By Nana Asare Mireku
The Burial Rites for the late Omanhene of the New Juaben Traditional Area, Daasebre Professor Emeritus Oti Boateng has begun in Koforidua, the Eastern Regional capital. When the news team visited the Yiadom and Hwedie Palace, venue for the rites, preparations were underway with the arrival of Chiefs, Queen Mothers, Political Leaders and other sympathizers in anticipation of various burial rites in the next four days.
The late Daasebre Oti Boateng, who died in August 2021, aged 83, acceded the New Juaben Stool in 1992, succeeding his elder brother, the late Daasebre Nana Kwaku Boateng. As a traditional ruler, he strengthened the New Juaben Traditional Council as a local institution for the prosperity of the people. He institutionalized the first traditional festival in post-independence Ghana, the Akwantukese or the Great Migration, which brings into contemporary prominence a missing but critical and major event of Asante history in Ghana. He was also a former president of the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs.
Known in private life as Professor Emeritus Emmanuel Oti Boateng, he was acknowledged as a global authority in statistics and was the recipient of many national and international awards, including a recognition as one of the greatest minds of the 21st century by the American Biographical Institute.
The Statistician:
In 1982, he was appointed to the high office of Government Statistician and served with distinction for a record period of nearly eighteen years until 2000. As a Government Statistician, he successfully conducted the 1984 Population Census, amid great challenges of an entire country under military curfew.
The Citizen:
The Eastern Regional Minister, Seth Kwame Acheampong described his death ”as a great loss to the nation as a whole. Daasebre Oti Boateng was a personality who grew and marketed Ghana worldwide”.
The Member of Parliament for New Juaben South, Michael Okyere Baafi eulogized the key role Daasebre Oti Boateng played in the development of the area in particular and the nation as a whole. He added that, he was a renowned Chief who contributed to ”the development of the nation”.
The Chief of Jumapo, under the New Juaben Tradional Council, Obrempong Kwame Oppong Owusu said, he learnt a lot from the late Chief and wished him eternal rest.
Final Journey:
The Municipal Chief Executive for New Juaben South, Isaac Apau Gyasi outline the program of activities for the Burial rites in the next four days.
The burial rites of Daasebre Oti Boateng are being performed alongside that of the Queen mother of the area, Nana Yaa Daani, who died earlier 2022. The Queen Mother and the Late Daasible Oti Boateng would be laid to rest on Monday night May 16, 2022 after rites are performed over the weekend with President Akufo Addo, the Asantehene, Otumfuor Osei Tutu and other dignitaries in attendance.
