According to lawyer and historian Frimpong Anokye on the Max Morning Show, the Ashanti Empire was established in the late 17th century, which is when Otumfuo came to hold the position of the ruler of the Ashanti Kingdom. The word “Otumfuo” is an Akan noun that means “overlord” or “paramount king.”
King Osei Tutu and Okomfo Anokye, his high priest and counselor, founded the Ashanti Empire. During this time, Osei Tutu was presented with the renowned Sika Dwa Kofi (Golden Stool), which represented the Ashanti people’s unification and the start of the empire. The Sika Dwa Kofi is more than simply a stool; it is a representation of the Ashanti people’s spirit and soul and a symbol of the nation’s strength, togetherness, and continuity.
The Golden Stool is regarded as sacred and is thought to have a heavenly and spiritual essence. It is claimed to be the personification of the collective spirit of the Ashanti people and to hold the souls of all Ashanti ancestors. The stool is considered too sacred to be touched by anybody, not even the monarch, because of its significance.
A new Ashanti monarch must go through a number of rites and ceremonies while assuming the throne in order to establish the legitimacy of his rule and connect it to the spiritual essence of the Golden Stool. In order to demonstrate his allegiance and dedication to the welfare of the Ashanti people, he swears oaths and makes offerings to the stool.
Source: Ghana/max.com.gh/MaxTV/MaxFM/Belinda Quansah
