Never in the annals of Asante’s chieftaincy has an Asantehene been accorded the prerogative to interfere with Kumawu chieftainship, let alone, imposing a person of his choice as Kumawuhene on the once, brave Kumawuman citizens. Since the era of Ankyaa Nyame (the forebear of the Asantehenes and Asantehemaas), Birempomaa Piesie and Manu through to Nana Kwabia Anwanfi Oti Akenten (1st Kumasihene), Nana Obiri Yeboah and Nana Osei Tutu I (the 1st Asantehene) until Otumfuo Opoku Ware II, which Asantehene dared meddle with Kumawu chieftaincy issues? None of them, according as proven by my extensive fact-finding research work on the Asante Confederacy.

Barimah Tweneboa Koduah I was a founding member of the Asante Kingdom. He was almost of equal status as Nana Osei Tutu I. For the totally selfish aspirations of the current Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, and by his libidinal relationship with Kumawuhemaa, he has not only callously meddled in Kumawu Stool dispute but also, stripped the matrilineal descendants of the originator of the Kumawu Koduah Stool (Barimah Tweneboa Koduah I) of their bona fide right to the stool. In so doing, he has imposed a person from the Kumawu Ankaase “royal” family as Omanhene on Kumawuman.

The Ankaases have no relationship with Barimah Tweneboah Koduah I, let alone, being his matrilineal descendants as erroneously opined by Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, on 24 February 2014 as evidenced in a video posted on YouTube titled, “Asantehene involves in corruption”.

Below are the questions the people of Kumawuman are asking.

1. Is Otumfuo Osei Tutu II above the laws of the land? He is on record, whether true or false, to have intervened to get the Supreme Court verdict on election 2012 declared in favour of President John Dramani Mahami, the apparently loser in that presidential election, according as concluded by public opinion from the live telecast proceedings of the case. He never stopped there. He dashed to Accra to consult with the Chief Justice, Mrs Georgina Theodora Wood, and President John Mahama to pressure the Human Rights Court judge (Justice Paul K. Richardson) in Kumasi to dismiss the Kumawu chieftaincy case brought before the court for proper arbitration. Readers can visit YouTube under the title “Asantehene involves in corruption”, taking pains to familiarise themselves with the comments to see how he is committing crimes with impunity.

2. Why are the Norwegians interfering with the Kumawu chieftaincy affairs? There are Norwegian businessmen who, desirous of purchasing thousands of hectares of Kumawu Afram Plains stool lands from Asantehene, under clearly a collusive manner are encouraging him to behave that irresponsibly. When the Norwegians’ representative company in Ghana was taken to court by one Mr Osei Kofi and Co, both citizens of Kumawuman, the purchase of the land was put on hold. Otumfuo Osei Tutu II had presented himself to the Norwegians as possessing an overall authority over the lands of Asanteman hence having the absolute right to dispose of any land under his jurisdiction. This is a blatant lie. For more information on this, please refer to the terms of the Restoration of the Asante Confederacy in 1935.

The Norwegians have given Asantehene money and will pay him the full balance of the land once there is a Kumawuhene to ratify the sale of the land to them. This is why Asantehene has dubiously supported Kumawuhemaa to enthrone a person of their choice to facilitate the sale of the land to the Norwegians. He knows that I am fully aware of the facts and details. He can never deny this before God and the gods he worships.

3. To Kumawu-Bodomasehene, Nana Baffour (a.k.a Nana Atta Tweneboah in private life, and once the head teacher at Kumawu-Abenaso Methodist primary school), who doubles as Kumawu Nifahene, people are asking you the following question: Why did you, alone, sit, to receive traditional drinks from the Kumawuhemaa and Asantehene’s candidate, one Dr Yaw Sarfo, to swear him in as the Kumawuhene-elect? Is it traditional what you did, knowing Kumawu Kontrihene and Akwamuhene were indisposed? When in the history of Kumawu did her Nifahene all by himself and alone, sit in state to enthrone a Kumawuhene?

4. What does Kumawuhemaa want that she is forcing herself to absurdly impose that Dr Yaw Sarfo on her people? Is it traditional to collude with Asantehene to do as they have done? Does she think her subjects whom she insults and disrespects as and when she chooses, will accept Medical Doctor Yaw Sarfo as their chief? Will Dr Sarfo not suffer the same fate as the late Barimah Asumadu Sakyi II?

All that I know, which I have severally tried to make it public, is that Asantehene wants a Kumawuhene who will easily ratify his dodgy sale of the aforementioned Afram Plains lands to the Norwegians. He sees Dr Yaw Sarfo as a soft touch. Additionally, Asantehene has agreed with Kumawuhemaa to take a 50% share of the Kumawuman funds sitting in somewhat a dormant account at the Bank of Ghana for the past 35+ years. The money has been increasing year by year but with an injunction placed on its withdrawal. The injunction barred the late Barimah Asumadu Sakyi II from taking any money from the accounts holding the money because of the once 1.7 million Cedis he swindled from the accounts in 1974/75. Any chief after him can have an unrestricted access to the money. The money that can better Kumawuman to a certain degree is the very money that Asantehene is secretly claiming a 50% share. What an insatiable greediness in the offing!

Anyone can visit Kumawuman, especially Kumawu, to see how bad and dirty the towns have become. Will Dr Yaw Sarfo in the face of this, allow Asantehene to take half of the money as agreed among them? Will the people of Kumawuman agree to that plan?

The decision is not mine to make, but for the people of Kumawuman to tell. However, Dr Yaw Sarfo is not my choice for all the bad undertakings by Kumawuhemaa, Asantehene and Asanteman Council of Chiefs in his favour. He knows how they coached him to tell lies with regard to his family history. How bribes were paid by Kumawhemaa in attempts to secure him the position. Can he deny these? Subsequently, he is not the Lord’s Chosen One.

Rockson Adofo