07/08/2026
Tension Escalates in Bomfa Adumasa Ahead of "Dɔte Yie" as Chieftaincy Dispute Intensifies
ADUMASA, ASHANTI — Barely days to the burial and final funeral rites — Dɔte yie — of both the King and Queen Mother of Bomfa Adumasa, a protracted chieftaincy dispute has thrown the town into turmoil.
At the heart of the conflict are two rival royal houses: the Aduana Clan, who claim to be the rightful heirs to the Adumasa stool, and the Oyoko Clan, who currently occupy the position and insist they are the sole successors.
The Flashpoint: The Palace
Custom in Asante demands that the bodies of a deceased chief and queen mother be laid in state at the Palace before burial. But the Aduana Clan, who allege that the Palace building rightfully belongs to them, have vowed to block access.
According to sources in the town, members of the Aduana Clan say the Palace is rightfully theirs as well as the Throne, on their ancestral land and that they will not surrender use of it until their long-standing claims to the stool are addressed.
“We have 100% access to the Palace. Until we receive what is rightfully ours, no one will use it for dɔte yie,” a spokesperson for the Aduana faction declared.
How We Got Here.
Adumasa is a Juaben stool land. For years, the Aduana Clan have petitioned the Juaben Traditional Council seeking recognition as the legitimate rulers. On several occasions, they say, judgment has been denied them.
Oral tradition in the town holds that the Aduana Clan temporarily ceded occupancy of the stool to the Oyoko Clan at a time when they allegedly had no male heirs. The Oyoko Clan, however, now maintain that they are the permanent and rightful occupants of the throne.
The stalemate deepened yesterday when some members of the Aduana Clan were arrested following a confrontation the Aduana Clan sees the Police talking sides. Despite the arrests, the group remains defiant and awaiting in the Palace (their home) peacefully.
A Funeral in Limbo
With the _dɔte yie_ scheduled in just a few days, anxiety is mounting. The rites cannot proceed according to custom without the use of the Palace for the laying-in-state. Elders fear that any attempt to force entry could spark further clashes.
Security personnel have been deployed to the area to maintain calm, but residents say the atmosphere remains tense. Many are calling on the Juaben Traditional Council, the Asanteman Council, and government authorities to intervene urgently before the situation degenerates.
What Next?
Tradition is clear: the King and Queen Mother must be honoured with full customary rites. Politics is also clear: the Aduana Clan see this moment as their leverage to reclaim the stool.
As Adumasa waits, the question remains — will custom prevail, or will the dispute force a break with centuries of tradition?
