Asantehene Issues an Ultimatum For Bantamahene to Hand Over Stolen Tano Deity

Baffour Owusu Amankwatia VI, Bantamahene, has less than a week to produce the deity Asare Bediako to Sumankwaahene.

He is to retrieve and hand over the Tano deity at Adanwomase before Monday, March 17, 2025, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, Asantehene, has ordered.

The Asantehene gave an earlier order for the Bantamahene to go get the deity which was allegedly stolen from its abode by one of the factions laying claim to it.

During the Kumasi Traditional Council meeting on March 13, 2025, the chief, who backs the faction that recently possessed the deity, reported that attempts to recover the looted deity have been unsuccessful.

“We went to look for it in the whole community, but we could not find it. We solicited the help of the police too but couldn’t locate it,” he said when inquired about the mission.

Nana Bantamahene was therefore found guilty of contempt and fined eight rams after it was discovered that he did not undertake the task.

“Before he submits his ‘dibim’ on Monday, he should bring Asare Bediako from wherever it is. It must be handed over to Sumankwaa,” Otumfuo ordered.

Committee Report
This order followed the Council’s perusal of a committee’s inquiry report on ownership claims to the deity as well as the Adanwomase stool.

Three factions respectively represented by Maame Akua Kyem, Opanyin Kwadwo Yadieya and Opanyin Yaw Gyamfi are claiming ownership of the deity.

Akua Kyem alleged that her predecessors- members of the Aduana clan- migrated from Denkyira to Asante with the Deity and resided with Bantama Gyaase- an Aduana- at Abuakwa Asonomaso.

While residing there, the deity through it’s potency helped a lot of people who were sick and those in need until they woke up one day to find it missing. However, she said through spiritual consultation, they were told its location and warned not to move from where it is when found.

Per her statement in the Committee’s report, the deity was found at Adanwomase, prompting her ancestors to relocate there.

According to her, the deity healed the sick and delivered breakthroughs to all those who sought it’s help including the fathers of Opanyin Kwadwo Yadieya who battled leprosy.

In the process of time when the Adanwomase stool became vacant, she said, the family of Opanyin Yadieya requested to occupy it and it was granted. They have since claimed ownership, she said.

Committee Findings
The Committee’s report found that the true owners of the deity as well as the community was the family of Akua Kyem based on her succinct recount of the historical precedents relating to the deity; her irrefutable evidence; her detailed family tree; and testimonies given in her favour by Bantama Gyaasehene and Wawase traditional priest.

“All three parties claimed they went to Bantama Gyaase when they migrated to Asante from Denkyira but she was the only one who included Bantama Gyaasehene as witness and the testimony he gave aligned with hers.”

Meanwhile, it found the family tree of the other two as well as some of their recounts questionable and conflicting.

The decision of the committee was therefore unanimously in favour of Akua Kyem.

All the Divisions of the Council sided with the outcome of the inquiry.

First Committee
A committee was first set up by the Asantehene to probe this dispute some time ago which produced a similar outcome.

The Asantehene affirmed the Committee’s findings; however, Bantamahene insisted that the deity belonged to Opanyin Kwadwo Yadieya’s family.

He claimed that he was responsible for summoning the deity from the heavens and giving it to her sister.

But Asante history has it that Bantamahene had no sister.

In the enormity of his patience, the Asantehene set up a second Committee to re-examine the case.

Source: opemsuo.com/Hajara Fuseini