Daasebre Professor Emeritus Oti Boateng
The New Juaben Traditional Council in the Eastern Region has been thrown into a state of mourning as three chiefs; the Omanhene, Daasebre Oti Boateng and two of his sub-chiefs, Oyokohene, Nana Kodua Kesse II who was Adontehene and Suhyenhene, Okogyeaman Ankomah Basapong, the Mponuahene of the Traditional area have all joined their ancestors.
The Omanhene, Daasebre Professor Emeritus Oti Boateng, 83, died about two weeks ago after a short illness. The two sub-chiefs who died months apart this year are yet to be buried.
The late Paramount chief known in private life as Professor Emeritus Emmanuel Oti Boateng last public appearance was during a graduation ceremony by SDA College of Education at Koforidua – Asokore on August 1, 2021, where he delivered the keynote address.
He was acknowledged as a global authority in statistics and was the recipient of many national and international awards, including recognition as one of the greatest minds of the 21st century by the American Biographical Institute.
He was enstooled Omanhene in 1992 under the stool name Daasebre Dr Oti Boateng, a member of the Yiadom-Hwedie royal family of Juaben, Ashanti, and New Juaben as well as the son of the late queen mother of Juaben and blood-brother of his predecessor, Nana Kwaku Boateng II, their grandmothers, Akosua Kyem and Ama Bonsu, being the daughters of Nana Akua Boatemaa of Juaben.
He was a member of the International Civil Service Commission (ICSC) of the United Nations (Commissioner of the UN as of January 1, 2003, for a four-year term).
He holds a Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree in Economics from the University of Ghana, a Master of Science (MSc) degree in Statistics from the London School of Economics and Political Science, and a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in Statistics from the University of Liverpool, United Kingdom.
He had a distinguished service as Government Statistician and head of the Statistical Service for a record period of 17 and half years from 1982.
Daasebre Oti Boateng also worked for 14 years with the University of Ghana where he was promoted to the position of Senior Research Fellow and Director of Studies at the Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER).
The late Daasebre Oti Boateng was not only a distinguished traditional ruler but also an academician and internationally recognized statistician who worked at various times with the United Nations and other international organizations.
One of the key crusades he launched in recent times was the Root-Based Model (RBM), an innovative development model to reduce poverty and inequality in Ghana and on the African continent.
He wrote a book to support his internationally acclaimed and award-winning development model.
He was elected chairman of the United Nations Statistical Commission in 1987 and also elected chairman of the 15th International Conference of Labour Statisticians in Geneva in 1993.
For 16 years, Daasebre Oti Boateng was chairman of the sub-technical committee of the Tripartite Committee of Ghana which deals with technical issues connected with wages and compensation systems.
BY Daniel Bampoe