Africa-Press – Ghana. Mr. Richard Briandt, IT professional and techpreneur, has been installed as Asafoatse Dzahene IV and inducted into the Osu Stool Council.
Now known as Asafoatse Boni Nii Dzahene IV, he represents the historic Briandt Family of Osu Blogodo in the Greater Accra Region.
The installation ceremony was held on July 19, 2025, at Osu, attended by family elders and members of the Osu Stool Council.
Speaking after his enstoolment, Asafoatse Dzahene IV pledged to promote unity and champion youth development in the community.
“It is a deep honour to take up this mantle…I step into this role with humility, pride in my ancestry, and an unshakable belief that our traditions can power our future. I am here to serve—with culture in one hand, and innovation in the other,” he stated.
In his role, Mr. Briandt said he would support the Osu and Ga-Dangme communities by advancing education and technology as tools for progress.
His initial focus includes equipping young people with digital skills to enhance employability and access global opportunities.
He also aims to document Ga-Dangme stories, language, and traditions using accessible technology.
Further plans include promoting inclusive economic development, supporting boxing and football, and reviving traditional performances to foster cultural pride and tourism.
“This title or position is not just about carrying a sword—it is to carry a story, a duty, and a vision…I intend to write a new chapter, one where our youth have the skills to lead, the heritage to stand tall, and the opportunities to thrive,” he added.
The title Asafoatse Dzahene is a revered position within the Osu chieftaincy structure, symbolising military and civic leadership under the Asafo system.
Mr. Briandt joins a distinguished line of Asafoatsemei in his family, dating back to the 1800s.
He is a former recipient of the World Youth Summit Award for maternal health innovation in Austria (2011) and was named among the Top 100 Innovators by Startup Chile in 2014.
He explained that the installation reawakens a lineage dating to the early 1700s, when Danish merchant Ambiorn Christensen Brandt settled on the Gold Coast and married into Ga royalty.
“Over time, his descendants became known as the Briandt Family of Osu Blorgodo, custodians of the ‘Dzahene’ title.
“Notable predecessors include Dzahene I, Akwetey Blofo (Wilhelm Douglass Akwetey Briandt), a distinguished leader and the original bearer of the sacred ‘Tsi’ (sword of office).
“Others are Dzahene II, Captain William Douglas Briandt, and Dzahene III, Edgar Briandt, who restored the lineage after years of caretaker stewardship,” he noted.
Over the years, respected individuals from the broader family circle served in caretaker roles while a direct successor from the Briandt male line was being prepared.
The family’s legacy includes Rev. Adolf Briandt, composer of Hymn 192 in the Presbyterian Hymnal; E.C. Briandt, first captain of Ghana’s Black Stars; and Julius Caesar Briandt, a 19th-century merchant and leader during the Ga resistance.
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