The late chief with Otumfuo Osei Tutu
THE Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, as the Asante custom demands, on Sunday evening stormed Koforidua, the Esastern Regional capital to attend the Wake keeping at the Yiadon-Hewedie Palace to mourn with the New Juaben Traditional Council over the demise of the Omanhene and the Queen mother.
The final funeral rites and burial of the late Omanhene of New Juaben, Daasebre Oti Boateng and the late queen mother, Nana Yaa Daani II is scheduled for this week.
Otumfuo was led by a lot of chiefs of the Asante Kingdom to Koforidua on Sunday, and they will be present at New Juaben to mourn with the family of the late chiefs.
On Monday, which is the grand funeral day, Otumfuo will delegate Kumawuhene, Barimah Sarfo Tweneboa Kodua to represent him at the Doteyie of the late Daasebre (Prof. Emeritus) Oti Boateng and Ohemaa Nana Yaa Daani II.
The Asantehene will attend the main funeral, which is yet to be planned after a new Paramount Chief has been installed by the Omanhene of Old Juaben Nana Otuo Siriboe II who is the brother of the late Daasebre Oti Boateng.
Ex-President John Agyekum Kufuor, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, and his Vice-President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia on Saturday joined thousands of mourners to mourn the late chiefs.
As part of the security measures to ensure the safety of the mourners, the Regional Police Command has deployed about 400 police personnel for the final funeral rites which began on Friday, May 13, and are expected to end on May 17, 2022.
Some major roads in Koforidua have since been blocked from creating vehicular traffic in parts of the town.
The late Emeritus Professor Emmanuel Oti Boateng was the paramount chief of New Juaben, a settlement of refugees from the war in Asanteman, established in the Eastern Region in 1875.
He succeeded his blood brother Nana Kwaku Boateng II as the paramount chief of New Juaben in 1992, taking the stool name Daasebre.
Daasebre who belonged to the Yiadom-Hwedie royal lineage of Juaben, Asante Juaben, and New Juaben was the Chancellor of All Nations University in Koforidua and a recipient of many national and international awards.
He left behind 12 children.
BY Daniel Bampoe