An expert in international relations, Farouk Al Wahab, has warned the Dormaahene Oseadeeyo Agyemang Badu II to stop creating animosity with the Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II over their status and influence.
He said that the Dormaahene must respect the Asantehene as his big brother, and avoid any public dispute that could undermine the unity and stability of the Ashanti and Dormaa kingdoms, and the nation as a whole.
Al Wahab, in an interview with Okatakyie Afrifa on Angel FM, dismissed the concerns that the recent verbal exchange between the two traditional rulers could escalate into a wider crisis. He said that history has shown that such rifts hardly lead to confrontations, given the democratic safeguards and the general awareness of the people.
However, he said that the Dormaahene should extend the needed respect to the Asantehene, citing two grounds that he said were central to Ghanaian culture: age and size of the area the Ashanti overlord controls.
“The Ashanti Nation has fought enough, it is the one kingdom in Africa aside eSwatini, that has arranged its affairs properly,” Al Wahab said.
He stressed that the Dormaahene still goes through the Asantehene’s territory when travelling from Accra to Dormaa, and has never been impeded or stopped. “There is a civilisation,” he said.
He added: “Nothing will make some of Dormaahene’s own subjects agree with what he is doing…. Whatever you do, Otumfuo is a big brother to you, are you then using your position to abuse him? I will tell you no… that respect must be given, at least age wise.
“In the post-colonial era, conquests are over but look at age, size of domain and keep the politics at bay because you get it wrong by engaging in that. You are creating animosity,” the expert added.
The Otumfuo recently restated how the Dormaa traditional area became a paramountcy, saying that it took a decision of a former occupant of the Golden Stool for that to happen.
Addressing his people at an Asanteman Council meeting at the Manhyia Palace on October 19, 2023, the Asantehene said there was the need to revisit history to combat efforts from some quarters to distort history.
He said that a former predecessor of the current Dormaahene, Agyeman Badu I, who was his uncle, took his oath at the Manhyia Palace before going to assume his throne. He said that he was a teacher at the Government Boys School in Kumasi.
“It is because of these notorious ones that I am recounting this issue. What at all is it?” he emphasised, before outlining a historical sequence of relations and how the royal politics has evolved over time.
The Dormaahene, on the other hand, has challenged the level of influence of the Asantehene, saying that there was “no King in Ghana” as the 1992 constitution does not make any reference and room for that.
He also warned chiefs under the Dormaa jurisdiction from going to pay allegiance to any paramountcy aside the one that gave them their throne.
theindependentghana. com
