The 37-year reign of Nana Ama Serwaa Nyarko as Queen Mother of Offinso in the Ashanti Region has ended after the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu destooled her for challenging his authority.
The Queen insisted Dr Kofi Kodua Sarpong was her choice as Offino Paramount Chief.
The people of the town believed to be backed by the queen mother organized a press conference to openly challenge the authority of Otumfuo.
The last straw was when the Queen mother took Otumfuo to court.
The destoolment proclamation was made on Thursday, January 11, 2024, at the Asanteman Council’s first meeting of the year as the first destooling in 2024.
Otumfuo presided over the Asanteman Council, which was attended by the recently installed Offinso chief, Nana Dwamena Akenten II.
The destoolment was premised on claims of excessive insubordination, chiefly coming from Offinsohemaa’s reluctance to appear before Otumfuo following a summon and other related offences.
Otumfuo delivering his verdict said “I deliver the town into your hands alone. You have no queen mother. Find a new queen mother to help you undertake your mandate when you have settled down. We need a queen mother who will be present here when we need her”.
The Offinso stool became controversial when certain people, including the Queen mother, tried to “sell” it to Dr. Desmond Kofi Koduah Sarpong, the former chairman of the Asante Kotoko Sporting Club’s board.
At a news conference in December, Hemanhene Nana Wiafe Apau Sanwoansan, speaking on behalf of the Bekum Division, revealed that royals had told Otumfuo of the Queen mother’s attempts to break convention by giving the stool to KK Sarpong.
After Otumfuo conducted investigations, it was discovered that KK Sarpong—who had been nominated by the Queen mother to fill the stool—was not, as he had claimed, a member of the Ahyirem Royal Family.
He was disqualified since the woman from whom he was allegedly descended never had children.
This revelation sparked tensions among the Queen mother and some youth of Offinso.
Background
According to Hemanhene Nana Wiafe Apau Sanwoansan, who represented the Bekum Division at a presser by the Kumasi Traditional Area in December, some royals approached Otumfuo about efforts by the Queen Mother to compromise on tradition and give away the stool to KK Sarpong.
The royals urged the King to intervene to forestall the unforeseen situation, prompting the establishment of a committee to probe the allegation.
It was found by the Otumfuo and the Committee that the said KK Sarpong- who was presented by the Queen mother to occupy the stool was not related to the Ahyirem Royal Family as he claimed after analysis of his family tree.
It was found that the woman he claimed to originate from never had a child and was thus disqualified, breeding tensions among the Queen mother and some youth of Offinso.
Asantehene thus directed the royals to select a candidate to be sworn in.
On December 18, 2023 the royals, led by Kwakwaboa Abusuapanin Opanin Yaw Nkrumah Adusah, presented Nana Amoako Opoku to Otumfuo at the Manhyia Palace by Asante tradition.
BY Daniel Bampoe