Otumfuo destools Wirempehene, Nana Opia Mensah

The Overlord of the Ashanti Kingdom, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has destooled Wirempehene, Nana Opia Mensah.

The order for Nana Opia Mensah’s removal was issued at Manhyia Palace on Monday, September 2, 2024, during a sitting of the Asanteman Council.

The well-advanced in age chief, who looked very sad and clothed in a black cloth, when summoned before the Council meeting, was rebuked by the Asantehene for swearing the great oath to back his assertions when he knew his claims were false.

For this act, he was destooled and his sandals removed from his feet, signifying that he was no longer a chief.

The Asantehene, before destooling him, said, “Opia Mensah, you are a statesman. You were a Member of Parliament during Dr. K.A. Busia’s regime. You were elected to become the Chief because, at the time, you were the most educated and knowledgeable person at Mim. You’ve occupied this stool for many years. It got to a time when you began making certain claims that you have documents to prove that you are a true royal who is legitimately occupying the stool and swearing by the great Asante Oath, and I warned you to stop that. I told you not to swear and allow me to handle the issue.

“The first people to come to me to challenge your legitimacy were the wife of the Chief of Amoaman and her sibling. I asked that they should hold on and allow me to later resolve the issue. Another person came to me to challenge your legitimacy. But to you, because the Judicial Committee ruled that Aduana and Oyoko people can ascend to the throne, you think you can also occupy the stool. Your corrupt deals in the past have today landed you in trouble. Such acts are what have brought shame to chieftaincy.

“You swore by my great oath that you own the Mim and Wirempen stools. You, Opia Mensah, know that you were not the rightful occupant; you are very much aware of this. So you shouldn’t have swore by the oath. But because you’ve occupied the stool for a long time, you think you can just have your way by swearing the great oath. No, I will not allow this. You are knowledgeable, and you know the consequences that follow swearing by the great oath and making false claims. He knew that, that was not right, but he went ahead and swore, So you are destooled. Leave my stool for me,” Otumfuo fumed.

The destoolment of the Wirempemhene comes six days after the Asantehene destooled three chiefs in the Ashanti Region for their involvement in illegal mining (galamsey).

The three chiefs – Gyaasehene of Sabronum, Nana Awua Gyau Atuomi, Sabronum’s Akyeamehene, and the Baamuhene – have been banned from performing any traditional mandate on behalf of the Asantehene, who is the Overlord of the Asante Kingdom.

The Asantehene subsequently appointed the Akwamuhene of Sabronum as the interim caretaker of the area to supervise the election of a new candidate, Kofi Asante, as part of the process to enstool a new chief in the area.