The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, on Tuesday December 16, 2025, presented the final report of the high-level mediation process on the protracted Bawku conflict to President John Dramani Mahama at the Jubilee House, as government steps up efforts to restore lasting peace in the troubled area.
Beyond the content of the report, attention at the event was drawn to the Asantehene’s symbolic choice of attire, which carried a strong traditional message of peace, unity and lawful authority.
An X page affiliated with Manhyia Palace, Asante Nation, highlighted the deeper meaning behind the cloth worn by the Asantehene during the presentation.
According to the page, the cloth featured the revered Akan Adinkra symbol Bi Nka Bi (Obi nka bi), painted in white.
Literally translated as “no one should bite the other,” the symbol represents peace, harmony, fairness, forgiveness and restraint. Traditionally depicted as two fish or crocodiles biting each other’s tails, Bi Nka Bi serves as a caution against provocation, destructive rivalry and internal conflict.
The message, according to the palace-affiliated account, is clear: disagreement must never descend into self-destruction, because when a people turn against themselves, the result is collective ruin.
Otumfuo issues strong warning to Cletus Avoka over Bawku conflict
Complementing this symbol was the golden Porcupine standing on a stool. The Porcupine, the totem of Asanteman, signifies collective strength, vigilance and unity, while the stool represents legitimate authority, governance and the soul of the people. Together, they conveyed authority guided by wisdom and strength exercised in defence of peace rather than conflict.
In presenting the mediation report, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, who chaired the Special Peace Committee established to find a lasting solution to the Bawku Chieftaincy dispute, urged the government to firmly enforce existing laws recognising Zugraan Naba Asigri Abugrago Azoka II as the lawful Bawku Naba and paramount chief of the Kusasi Traditional Area.
The directive represents the committee’s final and uncompromising advice to President Mahama on the long-running conflict between the Mamprusi and Kusasi groups, which has led to numerous deaths and significantly hindered development in Bawku and its environs.
Presenting the report, the Asantehene stressed that the committee’s position was grounded strictly in Ghana’s constitutional framework and the Supreme Court’s definitive rulings on the matter, rather than on negotiations or customary compromises.
The report reaffirmed the legal status created under the Restoration of Status of Chiefs Law, 1983 (PNDCL 75), which was subsequently upheld by the Supreme Court in 2003.
Otumfuo Osei Tutu II emphasised that all traditional authorities are subject to the rule of law and appealed directly to Naa Mahami Abdulai Sheriga, the Nayiri and overlord of Mamprugu, to respect the established legal position, particularly following recent attempts to endorse an alternative claimant to the Bawku skin.
THE KING’S CLOTH: A SILENT BUT POWERFUL MESSAGE
Today at Jubilee House, as the Asantehene presented the Roadmap to end the Bawku conflict to the President, his attire spoke as loudly as his words.The king’s cloth bears the revered Akan Adinkra symbol Bi Nka Bi (Obi nka bi),… pic.twitter.com/POjbsQAeFq
— The Asante Nation (@Asante_nation) December 16, 2025
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