The Queen mother of Offinso (Offinsohemaa), Nana Ama Serwaa Nyarko, has been cited as a key reason behind the continued failure to settle on a new paramount chief for Offinso.
This is according to the paramount chief of the Heman Traditional Area (Hemanhene), Nana Apau Wiafe Ababio Sanwoansan.
The vacancy at Offinso is on the back of the nomination and repeated rejection of the candidacy of Dr. Kofi Koduah Sarpong - a former Chief Executive of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC); by the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II.
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 took on the former GNPC boss and the queen mother for their respective roles in the saga.
Specifically addressing the queen mother, who he said is an acquaintance, the Hemanhene said: “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,” he cautioned.
He also emphasized the position of the Asantehene that KK Sarpong was not a royal and therefore was unfit to be chosen let alone enstooled as successor to the late Offinsohene.
He added that the chieftaincy in Offinso cannot be bought with money, a view Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has stated months back.
“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.
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:
K.K Sarpong shouldn't try this with Asantehene; Offinsohemaa is the cause of all this- Hemanhene
— Opemsuo Radio (@OpemsuoRadio) December 13, 2023
Full video: https://t.co/djU7n6lJaZ#opemsuoradio pic.twitter.com/vuBwge8tis
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