The Okyenhene, Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin, has destooled the Kyekyewerehene, Barima Okunini Gyebi Kwame Ababio, over what he described as betrayal and breach of allegiance to the Akyem Traditional Area.
The decision was announced at the 4th Quarter State Council Meeting held on Friday, December 19, 2025, at the Ofori Panin Fie.
According to the Okyenhene, Barima Okunini Gyebi Kwame Ababio, who swore the oath of allegiance to him in March 2022 as a chief under Okyeman, later went behind the council to have himself gazetted as a chief under Akuapem.
“For a long time, you have been acting as if you are here and as if you are not. You swore the oath of allegiance to me as a chief of Akyem, yet you secretly got yourself gazetted in the name of Akuapem,” Osagyefuo Amoatia said.
The Okyenhene described the action as a betrayal of trust, stressing that he would not allow his kingship to be placed under the jurisdiction of the Okuapehene, Oseadeeyo Kwasi Akufo III.
“You cannot take my kingship and put it under the jurisdiction of my own nephew. If you want to be a chief in Akuapem, then go and serve there, not in Akyem,” he added.
Osagyefuo Amoatia further barred Barima Okunini Gyebi Kwame Ababio from entering the Ofori Panin Fie, declaring that the Kyekyewere stool is now vacant.
Kyekyewere is a town located on Apedwa land along the Accra–Kumasi highway, between Asuboi and Teacher Mante, within the Kraboa Coaltar District. The community is predominantly made up of settlers from Larteh in Akuapem, which historically allowed a native of Larteh origin to serve as Odikro with the title Baffour.
However, the stool was later elevated to full chieftaincy status by the Okyenhene, with the occupant bearing the title Barima.
As part of Okyeman, Kyekyewere falls under the Benkum Division and the Amantuomiensa Forces, and the Kyekyewerehene traditionally sits with Amantuomiensa at State Council meetings.
The Okyeman Council accused the destooled chief of undermining the authority of the Okyenhene by registering himself as an Akuapem chief and erecting billboards of the Okuapehene and the Okuapeman Krontihene, Osahene Boafo Ansah, within Kyekyewere—actions said to create the impression that the town now belongs to Akuapem.
The Chief of Kyekyewere is holding Press Conference Saturday morning to react to the alleged destoolment.
Source:Mybrytfmonline.com/Obed Ansah
