Royal Rivalry: Former Goasohene and Incumbent Clash Over Chief Palmwine Tapper Position

Posted on by Inkoom Esther
Nana Kwasi Bodomprah, Goasomanhene

A heated dispute has erupted in Goaso, Ahafo Region, as the former Goasohene, Nana Agyei Ampofo, and the current Omanhene, Nana Kwasi Bosomprah, engage in a verbal battle over their qualifications to hold the esteemed position of chief palmwine tapper for Otumfuo Osei Tutu II.

Nana Agyei Ampofo, 77, a lawyer and former Member of the Council of State, abdicated the Goaso stool in 2000 amid a chieftaincy dispute. Nana Bosomprah, 58, a driver with the Ghana Cocoa Board, assumed the position eight years later in 2008.

The war of words began on January 12, 2024, when Nana Ampofo held a news conference to respond to alleged statements by Nana Bosomprah questioning his royal lineage and claiming he signed a letter renouncing his royal status before ascending the stool.

Nana Ampofo asserted, “I am telling Nana Bosomprah that I’m a royal of Goaso, secondly, I abdicated the stool on my own volition.” He refuted Nana Bosomprah’s assertion that his family alone holds royal status in Goaso.

Highlighting the lineage dispute, Nana Ampofo also mentioned an attempted assassination during the chieftaincy dispute and pointed fingers at individuals close to the current Omanhene. He criticized Nana Bosomprah for an alleged autocratic administration that limits the input of sub-chiefs.

In response, Nana Bosomprah, at a subsequent news conference, stood firm on his position that Nana Ampofo is not a royal. While denying explicitly stating that Nana Ampofo wrote a renunciation letter, he claimed copies of the letter exist in the town.

Asserting the tradition that the Goasohene is the chief palmwine tapper for Asantehene, Nana Bosomprah challenged Nana Ampofo to trace his lineage and prove eligibility for the position. He refuted allegations of planning an assassination and being autocratic, maintaining that his administration is inclusive.

The clash continues as the two leaders present conflicting narratives, leaving the community divided over the qualifications for the prestigious role of Otumfuo’s chief palmwine tapper.