Omanhene
/ˌoʊmənˈhɛni/noun
A paramount chief or traditional ruler of an Akan state or community in Ghana.
Did you know?An Omanhene traditionally represents the stool of the state—a sacred symbol of ancestral authority, rather than merely holding personal political power.
Etymological Timeline
Early Akan
Akan
ɔman
“A nation, state, territory, or community”
Early Akan
Akan
hene
“Chief, king, or ruler”
Precolonial Ghana
Akan
ɔmanhene
“The chief or ruler of an Akan state”
19th Century
English
omanhene
“A paramount Akan chief, as recorded in accounts of the Gold Coast”
Modern English
English
Omanhene
“A paramount traditional ruler within Ghanaian chieftaincy”