Late Abesimhene buried after traditional rites
THE entire township of Abesim in the Sunyani Municipality was turned upside down last Saturday when the traditional burial ceremony fit for chiefs (Doteyie) was held to bid farewell to the late Barima Kumi Acheaw, Chief of the town.
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The late Barima Kumi Acheaw, 70, who was also the Kyidomhene of the Dormaa Traditional Area, died on September 30, 2022.
And as customs demanded, the Omanhene of the Dormaa Traditional Area, Osagyefo Oseadeeyo Agyemang Badu II, the Queenmother of the Dormaa Traditional Area, Odeneho Kosua Fima Dwabeng, together with a retinue of divisional chiefs, graced the occasion.
Tradition
Tradition was at its best as the chiefs, clad in black clothes, lined up on the principal street of the town amid the firing of muskets, drumming and cultural displays.
A group of women, who were decorated with marks made from red earth mixed with charcoal on their bodies, moved from one end of the town and rhythmically tapped sticks on the ground amid singing.
Traditional executioners, with blended charcoal painted on their faces and holding cutlasses occasionally surged menacingly towards the milling crowd as children ran for cover.
Osagyefo Oseadeeyo Agyemang Badu ll performed various traditional rites before the remains of Barima Kumi Acheaw was interred at the Abesim Royal Mausoleum later in the day.
The elaborate burial ceremony, which began on Thursday, March 23, 2023, was climaxed on Sunday, March 26, 2023, with a non-denominational thanksgiving service by all churches in the town.
Among hundreds of people from all walks of life who joined the chiefs and people of Abesim for the occasion were the Member of Parliament for Sunyani East, Kwasi Ameyaw-Cheremeh, Deputy Attorney General, Tuah Yaboah and Sunyani Municipal Chief Executive, Ansu Kumi.
Others were the Sunyani West Municipal Chief Executive, Evans Kusi Boadum, and the Dormaa East District Chief Executive, Emmanuel Kofi Agyeman.
Barima Kumi Acheaw was a professional teacher who rose to become the headmaster of the Boahenkorkor Presbyterian Cluster of Schools, Sunyani, before his retirement.
He succeeded Nana Ansu Gyeabour in 2003 and reigned for 19 years before passing away.
During his 19-year reign, he led the town for the construction of a police station, a senior high school and a Ghana National Fire Service station among others.
