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General News of Friday, 11 October 2002

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Asantehene Destools His Sub Chief

The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II has destooled one of his sub chiefs for insubordination. Ohenenana Kwaku Duah, the chief of Bonwire, a popular kente weaving community allegedly refused to swear the oath of allegiance to the Asantehene and the Omanhene of Ejisu Traditional Area, Nana Aboagye Agyei II, his immediate overlord. He is reported to have breached custom by arbitrarily enstooling and destooling his sub-chiefs without consultation with the Bonwire Queenmother.

The chief, who has lived 10 out of his 15 years on the Bonwire stool outside the country. At a Kumasi Traditional Council (KTC) meeting presided over by the Asantehene, Ohenenana Duah could not give any convincing reasons for his actions and in spite of promptings by some members of the Council that he renders an apology he remained unrepentant.

The Traditional Council was therefore, unanimous in its opinion that he should be destooled. Otumfuo Osei Tutu subsequently ordered the removal of his traditional sandals to signify his destoolment.

Meanwhile, news about the removal of Ohenenana Duah from the Bonwire stool has thrown the town into euphoria. The overwhelming majority of the population who disapproved of his leadership styles, widely perceived as crude and unpopular have been throwing big parties to celebrate his destoolment.