Offinso’s enraged youth and elders have accused His Royal Majesty, the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, of violating their rights by rejecting the Queen Mother’s candidate for the vacant Offinso stool following the death of Offinsomanhene, Nana Wiafe Akenten III in 2019.
Addressing the press on October 24, 2023, during a protest against Otumfuo’s stance on the matter, the clan head of Bretuo read out a statement expressing their disappointment and discontent over how the Asantehene was handling the chieftaincy disputes surrounding the Offinso stool.
He said, “Manhyia wants to abuse the rights of Offinso; hence, I’m here to read out the content of this letter I have here with me.
“Offinsoman is highly disappointed in Manhyia over how the pending chif dispute is being resolved by his royal majesty, the second Asantehene”.
On their part, the Queen Mother, Nana Ama Serwaa Nyarko, per customs, has presented a viable candidate, subject to the approval of all Offinso kingmakers but it appears Otumfuo wants to abuse the respect their queen mother has for Otumfuo.
“Offinso has noticed that Otumfuo is taking undue advantage of the respect our queen mother has for him and therefore exercising his powers over our queen mother to harass and make her powerless.
“There were 18 contestants and the queen mother chose her possible 3 and finally settled on Dr KK Sarpong. The kingmakers unanimously accepted the nominee; if the kingmakers had rejected the nominee, the queenmother would not have presented it. We repeat that there is nothing like an objection from the queen-makers.
Customs were made and there was aseda nsa to the kingmakers, namely Akyeamehene, Gyasehene,Kontihene, Nifahene, Ankobeahene,Adontenehene, Akyeame group, and Asonahene, as customs demand”.
They went on to charge the Asantehene to step aside and allow the Offinso quenmother and her entourage to do their job, as he has no right to “enstool or destool any Omahene”.
“We can state emphatically that Otumfuo has no power to enstool or destool any Omahene and should allow the Offinso hemaa and her kingmakers to do their job as custom demands.”
Meanwhile, even though it appears many of the Offinso natives support the queenmothers and candidate KK Sarpong, others also agree with Otumfuo’s assertion that the queenmother and elders of Offinso had taken bribes from Dr. Sarpong and were trying to sell the stool to him.
Otumfuo also warned them to stop their illegal activities and cooperate with him to resolve the issue amicably .
He clarified that he is extending his tolerance towards the queenmother primarily due to her familial ties and the memory of his late mother, the Asantehemaa.
