— Says Claim of Installation “Frivolous”; insists no Okwapemhene exists until Supreme Court directives are followed
The lingering chieftaincy dispute within the Akuapem Traditional Area has taken a dramatic turn as the Queenmother of Akuapem, Nana Afua Obuo Nketiaa II, has strongly refuted claims that she has installed Osahene Boafo Ansah III as the new Okwapemhene.
She stressed that she is the only person that has the prerogative and the sole right to install a chief and since she has not carry out any such installation, the Oforikuma Stool remains vacant.
In a firm statement addressing the controversy, Nana Afua Obuo Nketiaa II declared that she has not performed any installation rites for anyone as the paramount chief of Akuapem, describing reports to that effect as “frivolous and misleading.”
“I haven’t installed anybody. So long as he is under my jurisdiction, in Kwame Tawiah palace,” the Queenmother stated.
“Whatever Osahene Boafo Ansah III is doing cannot amount to anything. His claim that I installed him is completely false.”
According to her, the chieftaincy matter is still governed by a Supreme Court decision, which upheld an earlier High Court ruling affirming the legitimacy of the existing arrangement.
She noted that until the court’s directives are fully implemented, no new installation can take place.
“We went to court, and the Supreme Court confirmed the High Court’s decision. We are following that ruling. If there’s any need for an installation, all stakeholders will be informed. As it stands now, there is no Okwapemhene,” she stressed.
Odwira Festival Controversy
Nana Afua Obuo Nketiaa II also took issue with reports that Osahene Boafo Ansah III performed traditional rites during the Odwira Festival, describing the act as a breach of custom.
“He can even go and celebrate Odwira in Accra, but every traditional area has its own customs. Odwira is special — the Okwapemhene must come and perform the rites. That never happened,” she explained.
The Queenmother further criticized the alleged performance of Odwira rites despite the unburied body of the late Nana Addo Dankwa, the previous Okwapemhene.
“For you to be chief and you know there’s a late chief yet to be buried, you must first perform that burial duty before any installation can take place,” she said. “What he is saying is child’s play.”
Counter Reaction from Osahene Boafo Ansah III’s Camp
In a swift response, Osahene Boafo Ansah III held a counter press conference at Akropong on Thursday, October 9, 2025, condemning the Queenmother’s comments as “unfortunate, unacceptable, and a threat to their human security.”
His camp maintains that he was lawfully enstooled and that the Queenmother’s rejection of his authority is an attempt to undermine the peace and unity of the Akuapem State.
Background
The Akuapem chieftaincy crisis has persisted for years, marked by factional divisions, multiple court actions, and disputes over rightful lineage and authority. The death of the late Okwapemhene, Nana Addo Dankwa III, compounded the impasse, with rival groups making competing claims to the stool.
The latest exchanges between the Queenmother and Osahene Boafo Ansah III highlight the deepening tension in the traditional area, with both camps invoking court rulings and customary laws to justify their positions.
Observers fear that unless swift mediation is initiated, the dispute could further disrupt traditional and cultural activities, including the annual Odwira Festival.
