Golden stool on display January 31

THE LEGEDNARY Golden Stool, believed to be the embodiment of the spirit and soul of the proud people of Asante, the largest sub group of the Akan people in Ghana, would be on display in the open on January 31.
The occasion marks the 80th anniversary of the reformation of the Ashanti Confederacy in 1935.

The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II who announced this at the opening of Asanteman Council for 2015 last week Thursday said the occasion would also serve as a reminder that Asanteman is still a formidable force to reckon with as in the days it was formed.

He used the occasion to urge nananom to rise up to attempts by some elements to weaken Asanteman Council.

The Ashanti King indicated that the Asanteman Council comprised the entire membership with himself as the head and that it was onerous on the Council as a body to defend its interests and challenged nananom to assert themselves in defending Asanteman and the Golden Stool in the face of unwarranted provocations that tend to demean the people and weaken the base of Asanteman Council.
Otumfuo said nananom members of the Council should work to ward off any divisive tendencies and queried how any group of persons or individuals undermine the unity of the people of Asante when the British force had failed to accomplish similar objectives in the past.
He said chiefs and members of the Asanteman Council should be able to die a little in defence of the Asanteman.
In obvious reaction to news of the alleged nocturnal installation of a rival chief for Kumawu, Otumfuo Osei Tutu bemoaned the development where natives denigrated established norms and traditional value of the Asante state amid lies and disrespect.
A group of destooled chiefs of Kumawu Traditional Area, Opanin Yaw Adom, ex- Akwamuhene; Opanin Kofi Agyei, ex- Aduanahene and Opanin Okyere Krapah, ex-Akyempimhene have purportedly installed a 56-year-old John Akwasi Oduro, a telecommunication technician and royal of the Anananya Aduana royal family of Kumawu as a rival chief of Kumawu under the stool name of Barima Oduro Tweneboa Kodua V to challenge the installation of Barima Sarfo Tweneboa Kodua, the Omanhene of Kumawu.
The Asantehene reminded them that decisions taken by the Asanteman Council are binding on them as members and therefore should be able to collectively defend the Council when such decisions and conventions are being trampled upon by individuals or groups of persons.
He urged the house to come out with sanctions to back decisions taken by the Council to address infractions and lies being perpetrated against Asanteman.
Otumfuo referred to the banning of the Odumase branch of the royal Aduana family of Kumawu by Otumfuo Osei Kwadwo from occupying the Kodua Stool of Kumawu and stated that the Golden Stool has the power to enstool and destool a chief today without question as in the years gone by.
According to him, the Council should not only arbitrate or settle cases or drawing development agenda but also serve as a learning centre of the traditional, cultural values and norms to move forward in development.
The Asante King emphasized that Asanteman existed long before Ghana as a nation came into being hence its recognition by the Constitution of its unique position.
The Omanhene of Kumawu Traditional Area, Barima Sarfo Tweneboa Kodua who gave account of the recent developments at Kumawu indicated that the situation was under control pending investigations by the police.
According to the Kumawuhene , the place is calm and peaceful and assured that he would, with the cooperation of the chiefs and people, work towards the sustenance of peace and development.
He further renewed his allegiance to the Golden Stool and pledged not to disappoint the Asantehene and Asanteman.
Meanwhile, Barima Sarfo Tweneboa Kodua has called for calm among the people in the area and not be provoked by any acts of lawlessness by any group of persons or individuals.
He made the call when Nana Yaw Asabre and Nana Sarfo Agyei Boakye swore the oath of allegiance to him as chief of Abotanso and Bodwease respectively at the Kumawu Palace last Monday.
Nana Sarfo Agyei Boakye, the new Bodweasehene replaces Nana Okyere Bediako who ruled for about 50 years until he was destooled among five chiefs on the orders of the Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II for insubordination.
The new Abotanso chief assumes the role of Atutufuohene of the Omanhene of Kumawu.
Barima Sarfo Tweneboa Kodua advised the new chiefs against divisive tendencies and called for support for his development agenda for the general development of the traditional area and Ashanti.
The Omanhene assured that he would remain focused and promote peace to complement efforts of the Asantehene in improving the lot of the people.
Addressing the gathering in a peaceful atmosphere contrary to reports of tension, Barima Tweneboa Kodua stated that he would not be detracted by agitations of some elements to disturb the peace prevailing in the area.
The Queen mother of Kumawu, Nana Serwaa Amponsah indicated that the Kumawu Traditional Council have not time for petty disputes and would remain focused on its set objectives for development.