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Historian and lawyer, Yaw Anokye Frimpong, has said that the chieftaincy of the people of Dormaa, the Dormaa stool, was not lifted to paramountcy status by an Asantehene, as being asserted.
According to him, even though history shows that Ashantis at some point conquered the people of Dormaa and enslaved them, the Dormaa stool was already a state and, therefore, had a paramount chief.
He added that the Dormaa people became subject to the Asantehene once again after the reformation of the Ashanti Confederacy, reiterating that Dormaa stool was already a paramountcy by then.
“After 1896 when the Ashanti Kingdom had completely been destroyed, the confederacy broke down and they were asked not to enslave anybody and not also to have any tributary state. So, the Dormaa people (the Jaman people) had their freedom.
“Then in 1935 when Prempeh was brought back, the Ashanti Confederacy was re-established and because of indirect role, Ashanti was placed together as one region, the western part being the Bono part. They (the Dormaas and the Ashantis) were under one region, so they were given one recognition and because of easy administration, the colonial masters gave an instruction to the Ashanti and to everybody.
“So, for the Ashantis, Dormaa was under them, to the extent that the white man had made them recognise the Asantehene. So, anytime the Asantehene seats in state, all the paramount chiefs under him would come, including the Dormaahene,” he explained.
He added that the moment the Ashanti Confederacy was dissolved after Ghana’s independence, the people of Dormaa left to be on their own because they were no longer bound to be under the then Asantehene.
“… it was not the Otumfuo that did that (left the Dormaa stool to paramountcy), it was not the Otumfuo… Every state that was part of the confederacy was a paramountcy. So, to start with Dormaa was a paramountcy but because you part of the confederacy, you served the Gold Stool,” he reiterated.
Background
Addressing his people at an Asanteman Council meeting at the Manhyia Palace on October 19, 2023, the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, said there was the need to revisit history to combat efforts from some quarters to distort history.
Portions of his address posted by Opemsuo Radio on YouTube had the Asantehene speaking to how the predecessor of the current Dormaahene was inducted into office.
“Sampa is my town, Bono and Ahafo… Agyeman Badu (the first) took his oath here before going to assume his throne. He was a teacher here at Government Boys School. He swore in front of my uncle before assuming his position,” Otumfuo stated.
“It is because of these notorious ones that I am recounting this issue. What at all is it?” he emphasized before outlining a historical sequence of relations and how the royal politics has evolved over time.
But, Dormaahene Oseadeyo Agyeman Badu II then responded, saying Otumfuo’s claim was false.
He explained that the Dormaa stool existed for hundreds of years before the Asantehene stool and so there is no way that it would be an Asantehene who elevated the then Dormaahene to a paramount chief.
He added it is important that he addresses this issue because the history of the people of Dormaa is been being distorted by the Asantehene.
“I would speak to this issue because if I don’t, I would not be able to sleep… most people think that I am the one who causes the issue (between myself and the Asantehene). Some are even saying that if I don’t take time, I might cause a war. But if you are correcting your history, is it about fighting?
“… I want to tell every Ghanaian that we the people of Adiana are not from the Ashanti Kingdom. It is never true; it is never true. Otumfuo Osei Tutu II is the leader of the Ashantis, we beg him if he does not know history he should not talk. How can someone from Oyoko talk about the history of the people from Adiana?” he quizzed.
The Dormaahene added, “I want to place it on record with any contradiction that the stool of the people of Adiana in Dormaa existed 300 years before that of the Ashantis was established. So if there is to be an elevation, it is not us who are to elevate them,” he said.
He reiterated that he means no disrespect to Ashantis but if their leader continuously makes wrong claims about the people of Dormaa, he would reply.
“As for this issue, I am begging him (the Otumfuo) he should stop saying it. If he does not stop, I have already said this before, if he speaks 100 times, I would respond 101 times.”
By: www.ghanaweb.com
