Nana Amoako Poku is Offinsohene-elect
Nana Amoako Poku, the Offinsohene nominatee
Nana Amoako Poku, a 68-year-old royal of Offinso Ahyirem Royal Family, has been named as the Offinsohene elect. His name came up at an Asanteman Council meeting in Kumasi on Monday [December 18, 2023].
It was the last Asanteman Council meeting of 2023 and had the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II presiding. When the Offinso vacant stool case was called, the Offinso Queen mother was absent at the meeting.
The Kwakwaboa Abusuapanyin, Opanyin Yaw Nkrumah Adusah in line with Asante tradition in the absence of the Queen mother was asked by the Asantehene on the status of vacant stool and the process of the family to choosing a royal to fill the vacant stool.
The Kwakwaboa Abusuapanyin, Opanyin Yaw Nkrumah Adusah immediately told the meeting that the family was nominating Nana Amoako Poku and went ahead to introduce Nana Amoako Poku to the Asantehene and the meeting as the Offinsohene elect amidst jubilation, Kwame Asare Boadu who was at the meeting told newsmen.
Dr Kofi Kodua Sarpong, who had earlier been named by the Queen mother of Offinso as a candidate for the vacant position but was rejected by the Asantehene was not present and few of his supporters around filed away quietly.
The development followed the failure of the Queen mother of Offinso, for the third time, to nominate a qualified royal of the Offinso Royal Family to occupy the stool.
In accordance with Asante tradition, the Abusuapanyin assumed responsibility, in consultation with the royal family, to nominate a qualified royal for the stool.
Nana Amoako Poku is a renowned curator of Asante heritage, a timber merchant and the Otumfuo Kekabuosohene.
On the previous occasions that the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II offered the Offinso Queen mother the opportunity to nominate a candidate for the vacant stool, she nominated Dr Kofi Kodua Sarpong, a former Chief Executive of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC).
Background:
The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, on April 28, 2022, days before his departure to the United States, turned down a request from Offinsohemaa Nana Ama Serwaa Nyarko to accept Dr. K. K. Sarpong as her choice to ascend the Offinso stool, telling her to go and do the right thing as demanded by the traditional and the customary protocols.
The kingmakers of the Offinso Traditional Area chose the former GNPC boss to succeed the late Paramount Chief of Offinso, Nana Wiafe Akenten II.
In reaction to this, some youth of Offinso described the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, as an autocratic leader who is overstepping his traditional powers in the seeming chieftaincy dispute in the area.
The youth, without mincing words, kicked against Manhyia Palace’s decision that the kingmakers of the Offinso Traditional Area should bring a new person to succeed the late paramount chief of Offinso.
At a press conference, the concerned members of Offinso Youth said, “Offinso has taken note the Asantehene has taken advantage of the respect our queen mother has for him and therefore over exercising his powers on our queen mother and making him powerless.
“We can say emphatically that Otumfuo has no power to destool or enstool any paramount chief and he should allow Offinso Hemaa to do her work.”
