In an attempt to distort the history of the Wirempe stool to entrench his clan’s occupancy over the stool, Nana Opia Mensah II was exposed by a committee report and publicly rebuked by Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II for the treachery.
The chief, who belongs to the Aduana clan, laid claim to the stool as a possession of his clan after he challenged an invocation of the Great Oath by Mr. Kofi Nimo, a self-acclaimed royal of the Oyoko Clan.
Mr. Nimo invoked the oath on the basis that the current occupant of the stool was not eligible to hold the office since his clan is not the royal house. He argued that the stool was an entitlement of the Oyoko clan.
The two were further disqualified as royals entitled to the stool by Mr. Kwabena Nketia, the head of the Oyoko Clan. Although Opanin Nketia corroborated assertions that the stool was for the Oyoko Royal House, he noted that Mr. Nimo was not a member of the royal house as he claimed.
Mr. Nketia argued that the stool originally belonged to the Oyoko Clan. However, it was given to someone from the Aduana clan when it became vacant, as there was no eligible royal from the Oyoko clan to ascend.
This was because all the royals were too young at the time.
A committee was set up by the Asantehene to look into the matter, and its report was presented to the Kumasi Traditional Council on Thursday, August 15, 2024.
Findings
The committee, after reviewing evidence from the factions, found that the stool actually belonged to the Oyoko Clan and not the Aduana.
Based on family trees presented by Opanin Nketia and Mr. Nimo, the committee concluded that Mr. Nimo was not of the royal house, as his family tree differed from the one presented by the clan head.
Additionally, Mr. Nimo’s family tree omitted Opanin Nketia despite his assertion that they were related.
All the divisions of the Council upheld the report of the committee, which was eventually affirmed by Otumfuo.
Rebuke
In his remarks, Otumfuo rebuked the Wirempehene for attempting to distort the history of the stool to deprive the entitled royal house.
He recalled how he urged the chief to exercise patience at the time the Great Oath was invoked.
“I told you to be patient when the case came up. I cautioned you not to challenge the oath and to make efforts to maintain peace. But then, the next thing I heard, you had challenged it. Your knowledge and honour gave you the opportunity to occupy the stool, {not your royalty}. You failed to listen to my advice. All your claims are false. You have no case. You wanted to play wise, and this is where it has brought you.”
He continued, “I know why I asked you to be patient. I know perfectly well that the stool is not for the Aduana clan but for the Oyoko. Saamanhene, a member of the Oyoko Clan, goes to undertake the needed rituals there. You know the truth better than anyone that the stool isn’t for the Aduana. You tried to distort history and the truth because the new generation is ignorant of history. You thought you were the wisest and your subjects were some sort of villagers, so you would impose yourself on them.”
Otumfuo also criticised him for the prevalence of illegal mining and logging activities at Wirempe, which are threatening the environment.
“You exhibit impudence and have failed to develop the place. Look at the nasty things that take place there: illegal mining and logging.”
Fine
Nana Opia Mensah and Mr. Nimo were fined after being found guilty.
They will honour the fine on September 2, 2024, when the next Kumasi Traditional Council meeting will be held.
Source: Manhyia Palace
