Essumeja resorts to powerful deities… To trace missing Black Stool

THE ESSUMEJA Traditional Council has decided to resort to powerful deities, and men of God, to trace the missing Black Stool of the Aduana Royal Family, which got missing on August 29, last year.

For the second time in a month, the Essumeja Traditional Council, under the acting Presidency of Nana Ntim Banahene, Krontihene of the Essumeja Traditional Area, has held emergency meetings in response to the ultimatum of the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, on December 18, last year, to find the missing Black Stool.

Following the theft, the Asantehene directed Stool Elders of Essumeja in Ashanti, during an Asanteman Council meeting, to take immediate steps to retrieve the Black Stool within a month, or face de-stoolment

On December 19 last year, the acting President convened the first emergency meeting at Dominase in the Amansie East District, to find ways and means of carrying out Otumfuo's order.

Last Monday, the Council met for the second time at Essumeja, as Otumfuo's deadline to the Stool Elders becomes due tomorrow, Thursday January 14.

Believing that the Black Stool could only be traced through spiritual means, since the police had not been of any help, the Council, which formed three groups, decided to seek the help of powerful deities and Men of God, including Akonade in Larteh Akuapem, and others in Burkina Faso.

The Chronicle source at the meeting said the Gyasehene suggested that one of the search parties consult Rev. Ebenezer Adarkwa Yiadom, of the Ebenezer Miracle Centre at the Island City near Kumasi, to carry out their mission.

The groupings would reconvene on February 2, to report the way forward to the Acting President of the House, before the stool elders meet the Asantehene.

Initial investigations by the Essumeja Police into the theft have not helped to establish any clues about the missing stool, which plays a significant role in the celebration of the Odwira Festival of Asanteman.

The Sanaahene, Nana Owusu Koko, the Ankobeahene, Nana Kwadwo Nyarko, and Gyasehene, Nana Twum Barima Appau, who are in charge of the Stool Room, are helping the Essumeja Police in their investigations.

A Stool Attendant, Akwasi Adansi Bonah, who resides in the Palace and detected the theft, has also been quizzed by the local police, and granted bail, while police investigations continue.

Meanwhile, the Council members, stool elders, as well as citizens of Essumeja, have frowned on the apathy and conduct of the Queenmother towards the missing stool, and expressed grave disappointment in her.

Essumeja, which is the Benkum wing of Asanteman, has been without a substantive chief, since Nana Oduro Numapau III died in 2003.

In a related development, a five-member Judicial Committee, headed by the Achirensuahene, is yet to submit a report on its findings into the allegations of the illegitimacy of Nana Pokuaa Nyankonpon, as Queenmother of Essumeja, brought against her before the Asanteman Council, by the Aduana Abusuapanin of Essumeja, Barima Osei.

Other members of the Committee are the Seikwahene, Kyeame Boakye Yam, Nana Sabronum and Nana Yamfohene.