Okyeame Ofori, a linguist of the Berekum Traditional Council, has given a clarification on who the people of Berekum are following the brouhaha surrounding the attendance of the funeral of the late Berekumhene by the Asantehene and the Dormaahene.
Speaking in an interview on Angel TV on Thursday, November 23, 2024, at the funeral grounds, Okyeame Ofori clarified that even though the people of Berekum are living on the Bono land, they are Ashantis.
“The people of Berekum are Ashantis… It is 100% right for a person to say I come from Berekum in the Bono Region, I’m an Ashanti.
“We the people of Berekum are from Asokore. We have something called ‘mentia’ and this shows where one comes from. Berekumhene’s ‘mentia’ is this …. he says ‘Berekum, Berekum, Berekum we are true Ashantis,” he said in Twi.
The Okyeame further explained that even though the Berekum Traditional Council is part of the Bono Regional House of Chiefs, they are under the Asanteman Council.
He added that the loyalty of the people of Berekum is to the Asanteman and its overlord, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II.