Akufo-Addo, Asantehene in Koforidua as Daasebre Oti Boateng goes home

Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II on Sunday evening May 15, 2022, stormed the Yiadom Hwedie palace of the New Juaben traditional area in Koforidua, the Eastern regional capital with his traditional entourage to perform traditional rites to bid farewell to his late sub-chief Daasebre Prof. Emeritus Oti Boateng and his queen mother Nana Yaa Daani II.

Thousands of residents thronged the palace to catch a glimpse of the Asantehene who modestly came down from his vehicle and walked on the palace street to wave at his subjects.

The Asantehene sat in state at the Yiadom and Hwidie Palace were various traditional rulers and other dignitaries paid homage to him.

New Juaben residents migrated from their traditional homes in Asante in the 1870’s as refugees of civil war and resettled in the then British Protectorate of Akyem Abuakwa (presently Koforidua).

In the 1830s, the Juabens under their great leader, king Kwasi Boateng, had sojourned at Kyebi in self-imposed exile and savored the lavish hospitality of the Akyems.

The migration was a consequence of two civil wars within 43years (1832 and 1875) between Kumasi and Juaben, two of the Most Prosperous states in the Asante Union which led to the historic exodus of the Juabens and their allies to the British protectorate in the Eastern Region and the subsequent establishment of the New Juaben since 1878.

New Juaben traditional council, therefore, pays allegiance to the Golden Stool of the Ashanti Kingdom.

Daasebre Oti Boateng died at the age of 83. He reigned from 1992 until August 2021, when he passed while Nana Yaa Daani,67, also ruled from 2000 to 2022.

They are expected to be given a royal burial on Monday, May 16, 2022.

Meanwhile, on Saturday, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia joined thousands of mourners to pay their last respects to Daasebre Oti Boateng.

Also present were former President John Agyekum Kufuor, past and present Ministers of State, and government officials including Alan Kwadwo Kyeremanteng. A former Chief of staff under the erstwhile NDC government, Julius Debrah also led a delegation to represent former President John Dramani Mahama.

On Sunday morning, the local council of churches took over the funeral with a burial service.

It is expected that chiefs from across the country will on Monday throng the palace to pay their last respect to the late chief and Queenmother.