Dormaahene and Asantehene: ‘This is how Bawku started’ – Dr. Bempong

Dr. Eric Bempong, a lecturer at KAAF University, has raised red flags over the ongoing exchanges between Dormaahene, Osagyefo Oseadeeyo Agyeman Badu II, and Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, describing the situation as a “pending danger.” He argued that if left unchecked, the dispute could escalate into a larger conflict, just as the Bawku crisis started with verbal provocations before degenerating into decades of bloodshed.

Speaking in an interview on Oyerepa TV on August 27, 2025, Dr. Bempong stressed that Ghana’s security agencies and peace-building institutions must act decisively to prevent matters from spiraling out of control.

He cautioned that Dormaahene’s recent statements, particularly those casting doubt on the authenticity of the Golden Stool of the Asantes, were highly provocative and risked inflaming passions among traditional loyalists.

“This is how Bawku started. Security agencies, where are they? The man is beating war drums. This is the same way the Bawku conflict started way back in 1957. It started small, small like this,” he warned.

Dr. Bempong said the silence of the Peace Council and other mediating bodies in the face of such remarks amounted to hypocrisy, adding that proactive measures were crucial. “Now he is attacking the Golden Stool. If care is not taken, this could be worse. Someone is issuing such provocative statements, and nobody is talking about it. We are being hypocritical,” he stated.

The lecturer stressed that peace was fragile and expensive to restore once lost. “Peace is very expensive, and to get it, you need to be proactive,” he added, warning that the current rhetoric must be contained before it degenerates into violence.

The tensions stem from Dormaahene’s comments at the launch of the Bonokyempem Council in the Bono Region on August 14, 2025, where he openly questioned the historical account of the Golden Stool, known as Sika Dwa Kofi. Contrary to Asante traditions that say the stool descended from the sky at the invocation of Okomfo Anokye, Dormaahene argued that it looked “welded” when recently displayed.

“If anyone tells you they can summon something to descend from the sky, I, Agyeman Badu II, am saying it is a lie. Didn’t you see when the Golden Stool was recently outdoored, it looked welded? Didn’t you see?” he asked.

For Dr. Bempong, however, the immediate concern is the danger of allowing the rhetoric to fester unchecked, warning once again that Ghana cannot afford another conflict similar to Bawku’s.