Why the Asantehene ‘deserves special mention’ in Ghana’s chieftaincy laws – Anokye Frimpong explains

Some Ghanaians including Dormaahene Oseadeyo Agyeman Badu II, have said that the mention of only the Asantehene in the Chieftaincy Act is biased and must be corrected.

Dormaahene Oseadeyo Agyeman Badu II argues that there are other paramount chiefs in Ghana who are overlords like the Asantehene but these traditional rulers are not mentioned in the Chieftaincy Act which makes it seem as if the Otumfuo is higher than all of them.

Oseadeyo Agyeman Badu II, therefore, called for these paramount chiefs, including the Yagbonwura and Yaa-Naa, Nayiri and the Ga Mantse, who are all overloads because they have paramount chiefs under them, to be added to the Chieftaincy Act.

Commenting on this subject in an interview exclusive interview with GhanaWeb, historian and lawyer, Yaw Anokye indicated that the calls are not justified.

He said that even though the paramount chiefs in question are also overlords like the Asantehene, he (the Asantehene) deserves the mention in the constitution because of his superior powers and history.

“They (the overloads) are placed under the same status but the Asantehene’s own is more conspicuous. Because he came from a broken nation so he is more recognised.

“They (the other overlords) are living in the shadows of the Asantehene, it would never be justified to put them in the same category. The name Asantehene there (in the Chieftaincy Act) covers the rest and it is enough," he said.

He further stated, “Apart from him being on top of paramount chiefs, he also has the power to enstool paramount chiefs, he also has the power to destool paramount chiefs. And below the paramount chiefs, he (the Asantehene) goes to the level of divisional chiefs and Odikros in Ashanti and his influence is there and these others (the other overlords) exercise a few of those powers".

He added that aside from the Asantehene, all stools in Ghana have kingmakers who enstool or destool paramount chiefs.

“In Ashanti, the Asantehene can say this person I don’t accept him to be a chief but in other parts of the country once a candidate has been introduced by a queen mother and they have got their kingmakers’ (agreement)
there is no power above the person that can say yes or no… In Ashanti, it is a different ball game, that is why we give him that singular recognition.”

Section 58 of the Chieftaincy Act, 2008 (Act 759) mentions the categories of chiefs in Ghana as follows

(a) the Asantehene and Paramount Chiefs,
(b) Divisional Chiefs,
(c) Sub-divisional Chiefs,
(d) Adikrofo, and
(e) other chiefs recognised by the National House.

Watch the historian's remarks in the video below:





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