The paramount chief of the Heman Traditional Area (Hemanhene), Nana Apau Wiafe Ababio Sanwoansan, has slammed the former Chief Executive of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), Dr. Kofi Koduah Sarpong, over the brouhaha surrounding the Offinso chieftaincy.
According to Hemanhene, Dr Sarpong knows his rejection by the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, as the Paramount Chief of Offinso (Offinso Manhene), is right but he (KK Sarpong) is bent on causing trouble.
Speaking at a meeting of chiefs of the Asanteman Council, in a video shared by Kumasi-based Opemsuo Radio, on December 13, 2023, Nana Sanwoansan said that the former GNPC boss knows very well that he has no claim to the Offinso stool.
He added that the chieftaincy in Offinso cannot be bought with money.
“KK, you made a donation during the one-week celebration of the late Offinsohene, during the funeral you donated, and you even signed the book of condolence. If you are part of the royal family, would you be doing all this?
“If you were a royal, would you be signing the book of condolence? Stop what you are doing. We have to tell him the truth for him to stop what he is doing. You can’t be playing with the Asantehene like this,” he said in Twi.
“Even me, the Hemanhene, cannot do this with the Asantehene, what is wrong with you?” he added.
The Hemanhene also slammed the queen mother of Offinso (Offinsohemaa) for fuelling the disagreement on the Offinso stool.
“Nana Offinsohemaa is also making a big mistake. Offinsohemaa, we have been close friends for 30 years, why are you doing this? The youth are misbehaving, and some of them are even performing all kinds of rituals, what are you saying about this? Are you encouraging these things? Stop what you are doing. You can’t be doing this with the Asantehene.”
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.””
Watch the Hemanhene’s remarks in the video below:
BAI/ ADG
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Hemanhene, Asantehene and Dr KK Sarpong