How a chief selects his official name (Stool name)

A lot of miseducation / misinformation is going on in our communities over how an incoming chief selects his official name (Stool Name) .

The sad aspect of the miseducation is the fact that an incoming chief selects his Official Name (Stool Name) by going to the Stool Room blaindfolded to touch any of the Blackend Stools in the Stool Room , so that the name of the past chief (ancestor) associated with it becomes his Official Name .

THIS IS NOT AND CAN NOT BE TRUE ; for as a rule , a royal is prohibited to enter a Stool Room (Nkonwa dan mu) until he becomes a chief .

It is also important to note that if selecting an Official Name by blindfolding and touching a stool were true , then it will be reasonable to say that the name of the first chief shall run through to the new chief . That is to say that Opoku Ware l would have touched Osei Tutu l’s stool to become Osei Tutu ll on and on and on .

THE ABSOLUTE TRUTH IS THAT ; after seclection , nomination and vetting of the incoming chief , he is given an Official Name in consultation with the Queen Mother , Abusuapanin and Abusuabaapani of the Royal Household in cmera .

Before sitting in camera , they would have consulted but very few of the elderly members of the household .

The First Choice Name is often the name of a departed chief with all the ingredients of bravery , had work , diplomacy and tact .

The names of two great chiefs may be combined ie. Atakora & Amaniampon , hence Atakora Amaniampon . The incoming chief may choose to use his own name or combine part of his own names with other names or even quin any name .

Credit: Teacher Safo Kantanka

The Kingdom of Asante