Apologise to Asantehene and Asanteman

Kumasi, Oct 18, GNA - The Asante Students' Union Alumni (ASUA) on Wednesday called on journalists and social commentators who attacked, insulted and showed gross disrespect to Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the Asantehene, on the cocaine scandal to do self-assessment on their actions.

The Alumni said should they realise their mistakes that they acted beyond bounds and apologise to Otumfuo Osei Tutu he would graciously forgive them.

This was contained in a statement signed by Dr Baffour Asafo-Adjei, President of the Alumni and issued in Kumasi. The statement was optimistic that all those who, through their actions or inactions, questioned the integrity of Asantehene and brought his image and that of Asanteman into disrepute would be courageous enough to admit that they had erred and would render unqualified apologies to Otumfuo Osei Tutu.

The Alumni congratulated all journalists and social commentators who had so far exhibited fairness and objectivity in their publications, discussions and comments on the cocaine saga.

"That is responsible journalism and we commend them for that. We will however entreat them to help their colleagues who have fallen short to also aspire to become responsible journalists", it said

The statement said they shared the sentiments with journalists and other groups of people and individuals who were disgusted by the threats purported to have been made b one or two individuals and groups to some journalists for incriminating the Asantehene.

"We were impressed by the swiftness with which most people condemned those who issued the threats. It is however ironic that when those journalists freely insulted the Asantehene with impunity in the name of press freedom, no such condemnations were directed at those disrespectful journalists by most of their colleagues."

"We salute the few who condemned their disres pectful

colleagues and call on the others to do the same as they did to the people who threatened their colleagues."

The statement appealed to the Asantehene, friends of Asantes and all peace loving people of Ghana to remain calm and not to allow themselves to be unduly provoked to act or react in a way that would disturb the peace the nation was privileged to be enjoying.

It commended the Asantehene for his majestic tolerance in the face of the extreme provocation by these disrespectful individuals to his person, his high office and indeed Asanteman.