Is the Asantehene's Great Oath ("Ntamkese") Being Undermined by Himself?

Kumawuman Wants to Know?

I have just returned from Ghana, having had the opportunity to sit in audience through two Asanteman traditional public sittings convened at the request of Otumfour Osei Tutu II, the Asantehene, intended for resolving the needlessly countless chieftaincy disputes Asanteman is inundated with. In those two instances, the Kumawu chieftaincy problem of which I have extensively written about was brought up for discussion in case a solution could be found. But each time a solution was within grabs, the Asantehene himself by crafty design to throw dust into people's eyes, underrating the intelligence of the Kumawuman citizens, had found very annoying ways not only to defer judgment but to thwart any means of reaching a solution. As it has always been my observation, he finds it tough and will continually find it insurmountably difficult to rule against the Kumawuhemaa with whom he has had, and continue to have intimate relationship. I have no qualms about one's personal affairs provided they neither infringe on the rights and freedoms of others, nor are they allowed to obstruct the delivery of justice. But one will shortly see that the very unfortunate "boyfriend and girlfriend" relationship in place between the Asantehene and the Kumawuhemaa is anathematically not only delaying any chances of securing a solution to the ongoing Kumawuman chieftaincy dispute but in effect, ruining Kumawuman.

On the Tuesday of 11 March 2008, the case of Kumawuman regarding who becomes, and from which Kumawu Aduana Royal Family should come the next Kumawu paramount chief with the much discussed attendant disputation culminating in the invocation of the "Asantehene's Great Oath" was to be heard, discussed and a ruling consequently made; all things falling in place as per rational expectation. When Kumawuhemaa was offered the floor, she craftily started with a retraction of her both verbally and documented infamous statements directed at relegating the "Ananingya and the Kumawu Odumase" Aduana royal families into subordination. She started as following, "The members of the Ananingya and the Odumase Aduana royal families and I, (with the Ankaase royal family in mind), are all brothers and sisters. We are a big family without any distinction". She however could be seen to attempt in the course of her narration of situations to blame the Ananingya royal family and the Aduanahene for forcing the nomination, selection and installation of a new Kumawu paramount chief into a standstill due to their purported hastily instituted court action against her without first seeking to exhaust all the available traditional means, according to her warped estimation. In her "cowboy's" wisdom, she thought to ably negate the repercussions of the Oath for which she had months back compelled Nana Nti Kwakye to invoke, for which he was obliged to slaughter twelve sheep and then pay twenty four bottles of schnapps, with her simplistic denial before the panel of any knowledge about any such related charges though, very much aware of the incidence of the oath.

The Ananingya "Abusuapanin" (family head) Nana Nti Kwakye refuted the U-turn assertions of the queen designed to exonerate her from the deeper implications and consequences of having earlier categorized both the Ananingya and the Kumawu Odumase royal families as "Adonkofo3" in her defence submission to the court on the charges brought against her, denying her the traditional right to nominate, select and install a new Kumawu paramount chief. How can "adonkofo3" (slaves) now become one and same with "adehye" (royals) overnight? Cunning as she is, thinking to wriggle herself out of difficulty and free from the noose, Nana Nti Kwakye rather tightened it up by invoking the Asantehene's Great Oath ("Ntamkese") there and then, for the second time.. He said in his invocative "Ntamkese" response to the queen as, "You are not my sister, and we are not a family". I am putting it to you that you and your family were co-opted into the Kumawu paramountcy". He beckoned the queen to counteract, issuing a prompt "Ntamkese" contestation if he was not telling the truth. She failed. She rather chose to pursue the path of the queen of Essumeja who also had earlier on been unable to challenge a similar "Ntamkese's" invocation. Like the Essumajahemaa, Kumawuhemaa begged Otumfour and the panel to allow her proceed home to consult with her elders before coming back at a later date to tell whether or not she would be able to challenge Nana Nti Kwakye as to the Ankaase royals of which she is one, were original, genuine or made royals through co-option. What a shame on this foul-mouthed queen who is not well versed in her own traditional family's history but has the guts to brag.

Nana Nti Kwakye was denied the opportunity to nail down the queen by tending in evidence the queen's own written statement referring to both the Ananingya and the Odumase royals as illegitimates unfit for ascending the Kumawu paramount throne. Who denied him this final and much awaited chance to resolve the Kumawu chieftaincy dispute once for all? Your guess is as good as mine. It was the Otumfour himself. I could read him doing that simply to pay back his girlfriend in kind for any good time they had/have or continue to spend together. How else could he explain away his actions? What further good time can they spend together seeing that one Mr. Amoah desirous to become the "Odikro" of Woraso has usurped her, spending an awful lot of money on her just to keep this wayward "prodigal daughter" from yielding in to other men's love proposals? If she is now fortunately monopolised which though is just for a period, why then is Otumfour trying to intervene unnecessarily to save her from total disgrace? Has she not by greediness and stupidity brought upon herself whatever sad situation she has drifted into? Is this detrimental person not a hindrance to the development of Kumawuman and her inhabitants and thus, going away having been silenced and floored historically be a good riddance? One would normally expect the Asantehene, Otumfour Osei Tutu II, to probe the invocation of his Great Oath ("Ntamkese") but he wouldn't want to know when it involves Kumawuhemaa. Does the "Ntamkese" worth saying at all? Has it any effect at all seeing from the way the Otumfour is conducting himself vis a vis its invocation by Nana Nti Kwakye to deter the queen of Kumawu from exercising any untoward traditional authority?

On the Tuesday of 8 April 2008, the second sitting took place. It was so brief that I could not help fuming. Instead of the Asantehene holding any investigative deliberations into when the queen would report back her decision on consultations with her elders regarding whether or not she would contest the "Ntamkese" as invoked, he chose to steer clear of that touchy domain. He did however order the Ananingya royals to ensure all the pending court cases are cancelled and the cases brought before him for settlement. He said and I quote, " I asked you to cancel all the court cases, bring them to me for settlement, but you haven't done as requested until now. I want you to understand that I am the one who will settle them irrespective of wherever they are. Go and get all the cases before me".

I have a few questions for the Asantehene. What is the Asantehene's Great Oath? When, how and why is it invoked? Does it have any value to the Asanteman and the Asantehene himself at all? How valuable is it? Who ensures its value is preserved if it has any at all? How long does it take to resolve issues of its invocation? Is it a respecter of persons, positions and or, wealth? When it is invoked by the 1st party, does investigating the cause leading to its invocation take precedence over the need for ensuring whether or not the 2nd party can challenge whatever validity there is/was in its invocation in the first place? How many hours, days, weeks, months or years are accorded one failed to issue prompt contestation when the Great Oath ("Ntamkese") is invoked, to consult their elders before deciding on a line of action? When will the Asantehene Otumfour Osei Tutu II find out from the queen of Kumawu her final view on the "Ntamkese" so invoked? Who is the Asantehene trying to fool? I pray the Asantehene to ensure he lives above reproach as Kumawuman will not take it kindly to any miscarriage of justice, and that all eyes are focused on him awaiting his final word. Much respect has been given him and there is the need for reciprocity. The people of Kumawuman have suffered abuses of all sorts under the exploitative reign of Barima Asumadu Sakyi II and the queen. They would no more love to be further terrorised and exploited by the queen who feels superior taking pleasure in how best she can insult and rob her subjects. Enough with the unjustified abuses!

Stay tuned for more first hand information on the Kumawu chieftaincy affairs. I fortunately bumped into my mentor while in Ghana , had a range of topic discussions with him and surely, he will be writing on other interesting issues shortly.

John Fosu, USA

Views expressed by the author(s) do not necessarily reflect those of GhanaHomePage.