By Nadia Ntiamoah
The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has issued a directive to the Mampong Traditional Council to ensure the burial of the late Mamponghene, Daasebre Osei Bonsu II, is completed by June 2025.
This instruction was given during a session of the Asanteman Council over the weekend.
According to Otumfuo, the revered Silver Stool of Mampong, the second-highest stool in the Ashanti Kingdom after the Golden Stool, cannot remain vacant for long.
He emphasized that in accordance with Asante custom, a successor must be chosen 40 days after the burial of the deceased, marking the traditional “adaduanan” period.
The pronouncement came ahead of the official One-Week Observation of the late Daasebre Osei Bonsu II, which is scheduled for May 12, 2025.
This customary event is expected to draw traditional leaders, royals, and sympathizers from across the country.
The passing of Daasebre Osei Bonsu II has left a significant vacuum in Asante leadership.
Not only was he the Mamponghene, but he also served as the Asanteman Nifahene (Right Wing Chief of Asanteman), Asantehene Abediakyire (Vice to the Asantehene), and Asanteman Nwisiakyehene—a combination of roles underscoring his immense influence within the traditional hierarchy.
His death closely follows the passing of the Asokore Mamponghene, who also held the title of Kumasi Nifahene.
This means both the Kumasi and Asanteman right-wing chieftaincies are now vacant, an unusual and historically significant occurrence within Asanteman’s traditional structure.
Born on December 31, 1939, Daasebre Osei Bonsu II was known in private life as Oswald Gyimah-Kessie.
A respected lawyer and economist, he served as the Registrar of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) before his enstoolment in 1999.
For 26 years, he sat on the Silver Stool as the 25th Mamponghene and worked tirelessly to advance the interests of Mampong and Asanteman.
During his reign, he was widely recognized for his diplomacy, non-partisan stance, and unwavering commitment to peace and development.
As Vice President of the Ashanti Regional House of Chiefs, he played a critical role in mediating disputes and upholding customary law.
In one of his final public engagements, during the Akwasidae festival in Mampong, he condemned tribalism and political interference after protests over a Municipal Chief Executive appointment.
He reminded citizens that Mampong and the broader Asanteman belong to all, not political parties.
