Woman, 76, Pushed Into Exile

For fear that she might be eliminated, a 76-year-old royal of the Ahenkro Oyoko Stool, Madam Afia Adutwumwaa, alias Afia Donkor, aka Hannah Donkor, has gone into self-exile at Manso Adubia for the past three years.

Her action follows alleged threats on her life by then Mr. Anthony Twumasi Ankrah, alias Tony-the Saint, who now answers to Nana Ahenkro Osei II, as chief of Ahenkro in Ashanti.

It is also in protest against the enstoolment of Nana Ahenkro Osei as such.

Madam Adutwumwaa has challenged the chief's eligibility.

She told the Chronicle at her Manso Adubia home that she was scared to the bones, following an encounter with the chief shortly before his installation.

The then aspiring chief is reported to have confronted the old lady with a gun concealed in his clothes apparently to put the fear of God in her not to disclose his background as a non-royal.

The chief saw the old lady as standing between his nomination and installation as chief.

Madam Adutwumwaa, an Obaapanin of the royal Oyoko family of Ahenkro would rather distance herself from Ahenkro than to be threatened into submission and recognise a non-royal as chief of the Ahenkro stool, hence the self-exile.

She would not go back to Ahenkro (dead or alive) until a true royal ascends the Ahenkro stool.

The old lady, a mother of eight has countered previous claims by the chief that he is a royal of the stool and that the Queenmother of Ahenkro, Nana Ama Dapaah is his mother.

Nana Ahenkro Osei has, however, denied allegations of threat on the woman's life. He has also countered claims that he is not a royal.

The chief is on record to have mentioned Osei and one Owusu Anim as his brothers.

Madam Adutwumwaa has mentioned one Akua Addae of Wahaso, near Manso Adubia, as the chief's mother.

She also mentioned Opanin Kwaku Fokuo as the brother of Akua Addae and Abusuapanin of the chief.

The self-exiled challenged Opanin Fokuo to openly declare his role as Abusuapanin in the nomination of the chief to the Queenmother.

Revisiting history, Madam Adutwumwaa explained that Akua Addae, the chief's mother, is a direct descendant of one Fowaa from the lineage of one Tanaa on settling at Manso Adubia from Ahenkro.

According to her, Tanaa Akua had moved to Adubia with one Frimpong, a brother of the then chief of Ahenkro, Nana Ahenkro Osei I.

The old lady pointed out that though Tanaa Akua's lineage had a close alliance with the royal family that did not mean "they" were "a part of us" to want to ascend the stool as royals.

She buttressed the chief's disqualification with the fact that he (chief) did not attend the funeral of Nana Kofi Ntim who abdicated in 1960 as chief of Ahenkro and died in 1997.

The chief's failure to attend the funeral is obvious. "It is for one or two reasons," she explained simply.

Madam Adutwumwaa is backed by the Abusuapanin of the Manso Adubia group of Oyoko royals of Ahenkro, Nana Yaw Ankamah who is acting as the attorney of Opanin Yaw Kobi, 120.

Opanin Yaw Kobi has suggested that Oyoko royals of Ahenkro battle it out with usurpers to protect the stool.

Last February, Yaw Ankamah challenged the eligibility of the chief by swearing the great oath of Asante.

It is not known whether the chief of Ahenkro has countered the oath. At least, the Atutuahene of Kumasi, Nana Kwabena Abebrese, the traditional link between the Oyoko family/stool of Ahenkro and the Golden Stool, has confided in the Chronicle that no such thing has been performed.

According to him, the Ahenkro chief does not see any relevance to the impasse.

The Chronicle is, however, aware that the case is pending before the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II for determination.

Meanwhile, Madam Adutwumwaa, Opanin Yaw Kobi and Madam Abena Burowaa, alias Dufie, 95, of Ayirebikrom have declared their intention to march to the Manhyia Palace to register their protest against Nana Ahenkro Osei as chief of Ahenkro.

In a related development, Chronicle sources close to Opanin Kwaku Fokuo at Wahaso where they resettled from Manso Adubia indicate that Opanin Fokuo has frowned on his nephew Anthony Twumasi's (Nana Ahenkro Osei's) claim as royal of the Oyoko family of Ahenkro.