Obeng II

HRH Oheneba Nana Kwame Obeng II is the recognized traditional sovereign leader of the Sefwi Obeng-Mim stool lands and Chief of the Royal House of Sefwi Obeng-Mim in the Republic of Ghana. He is the ruler, and Toufohene (grand master) of the dynastic orders, of Sefwi Obeng-Mim stool lands, a subnational kingdom in the Sefwi Wiawso Traditional Territory of Ghana. He was appointed by the Paramount Chief as a Divisional Chief, overseeing other local chieftaincies.

Constitutional Status
Ghana's is a republic. However, the constitution recognizes the local and tribal sovereignty of traditional rulers, and their accession to the throne is approved by government agencies. The traditional leaders are connected through their regional House of Chiefs and the National House of Chiefs, as well as the Ghanaian Ministry of Chieftaincy and Religion.

Sefwi Obeng-Mim is a subnational kingdom or chieftaincy in the Sefwi Wiawso Traditional Territory of Ghana. Like other traditional rulers or monarchies in Ghana, under the Constitution of the Republic, he is a reigning non-ruling sovereign prince under the Omanhene (Paramount Chief), of the Sefwi Wiawso Traditional Area. He was appointed by the Paramount Chief as a Divisional Chief, overseeing other local chieftaincies. He was appointed by the Paramount Chief as a Divisional Chief, overseeing other local chieftaincies, and the Sefwi Wiawso Traditional Council appointed him the international Director of Culture and a goodwill ambassador of the Traditional Area.

Family
HRH Oheneba Nana Kwame Obeng II is the son of HM Katakyei Kwasi Bumagamah, Paramount Chief of Sefwi Wiawso, and HRH Akua Sarwaah Ohene Tuasuo of the Obeng dynasty. The name Oheneba means "son of the king". As the Paramount's son, Obeng II had the opportunity to pursue higher studies. Following Akan tradition, the chieftaincy of Sefwi Obeng-Mim is matrilineal. Obeng II is a descendent of Queen Mother Nana Abena Kra, second wife of Obeng I, the founder of the dynastic house.

The Royal family of Sefwi Obeng-Mim is related to the Royal family from Ahafo Kwapong, which is part of the Ashanti Empire. The oral tradition is that there were two brothers, Obeng and Asante. Both were hunters whose game fed the Asantehene, which their family had done for two hundred years. The two brothers eventually moved from Kumasi to settle at the modern day Kwapong. Moreover, Obeng, the younger brother, moved with his wife, Nana Yaa Odei, across the river Sayere to settle in the lands of the Sefwi people.

Nana Obeng II’s mother’s family descends from the Asante people while his father descends from the Sefwi people. Obeng II’s mother was named after one of the Ashanti deities, Hene Tuasuo.

Obeng II is related to the current Asantehene, HIM Otumfuo Nana Osei Tutu II, as HIM graduated from the Sefwi Wiaso Secondary School and was taught by the late Omanhene of Sefwi Wiawso, HM Nana Kwadwo Aduhene II, a cousin of Otumfuo's guardian uncle at the time, HRH Oheneba Mensah Bonsu, Chief of the Hia stool (Hiahene) of the Royal House of Kyidom in the Ashanti empire (named after the 11th Asantehene).

Reign
Oheneba Nana Kwame Obeng II ascended the throne on 3 June 2016. He introduced many reforms to modernize and develop the kingdom. With the help of local and international consultants, he established a royal school, solved drinking water supply, introduced solar electrification, and proper documentation of family lands. In addition, he developed cocoa production methods and launched bridge and road construction works. Obeng II also took action against illegal mining. He has continued the work of HM Katakyei Kwasi Bumagamah, who, with now HM King Charles III, began the advocacy and policy making in Ghana to protect the rainforests in the traditional area and creating a more robust Forestry Commission.

Obeng II founded two dynastic orders of Akan warriors which forms his international asafo.

Succession

 * Nana Kwame Obeng I (1935-1960), founder of the dynastic house
 * Nana yaw Brobbery (1960-1990)
 * Nana Kofi Ntori (1990-2001)
 * Nana Kwame Ofori (2001-2005)
 * Nana Kwame Wusu I (2005-2011)
 * Nana Kwame Ofori II (2011-2016)
 * Oheneba Nana Kwame Obeng II (2016-Current)

Dynastic Honors and Awards
HRH Oheneba Nana Kwame Obeng II is an innovator. Nana Obeng II has created an international community and network of supporters, forming an international Royal House whose mission is to serve with honor and worthiness. To fight the war on illiteracy, poverty, disease, and unemployment, Obeng II, as Tufohene, created an international Asafo, marshaling warriors to fight alongside him for the rights and welfare of Sefwi Obeng-Mim, and all people around the world, courageously. The Asafo is composed of two regiments:

The Golden Fire Dog and Obeng II are the two regiments, also called “royal orders”. The members of the adafo are “Kofo” or noble warriors. As a sovereign prince/traditional chief under the Constitution of the Republic of Ghana and customs and traditions of Akan and Sefwi people, the Oheneba and the Tufohene Nana Obeng II has the traditional authority to form his Asafo or "dynastic royal order" and grant, appoint, and bestow titles and ranks to his warriors. Since 2019, these warriors have done amazing work under the Tufohene for the people of Obeng-Mim and the development of the stool lands.

In 2024 the Ministry in Chieftaincy and Religion of the Republic of Ghana confirmed the royal orders as valid traditional honors under the royal protection of the Omanhene of Sefwi Wiawso and recognized by the nation-state. The orders recognized are:
 * Royal Order of the Golden Fire Dog
 * Royal Order of Obeng II
 * The Banner Award of Obeng II. The award is based on the office and honor of a Frankaahene (male) or Frankaahemaa (female), the “chief of the flag bearers”. In Akan warfare these are asafo ranks. A Frankaahene is similar to the original British concepts of a banneret.

Oheneba Foundation
Obeng II established a Ghanaian non-profit corporation for socio-economic development. A sister foundation was established in the USA and is a registered 501c3 nonprofit. The Foundations in USA and Ghana also work in partnership with the Wiawso Traditional Council as all development is interdependent.

International Advocacy
Sefwi Obeng-Mim is composed of numerous farming communities in the Juabeso District in the Western Region of the Republic of Ghana. The Obeng-Mim Stool lands have about 1,500 people, many of whom are subsistent cocoa farmers. The primary development area is located in the middle of the Krokosue Forest Reserve under the Sefwi Wiawso Traditional Area, one of the largest forest reserves in Ghana. Due to the location of the community, it is difficult to access the most basic developmental projects by the central government and government funding. Providing safe and clean potable water, as well as medical and educational development, as well as other human services, is left to the traditional chieftaincy institution in Ghana.

Since HRH enstoolment, he has been an advocate in Ghana as well as internationally, meeting with various dignitaries and humanitarian groups. He has traveled to Singapore, Turkey, Hong Kong, and Indonesia to meet with the Russian ambassador to Singapore, the Singapore Minister for Culture, Community, and Youth and the Second Minister for Law, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine, the Secretary of Commerce and Economic Development of Hong Kong SAR government, the Indonesian Sultanate of Gowa, and princely dignitaries Abu Dhabi. In Ghana he worked with the Ambassador of Peru to Ghana, as well as the Ambassador of India in Ghana.

Honors Received
Obeng II is one of the most successful traditional rulers in Ghana and has received many local and international accolades. Nana Obeng II has received the following honors:


 * 2024 was Honorary Chairman of the National Union of Sefwi Students and Alumni Celebration Week;
 * 2023 named one of Focus Africa magazine’s 100 Leading Personalities in Africa;
 * 2023 bestowed the Order of Duke Ketel, Grand Cross, by HIllH. Count Miklós M. M. Cseszneky, Head of House and Name, and HRH Prince Savoia-Aosta, Patron;
 * 2022 named Patron for Life of the Youth Empowerment Consortium of Ghana;
 * 2022 bestowed the Most Humble and Discipline Chief of the Year award by the Ghana Youth Leadership Summit in Accra;
 * 2022 was Guest of Honor of the Western North Media Festival and Personality Awards;
 * 2022 bestowed by HM the Kangjeng Gusti Pangeran Adipatu Aria (KGPAA) Mangku Alam Al-Han Maulana Abdullah Khalifatullah Al-Jawi, Sovereign of the Kingdom of Mangkualaman, Yogyakarta (SR and Sultanate of Yogyakarta), in the Republic of Indonesia, the Javanese Prince Title of Kangjeng Pangeran Ario and Member 2nd Class of The Most Distinguished Family Order of Mangkualaman;
 * 2021 bestowed The Ghana Philanthropy Forum’s Royal in Philanthropy Award, a category in the National Philanthropy Awards;
 * 2021 bestowed The Western North Region most influential and supportive Chief of the Year Award;
 * 2021 bestowed the Equestrian Order of Michael Archangel and rank of Knight Grand Collar by HIRH Prince Gharios El Chemor Al-Numan VIII of the Royal House of Ghassan (Lebanon and Syria);
 * 2021 named a royal patron of the Imperial Youth of Brazil;
 * 2020 awarded a Fellowship of the Register of Humanitarian and Stabilisation Professionals in recognition of his work to develop the Kingdom of Sefwi Obeng-Mim;
 * 2019 bestowed “The Most Honourable Order of Omukama Chwa II. Kabalega” and the rank of Grand Collar and Governor of the Order in Ghana by HM the Omukama of the Kingdom of Bunyoro-Kitara (Uganda); and
 * 2019 named an honorary royal member of Hermandad Nacional Monárquica de España, which holds Special Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council.