It appears the saga surrounding the chieftaincy of the Offinso Traditional Area has come to an end as the elders of the Offinso have presented a new paramount chief for the area to the Asanteman Council and the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II.

According to a news report by graphic.com.gh, the kingmakers of the Offinso stool presented Nana Amoako Poku, a 68-year-old royal of Offinso Ahyirem Royal Family, as Offinsohene nominee to the Asantehene at the Asanteman Council meeting in Kumasi on Monday, December 18, 2023.

The report indicated that the queen mother of Offinso (Offinsohemaa), who has been at the centre of the confusion on the filling of the vacant stool for the traditional area was absent during the meeting.

Kwakwaboa Abusuapanyin, Opanyin Yaw Nkrumah Adusah in line with Asante tradition in the absence of the queen mother was asked by the Asantehene on the status of vacant stool and the process of the family to choosing a royal to fill the vacant stool.

He told the meeting that the family was nominating Nana Amoako Poku as the Offinsohene and went ahead to introduce him to the Asantehene and the Asanteman Council.

The report indicated that Abusuapanyin assumed responsibility, in consultation with the royal family, to nominate a qualified royal for the stool after the failure of the queen mother to do so for the third time.

Background:

The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, on April 28, 2022, days before his departure to the United States, turned down a request from Offinsohemaa Nana Ama Serwaa Nyarko to accept Dr. K. K. Sarpong as her choice to ascend the Offinso stool, telling her to go and do the right thing as demanded by the traditional and the customary protocols.

The kingmakers of the Offinso Traditional Area chose the former GNPC boss to succeed the late Paramount Chief of Offinso, Nana Wiafe Akenten II.

In reaction to this, some youth of Offinso described the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, as an autocratic leader who is overstepping his traditional powers in the seeming chieftaincy dispute in the area.

The youth, without mincing words, kicked against Manhyia Palace’s decision that the kingmakers of the Offinso Traditional Area should bring a new person to succeed the late paramount chief of Offinso.

At a press conference, the concerned members of Offinso Youth said, “Offinso has taken note the Asantehene has taken advantage of the respect our queen mother has for him and therefore over exercising his powers on our queen mother and making him powerless.

“We can say emphatically that Otumfuo has no power to destool or enstool any paramount chief and he should allow Offinso Hemaa to do her work.”

BAI/NOQ

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