Dr. Opoku-Duah named Chief of the Ashanti Community in Middle Tennessee

Dr. Steve Opoku-Duah is known for being a leader in the field of chemistry. As Lipscomb’s Paul B. Langford Endowed Professor of Chemistry, he is on the cutting edge of water decontamination research.

But this fall, Opoku-Duah took on a new leadership title: Chief Nana Amansie Kwaku Duah of the Ashanti Community in Middle Tennessee.

Opoku-Duah was born in Ghana, and belongs to the Ashanti people. The Ashanti are the largest ethnic group in Ghana, and their kingdom has existed in West Africa for hundreds of years. 

“Ghana is very interesting, because we do have a strong democracy, but we also have a parallel, traditional setup,” said Opoku-Duah. “The Ashanti kingdom is almost like a country within the country.”

Ashanti traditions and culture have existed for hundreds of years. But as the world became globalized and more Ghanaians began to emigrate, they began recreating communities like the one they left behind.

“Wherever the Ashantis are, they create a replica of the empire, and they select a chief,” Opoku-Duah said.

There are multiple Ashanti chiefs across the United States, and each acts as a representative of the King of the Ashanti Kingdom. Chiefs are nominated and elected by their communities, and they serve a two-year term.

The Lipscomb professor was always active in the Ashanti community in Middle Tennessee, but when they decided to select a chief, he originally didn’t volunteer. Other people saw his leadership skills and nominated him for the role.

“’I’ve been doing the work on the quiet for years–since I’ve been here. Because even before being a chief, they’ve been talking to me, (asking) can you advise me about this? Can you help me with this?” Opoku-Duah recalled.

As the official chief, Opoku-Duah takes on a variety of responsibilities. This weekend, he’ll be “sitting in state” over a funeral in Murfreesboro. He also presides over weddings, and helps with birth rites and naming: it’s the Ashanti custom to name people after the day they were born. Opoko-Duah’s first name is actually “Kwaku,” since he was a male born on a Wednesday.

Outside of ceremonial duties, the chief also advises Ashanti people on educational and professional challenges, adjudicates familial conflicts, and could even step in as a consultant if immigration problems arise.

Opoku-Duah acknowledges his role is a big responsibility, but he says, “I am doing this mainly because I see a huge gift God has given to me. I probably was the least likely person to be able to have those kinds of things.”

The chemistry professor was the first person in his family to go to high school, because his outstanding test score qualified him for a scholarship. He was accepted into an extremely competitive Ghanaian university, where he first began research into water decontamination solutions.

Opoku-Duah was the first in his family to finish college. He didn’t stop after his first degree: he completed a master’s in Holland, and received a PhD in the UK. His passion for chemistry has only grown, and his research seeks to address the drinking water challenges he experienced while growing up in Ghana.

Today, almost 40 members of his family have followed in his footsteps and graduated from college, and he calls himself a “trail blazer.” He sees his success as an opportunity and a calling, and it’s one of the main reasons why he chooses to serve the Ashanti community as their chief.

“I feel the responsibility to serve, and so I serve God, I serve my church, I serve my university, and I serve my community…because that is what I see God has called me to do,” Opoku-Duah said. “Even though it’s a challenging job, as a chief for the community, I see that it is honorable and it’s a duty.”

Feature image of Opoku-Duah’s coronation courtesy of Dr. Opoku-Duah.