DRAMA REPORTEDLY unfolded at the Manyhia Palace in Kumasi, the official seat of the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, when the Offinsohene, Nana Wiafe Akenten III stormed the place last Thursday.
The Offinsohene just as the other paramount chiefs in the Ashanti Kingdom was at the palace to partake in the official opening of the Asanteman Council for the year 2009 which was presided over by Otumfuo.
Minutes after Nana Akeneten’s car had reached the grounds, an Offinso native, a man believed to in his mid 40s rushed towards his plush car and without provocation invoked the Great Oath of the Asantehene on him.
The irate looking man, according to reports invoked the oath ostensibly to challenge the Offinsohene to come out boldly about what he knew about the alleged missing Offinso black stool.
The man’s actions, sources noted, also was objected to debar the Offinsohene from taking part in the Asanteman Council meeting until the issue about the missing black stool at Offinso was solved.
Utterly shocked and dejected about the unexpected spectacle, the Offinso Paramount Chief reportedly kept mute without uttering a word to the surprise of curious people present, most of who were elderly people.
It would be recalled that the Offinso black stool which is believed to be imbibed with some special powers got missing under mysterious circumstances prior to the just ended polls.
Allegations were ripe that the Offinsohene connived with former President Jerry John Rawlings to secretly steal the stool to perform some rituals which helped the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to win the closely contested elections.
Though Nana Akenten III has vehemently denied the allegations on countless times on various radio networks in the Kumasi Metropolis, the man is said not to be satisfied with his explanation hence taking that action.
The incident which occurred at the blind eye of the Asantehene created a scene for close to about twenty minutes that it lasted, as people flew over one another in attempt to catch a glimpse of what was actually going on. ÂÂ
The man after invoking the Asantehene’s Great Oath was eventually nabbed by the palace guards and charged to slaughter a sheep, an order which he willingly complied with immediately.
Otumfuo who was then at the Sankwase in the Manhyia Palace, heading towards the durbar grounds where the other Ashanti chiefs were already seated was informed about the incident by some royals at the palace.
The Asantehene, reportedly, assured to soon launch full scale investigations to unearth the whole truth about the case.
Nana Akenten III was thus allowed to take his rightful position at the durbar grounds as the Paramount Chief of Offinso Traditional area.
From I.F. Joe Awuah Jnr., Kumasi