Reports from the Ashanti Regional town of Offinso indicate that a deposed queen mother for the area is acting in ways that suggest she is challenging her removal.

Nana Ama Serwaa Nyarko, despite having been formally destooled in January 2024 by the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, is said to have formally appointed a new paramount chief for the area.

The move is in defiance of the current situation where a new chief has been appointed and sworn his oath before the Asantehene.

The queen mother engaged in a back-and-forth with the Otumfuo over the choice of a new Offinsomanhene throughout 2023.

She insisted on presenting former Ghana National Petroleum Company (GNPC) boss, Dr. KK Sarpong, despite his rejection on three occasions by Otumfuo citing the fact that he was not a royal of the area.

Amid the reports of her appointment of KK Sarpong, a video has been circulated especially on Facebook where the former GNPC boss receives homage from people believed to be his supporters.

In the video sighted by GhanaWeb, a group of women are captured singing praises and greeting KK Sarpong who is seated on a giant chair with his feet on a stool.

Some of the women are heard saying they have reclaimed their due (that is the stool), referring to any other claimant as a fake.

The event, according to GhanaWeb checks took place this week.

GhanaWeb has also sighted a letter with the queen mother's letterhead introducing him as paramount chief to the Offinso Municipal Assembly and a letter from the Assembly warning against any procession by the faction.

Earlier this week, a crowd marched to the former queen mother's house chanting for a new chief for the Offinso traditional area. Most of these aggrieved residents demanded that Dr. KK Sarpong be made the chief, as he was initially introduced by the kingmakers.

Most of these residents, who wore funeral clothes to portray their seriousness and sadness over the claim of 'no chief in the town', chanted, "We want our new chief, K.K. Sarpong".

Background:

Dr. Kofi Kodua Sarpong was initially elected by the Ofinso queen mother, Nana Ama Serwaa Nyarko, and the other kingmakers to succeed the late Nana Wiafe Akenteng, but he was disqualified by Otumfuo Osei Tutu II for not being a royal.

A new chief, Nana Amoako Poku, has since been enstooled by Otumfuo Osei Tutu II. This occurred after the Kwakwaboa Abusuapanin, Opanin Yaw Nkrumah Adusah, assumed the queen's mother's responsibility in her absence and presented the new candidate.

During the installation of the new chief, there were rumours that Otumfuo Osei Tutu II had destooled the queen mother of Offinso for failing to honour his invitations.

Watch the video below:



SARA