The Chief of Asamankese Traditional Area under the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Council in the Eastern Region, Osabarima Adu Darko III, known in private life as Odehye Kwasi Obeng, has been made to vacate the stool.
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His destoolment was said to have been ordered by the Okyenhene, Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin, on grounds that Osabarima Adu Darko was not installed as the Asamankese chief in accordance with the customs and traditions of the Okyeman Traditional Council and also didn’t swear the Oath of Allegiance to the Okyenhene.
Osabarima Adu Darko III was installed on 24th October, 2014 to succeed his brother, the late Osabarima Kwaku Amoah III, who died on November 3, 2013.
The decision to enstool him was taken after a delegation of chiefs from Asamankese in the persons of Abusuapanin Kwasi Kuma, Gyasehene Nana Oppong Adease, Kyidomhene Nana Kwadwo Armah and Ankobeahene Nana Agyemang Forson, led by the Dwantoahene of Akyem Abuakwa, Barima Adjei Twinin, presented 24 sheep and two cartons of Schnapps to pacify the Ofori Panin stool and the Okyenhene.
That was during a sitting of the Kyebi Executive Council on 15th April, 2016 at Ofori Panin Fie, Kyebi, to resolve the impasse between the Asamankese chief and Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin.
A resolution from the office of the Okyenhene, accroding to the Daily Guide, “With respect to the………Kingmakers and the principal elders of the Asamankese stool with particular regard to the wrongful and uncustomary installation of Odehyee Kwasi Obeng as Asamnkesehene, related to our decision to institute legal action in addition to a petition dated 4th May, 2015 to the National House of Chiefs where unsubstantiated allegations were raised against the Okyenhene, we the Kingmakers have withdrawn the petition to the National House of Chiefs and all suits against the Ofori Panin Stool unconditionally.â€
The Okyenhene, after accepting an apology from the Asamankese chiefs had purportedly asked Odehye Kwasi Obeng who was not allowed to swear the Oath of Allegiance to him due to a breach of the Akyem Abuakwa customs, to step down as the Asamankesehene.
Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin further told the delegation that as customs demand, they should go back and nominate a candidate with the assistance of the queen mother in consultation with the royal family and approved by the Kingmakers. The nominee, he said, should be introduced to the divisional chief who subsequently would lead the candidate to his (Okyenhene’s) outfit for the final consent and thereafter the candidate would be publicly installed as a chief, then finally swear the Oath of Allegiance before him (Okyenhene).