• Metascholar News Portal
• Environmental News , Local News
• February 25, 2025
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• 3 minutes Read

Otumfuo Deposes Owhinhene for Defiling the Sacred Ashanti Oath

Kumasi, February 24, 2025 – The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has officially destooled Nana Kusi Baaye II, the Chief of Ohwim in the Ashanti Region, marking the end of his 16-year reign. The decision follows a series of grave offenses, including the desecration of the Great Oath of Ashanti, extortion, illegal land sales, and unauthorized mining activities. The verdict was delivered during a session of the Kumasi Traditional Council, where the Ohwimhene was found guilty of multiple charges. The primary accusation centered on his violation of the Great Oath, a sacred covenant in Ashanti tradition. However, additional allegations of corruption, abuse of power, and disrespect for cultural norms further sealed his fate. Breach of Trust and False Testimony The Ohwimhene was accused of accepting bribes to provide false testimony in a chieftaincy dispute involving Adede. Despite knowing the rightful owners of the stool, he demanded GHC6,000 to testify in their favor. Instead, he accepted money from opposing parties and lied before the Asantehene, a blatant violation of his oath of office and the witness vow tied to the Great Oath. His sister, Akosua Nyame, testified that the chief had mocked the Great Oath after she invoked it three times to halt his illegal activities, including the sale of cemetery lands reserved for royals and chiefs. “He told me, ‘If the Great Oath has legs, let it come and arrest me,’” she recounted. Illegal Land Sales and Mining Dwumakye Baapanin, a royal, accused the chief of fraudulently selling 200 plots of land under the pretense that the Asantehene had granted him ownership. Similarly, a former Biemso Dikro revealed that the Ohwimhene had seized land under the guise of a solar project, only to carry out illegal mining operations that left the area devastated. The former Dikro also detailed how the chief had destooled and tortured him and other traditional leaders, leading to the deaths of six individuals. He further accused the Ohwimhene of neglecting his duties to perform essential stool rites, claiming, “He says he is now a Christian and cannot perform the rites, so the stools have been left hungry.” Disputed Royalty and Stool Eligibility A royal family member contested the Ohwimhene’s legitimacy, alleging that he was not a true royal. She recounted how he had denied her daughter’s rightful claim to a vacant queen’s stool, stating, “The male stool missed its way to their side, and we allowed them to occupy it out of goodwill. Now, he claims…