Some had the power to become chiefs and rulers.

Some had the right to choose and depose rulers, and others could limit and define the rights of the rulers.

However, almost everywhere there was a clear trend toward increasing centralized authority and decreasing popular participation.
The centralization of power in West Africa never reached the extremes of absolute monarchy which occurred in Europe, and there was never the same need for revolutionary social changes to revive democratic participation within African society.
In an old Asante ritual, connected with the enthronement of a ruler, the people pray that their ruler should not be greedy, should not be hard of hearing, should not act on his own initiative nor perpetuate personal abuse nor commit violence on his people, While the right to rule was generally passed on from generation to generation within a single family, the power did not immediately and automatically fall on the eldest son within that family.

Instead, another family had the power to select the next ruler from among a large number of potential candidates within the ruling family.

If the ruler who was selected ruled unwisely and unfairly, he could also be deposed.