Nana Kusi Apea I (far right) with a Ghanaian diplomat and British officials in 1953
The year was 1953, June, to be exact, when the stage was set for the coronation of the late Queen Elizabeth II.
Given the centuries-old bond between the Ashanti and British kingdoms, often reinforced by reciprocal visits from monarchs on either side, an invitation was extended to the Asantehene at the time, Sir Agyeman Prempeh II, to attend the coronation.
Watch this 1989 video of Queen Elizabeth easily identifying ‘kente’ as a unique symbol of Ghana
However, as events would have it, Sir Agyeman Prempeh II, in his wisdom, entrusted one of his paramount chiefs, the Wankyihene, to represent him at the royal occasion.
As one of the few educated paramount chiefs in the Ashanti Kingdom, the Wankyihene, Nana Kusi Apea I, attended the coronation and was received at the event by two Ghanaian diplomats, along with the staff of Buckingham Palace.
According to Asanteman News on Facebook, in a post dated May 2023, Nana Kusi Apea I was described as a brother to Dr Kofi Busia.
Nana Apea I was enstooled in 1949, and in 1976, the military government issued Decree SMCD 64 to remove him from office.
Watch old video of Otumfuo Opoku Ware II tactfully arbitrating a chieftaincy case
However, Nana remained unfazed and continued to serve Asanteman.
Wankyi is part of Asanteman and is traditionally responsible for supplying the elephant skin on which the Golden Stool rests.
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