It was found by the Otumfuo and the Committee that the said KK Sarpong- who was presented by the queen mother to occupy the stool was not related to the Ahyirem royal family as he claimed after analysis of his family tree.

It was found that the woman he claimed to originate from never had a child and was thus disqualified, breeding tensions among the queen mother and some youth of Offinso.

Speaking at one of the Asanteman Traditional Council meetings in October, Otumfuo declared, “I will not allow anyone to sell out the Offinso stool.”