Ahanta West Member of Parliament, Mavis Kuukua Bissue, has proposed a DNA test to help resolve the longstanding dispute over the lineage and remains of the legendary Ahanta king, Nana Badu Bonsoe II.
According to the lawmaker, a scientific verification process could provide clarity amid competing claims by several royal families over the ancestry of the revered ruler and the rightful custodianship of his remains.
Speaking on Joy FM, Mrs Bissue said the move is necessary to avoid further controversy and bring closure to a matter that has remained unresolved for years.
“I am pushing for a DNA. Because even if we allow it to go home, we are still going to have issues,” she stated.
Nana Badu Bonsoe II is widely regarded as one of Ghana’s most prominent anti-colonial figures. Historical accounts indicate that he fiercely resisted Dutch colonial influence in the Ahanta area during the nineteenth century, a stance that eventually led to his capture and execution in 1838.
Following his public beheading at Busua, his severed head was taken to the Netherlands, where it remained in a museum collection for more than 170 years.
In July 2009, the Dutch government returned the remains to Ghana after years of diplomatic engagements. However, the repatriation sparked disputes among several royal families who laid claim to the king’s lineage and the right to receive and bury his remains.
The disagreement subsequently led to legal challenges and prolonged uncertainty over the final resting place of the celebrated Ahanta ruler.
Mrs Bissue explained that the dispute has been complicated by the apparent loss of historical family records during the colonial era, making it difficult to establish the king’s true lineage.
She further disclosed that restrictions previously imposed on access to the remains at the 37 Military Hospital have been lifted following engagements with the Ministry of Defence and the Presidency.
According to her, several families had previously visited the facility to assert ownership of the remains, a situation that contributed to tensions and court interventions.
The MP believes DNA testing involving the families making claims could provide an objective basis for determining Nana Badu Bonsoe II’s true descendants.
She argued that such a process would not only help settle the lineage dispute but also pave the way for the dignified burial of the revered king and support efforts to resolve the broader succession issues surrounding one of Ahanta’s most historic stools.
Her proposal comes as the Ahanta State celebrates its heritage and history through the ongoing Go Ahanta Heritage Month initiative.
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