Sunyani, the capital of the Bono Region, was greeted with cultural displays and magical performances as traditional priests joined mourners for the pre-burial and final funeral rites (Dotoyie) of the late Sunyanimanhene, Nana Bosoma Asor Nkrawiri II.
Born on May 31, 1946, and known in private life as Osei Kofi, Nana Nkrawiri II, a retired educationist, was enstooled on March 17, 1980, and passed away in 2023 after a short illness.
The Sunyani Traditional Council has set April 1 to April 7, 2024, for the late Paramount Chief’s interment and Dotoyie.
Clad in smocks and other traditional regalia, with different talisman around their necks, hands, and legs, the more than 20 priests exhibited their traditional dancing prowess on the streets of the capital to entertain hundreds of mourners who had arrived in town to pay their last respects to the late Paramount Chief.
Drawn from the various shrines dotted around the municipality, the presence and traditional performances by the fetish priests and other traditional warriors scared some of the mourners.
As some of the fetish priests, mostly with dreadlocks, broke and swallowed uncooked eggs amid chanting traditional warring songs, the warriors also fired sporadic musketries as part of the rites.
Some of them also wore cowries and held traditional staffs, machetes, and fly-whisks as they demonstrated their supernatural powers.
The premises of the old Sunyani palace in the enclave of the Sunyani Victoria Park were filled with magical displays and performances as the traditional priests handed out lotto numbers and other gifts.
In an interview, Nana Kusi Korang, an official of the Bono Regional Office of the Centre for National Culture and a member of the funeral committee, explained that, the performances of the fetish priests were essential to preserve the nation’s culture and tradition, which reflect the true identity of the people.
He described the performances of the traditional priests and warriors as an essential to give the late Paramount Chief a befitting burial.
“This is true African religion and reflects our true identity as African people,” Nana Manu, the Chief Abrafo (executioner) of the Sunyani Traditional Area, stated.
He called for the promotion and preservation of African culture.
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