In this year alone, the overlord of the Ashanti Kingdom had stamped his feet and exercised his authority with a high turnaround of destoolment of his sub chiefs.
The powers of Otumfuo Osei Tutu II spans the Ashanti areas to areas in Bono and beyond. His power is reflected in the number of chiefs who pay homage to him whenever he sits in state for major functions.
Destoolment is part of the punitive measures that subchiefs suffer when they among others, go against their oath to the Otumfuo or engage in practices deemed inimical to their communities and by extension Asanteman and the nation at large.
In a space of four months, the Otumfuo has had reason to destool three chiefs for different reasons.
The process usually involves a public hearing before the Asanteman Council before a decision is reached.
GhanaWeb compiles the four destoolments and the triggers:
August 2023: Otumfuo destools chief of Bekwai-Abodom over ‘abandonment’ of stool, galamsey
Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the Asantehene, destooled Nana Saforo Koto, the Chief of Bekwai-Abodom.
The destoolment is as a result of Nana Saforo Koto's inability to defend himself against nearly 20 charges presented by concerned residents within his community.
The charges against him predominantly revolve around the alleged unrestricted sale of land to illegal miners, a practice fueling the destructive illegal small-scale mining alias 'galamsey' operations that have wreaked havoc on local water bodies.
Moreover, he stands accused of neglecting his community duties for an extended period of 7 years, resulting in the abandonment of critical traditional rites and rituals within the stool house, along with other customary activities.
Subordinates operating under his authority have taken issue with Nana Saforo Koto's blatant disregard for essential traditional practices associated with his position.
Otumfuo destools nonagenarian Antoahene
On May 29, 2023, Asantehene Nana Otumfuo Osei Tutu, during a sitting of the Asanteman Traditional Council, ordered the destoolment of the Chief of Antoa, Nana Owusu Agyeman I.
This decision came after a tribunal of the Council, chaired by the Asantehene, found the 96-year-old chief guilty of sidestepping the consent and authority of Otumfuo by delegating his position to his nephew.
This action was deemed a clear violation of customary procedure, leading Otumfuo to issue a decree for his destoolment as Antoahene.
Following Otumfuo's ruling, official rites for the destoolment of Nana Kwame Owusu Agyeman were immediately set into motion in the town of Antoa.
Nana Owusu Agyeman had served as the chief of Antoa for over two decades prior to his destoolment.
June 2023: Otumfuo destools Kwasohene for bribery, perjury – Report
Otumfuo Osei Tutu II destooled the chief of Ejisu Kwaso, Nana Nketia Boampon during a sitting of the Asanteman Traditional Council tribunal on Thursday, June 8, 2023.
The appearance of Kwasohene at the tribunal was said to be on the back of an alleged payment of GHC120,000.00 made to him by one Mr Gyimah, a royal at Kwaso who had shown interest in a vacant Dikro Stool at Kwaso.
The amount was initial payment of GHC300,000.00 agreed upon between Nana Boampon and the said Mr Gyimah for the vacant stool.
Called before the Asantehene, the Kwasohene is said to have committed the inexcusable act of perjury by earlier disavowing the allegation and later admitting to taking the said amount following intense interrogation.
He is also alleged to have engaged in the multiple sale of lands.
His removal as chief of Kwaso was immediately ordered by the Asantehene.
SARA
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Otumfuo Osei Tutu II
