Korosa - Asantefuohene of Toronto

After nearly two years of wrangling and bitter intra-ethnic disputes, Toronto resident Nana Bandoh popularly known as “Korosa”, was on Saturday October 7, 2006 finally installed as the Asantefuohene of Toronto amid all the pomp and pageantry associated with the installation of Asante chiefs.

At the Pine Valley Banquet Hall at Pine Valley and Steeles in North York, Toronto, a large retinue of local Asante “chiefs” ushered in Nana Bandoh to a swearing-in ceremony which was presided over by the Omanhene of Tepa Traditional Area, Ashanti, in Ghana, Nana Adusei Atwenewa Ampem the official representative of Otumfuo Nana Osei Tutu II, the Asantehene. He was enstooled under the name, Nana Adabanka Sarkoodie Bandoh.

Also in attendance was the Ghana Minister of State for Chieftaincy Affairs, Rev. S. K. Boafo. There were also representatives from all the Asante “chiefdoms” in North America, led by the Chief Linquist of the Asanteman Council of North America (ACONA) Nana Essah Mensah from Houston, Texas.

Earlier in the week, the Tepahene had presided over the final settlement of the long-running dispute between the outgoing Asantefuohene of Toronto, Nana Asare Bediako and Nana Bandoh. The Tepahene invoked the authority of the Asantehene; Nana Osei Tutu II, to bring the two parties together. This paved the way for Nana Asare Bediako to formally present Nana Bandoh to the crowd and the Asanteman of Toronto as their new Asantefuohene.
Nana Tepahene used the occasion to appeal to all Asantes in the diaspora to unite to help bring peace and development to Asanteman in Ghana, a message that was re-echoed by the Minister of Chieftaincy Affairs, Rev. S. K. Boafo.