Osiemhemaa breaks silence on alleged black stools theft

More than two months after The Chronicle reported that tension and a state of insecurity was brewing at Osiem, near Akyem Tafo in the Abuakwa North Municipality of the Eastern Region, following the alleged loss of three black stools belonging to the Osiem Amponfi Ahenfie, the Osiemhemaa, Obaapanin Akosua Atwomaa I, has officially announced that the stools are in her custody but is not ready to release them.

In a statement, she mentioned that her decision was informed by her quest to protect the stool, emphasizing that the current Chief, Osabarima Adjei Ameriku, is not the rightful person to ascend the throne.

“Per customs and tradition, it is the Queen mother who nominates and presents someone to be enstooled when a stool is vacant - which is not the case with the present Osiem Chieftaincy,” parts of the statement read.

It continued: “Kwasi Ohemeng and some elders and some youth forcibly broke into our Palace and vandalized the place while the keys to all the rooms were in my custody as the Queen mother. The room of the late Chief has been broken into and only God knows what they have taken from there.

“My room has also been broken into and I don’t even know the state of my room now. They are still occupying the Palace. My Abusuapanin and I have reported the case to Osiem police station, the Regional Police command at Koforidua since 2017. An investigator was sent to verify the vandalized items at the Palace and we are still waiting for the outcome and the culprits brought to book.

“This is my side of the case and still state that, I am the Queen mother of Osiem and have the right as customs and tradition demands to nominate a successor to the Osiem Royal Asona Stool.

“Gyamera Boateng and those who think like him should spare us their lies and falsehoods. I have not stolen the black stool but as a custodian to the black stool, I will protect its safety.”

Below is the full statement

It must be noted that Osiem and Etokrom are two different towns. Whiles Osiem stools title is Osabarima, that of Etokrom is Barima. Osiem stool is occupied by the Royal Asona clan while that of Etokrom is Dwumana Clan.

Since when did the said Abusuapanin Gyamera Boateng became the spokesperson of Osiem Asona Royal clan. He should stop pedaling falsehood and half-truth and mind his own family matters.

These are the facts of the case of the Osiem chieftaincy affairs.

Soon after the funeral of my uncle the late Osabarima Kwaku Opoku III.

Osiemhene of blessed memory. I the Obaapanin Akosua Atwomaa and my Abusuapanin Op. kwadwo Yeboah were in the palace, where I resided with my late uncle when a young man by name Kwasi Ohemang and others came and said they were paying us a homage, since it was an “Addae”.

I was surprised because they have never ever stepped at the palace for all those twenty-seven years while my uncle was alive.

That notwithstanding, we received them later in the day, it was rumored that I the queen mother have accepted the young man to be the successor to my late uncle which was not true, I immediately returned their drinks to them.

They became offended and summoned me before the Okyehene Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin.

We went and presented our side of the case to Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin.

We were asked to come at another date for full arbitration and settlement, surprisingly I was not given the chance to present my facts of the case and was told that an emissary has been sent to Osiem to ask some elders whether kwasi Oheming could become a chief and the answer was yes so Kwasi Oheming should go and occupy the stool just like that.

I, the queen mother and my elders didn’t take it kindly to this one sided arbitration and took the matter to Kyebi judicial council for fair hearing. Since per customs and tradition, it is the Queenmother who nominates and presents someone to be enstooled when a stool is vacant which is not the case of the present Osiem Chieftancy issues.

Kwasi Ohemeng and some elders and some youth forcibly broke into our Palace and vandalized the place while the keys to all the rooms were in my custody as the Queen mother. The room of the late Chief has been broken into and only God knows what they have taken from there.

My room has also been broken into and I don’t even know the state of my room now. They are still occupying the Palace.

My Abusuapanin and I have reported the case to Osiem police station, the Regional Police command at Koforidua since 2017. An investigator was sent to verify the vandalized items at the Palace and we are still waiting for the outcome and the culprits brought to book.

This is my side of the case and still state that, I am the Queen mother of Osiem and have the right as customs and tradition demands to nominate a successor to the Osiem Royal Asona Stool.

Gyamera Boateng and those who think like him should spare us their lies and falsehoods.

I have not stolen the black stool but as a custodian to the black stool, I will protect its safety.

I will never ever accept Kwasi Oheming as CHIEF of Osiem.

Kwasi Oheming and his cohorts should stop pedaling falsehood that I have stolen from the Palace. How can I steal something which is mine? Rather, they have broken into the rooms and forcibly taken stool regalia and using them illegally.

As we were advised per the rolling at the regional house of chiefs, we shall in due course advise ourselves and the whole truth would be known and justice would be carried out.

It must be noted again that the kyebi judicial council arbitration was not conclusive per their ruling and we are still going to pursue our case to its logical conclusion.

Obaapayin Akosua Atwomaa queen mother of Osiem and my Abusuapayin and head of the Asona Royal clan of Osiem Kwadwo Yeboah and others who together make up the Kingmakers want to put it on record that we have never enstooled any chief at Osiem.

Kwasi Ohemeng the Ashiaman based tailor who is parading himself as the newly installed chief of Akyem Osiem.

We are warning him to stop parading himself as the Chief of Osiem because Obaapayin Akosua Atwomaa Abusuapayin, Kwadwo Yeboah and the Kingmakers of the Royal Asona clan have never and I repeat never enstooled Kwasi Ohemeng as the Chief of Osiem.

He also alleges that, Nanahemaa and our late Osabirima Kwaku Opoku (our respected King who has joined our ancestors ,may his soul rest in peace) have sold all the stool lands of Osiem which is palpably false ,and moreover the Traditional council is not answerable or accountable to him because he has no locus since he is not a chief.

He claims the black stool he was named after has been stolen from the palace which is also false .How can somebody who has not been nominated and approved by the kingmakers claim ownership of a blackstool? to wit in Twi “ y3 huri wo ,wose maniso brim me”.

Finally and more importantly we are making a fervent appeal to the Regional Police Command, as a matter of urgency to come out with the findings, in addition we are not happy about the recent robbery attacks and insecurity situation at Osiem.