The Techiman Traditional Council (TDC) has refuted an allegation that the paramount chief of the Offinso traditional area, Nana Wiafe Akenten II, who represented the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, at the burial of the late Techimanhene was subjected to molestation.
The council, however, admitted that a scuffle had ensued between the executioners of Offinsohene and those of the Baamuhene of Techiman when the Offinsohene?s entourage tried to enter where the late chief was laid in state.
Speaking at a press conference at Techiman, following a publication in the Thursday, 26 February 2004 edition of The Chronicle titled ?Bono Chiefs Snub Asantehene?? the ?Kyidomhene? of Techiman, Nana Asa Akompanin, said on that day, the Offinsohene, the Buomhene from the Volta region, some chiefs from the Mo and the Nkoranzahene attended the burial ceremony.
He explained that when the Asantehene?s representative, the Offinsohene arrived and was about to enter the room where the late chief, Osabarima Dotobibi Takyia Ameyaw II was lying in state, the Buomhene, who represented the Volta regional House of Chiefs and his entourage were at the entrance, also ready to enter.
According to the Kyidomhene, the executioners of the Baamuhene asked the Offinsohene and his delegation to wait for the Buomhene to file past the mortal remains before they entered. This advice by the Baamuhene?s executioners, according to Nana Akompanin did not go down well with the Offinsohene?s executioners and this sparked a scuffle between the two parties.
He told the meeting that the Offinsohene?s executioners were of the view that since the Asantehene had delegated the Offinsohene, there was no need for them to stay behind and wait for any other person to enter.
When the Baamuhene, Nana Apenten Ofosu Gyeabour was asked to explain what actually happened there, he said he did not have any confrontation, physical or verbal, with any of the people who came, but it was rather the executioners of the Offinsohene who were aggressive to enter where the late chief was laid in state, adding that the act of the Offinsohene?s executioners was not the normal way of doing things.
The Baamuhene denied that his men kidnapped one Anthony Annor. He said during the scuffle, it was the security that came to intervene. He emphasized that the security would not look on unconcerned for civilians to kidnap somebody. The Kyidomhene, who was also the chairman of the funeral Committee, said the chief of Offinso, Ampabame Barima Takyi Abeam, saw what Annor had done and came to apologize to the chairman.
According to him, later, Nana Offinsohene received cheers from the mourners and danced to various traditional tunes. Delivering his address at the conference, the Kyidomhene indicated that the members of the traditional council respect the occupant of the Golden Stool and therefore vowed not to do anything that would undermine the integrity of the Asantes.
Nana Akompanin said the Baamuhene knew the status of the Offinsohene, as such, would never describe him as a sub-chief.
He stated that Otumfuo Osei Tutu was not scheduled to attend the funeral on a specific day, because the TDC was aware that the Asantehene did not attend funerals on Sundays, but then the Ashanti Regional House of Chiefs was scheduled to attend the funeral on that Sunday, 22 February 2004.
Nana Akompanin counted donations like pure gold dust, two real kente cloths, one from himself and the other from his mother (queen mother) and 14 bottles of schnapps brought to them as funeral gift to the council.
Meanwhile, a day before the press conference, Nana Sekyere Boateng, an assemblyman at the Techiman Municipal Assembly and member of the funeral committee told The Chronicle that the Baamuhene and his people demanded from the Offinsohene that rituals be made before he could enter where the late chief was laid in state.
According to Nana Sekyere Boateng, the executioners of the Offinsohene said they would not allow the Offinsohene to perform the rituals because it was the Asantehene who had sent him, hence the scuffle.
He told the paper in the presence of Prof. Christopher Ameyaw Akumfi at the Minister?s residence that Annor was whisked away by the executioners, in order to prevent him from being hurt by the Baamuhene and the Awerepemhene, Nana Awiti Asare?s people.
He said later the Baamuhene had sent for a ram that was brought to Offinsohene to perform the rituals before entering the room in order to file past the late chief.
