The late Baafour Akoto was born to Nana Akosua Apea and Kofi Owusu Sekyere of Heman in 1904. He was the direct descendant of the Asantehene Osei Bonsu. He trained as a mechanic and worked with F & A Swaanzy Company ( transport section). He ascended the Butuakwa Stool during the reign of Otumfuo Nana Sir Osei Agyeman Prempeh II as a senior linguist to the Asanti kingship in 1935; a position he held until his death. He occupied this office for 68 years, serving Asanetman and four occupants of the Golden Stool.
He combined his role as a traditionalist with national politics in the early 1950’s. He contributed to the formation of the National Liberation Movement (NLM), the main opposition party of Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah’s Convention People’s Party ( CPP), which he led. He contributed and propelled the establishment of Democracy in the country; advocating a federal system. He was among prominent politicians who opposed the dictatorial rule of the Nkrumah’s government. He fought along side Dr. J. B. Danquah of Kyebi to oppose Nkrumah’s authoritarian rule. As a result, he was imprisoned in 1958 under the Preventive Detention Act and only freed after the dead of Dr. Danquah, who occupied the cell next to his. After his release, he went into exile in the Northern region on the orders of the Nkrumah’s government, until the CPP was overthrown in 1966. Baafour Akoto retired from active politics after the formation of the Second Republic.