Asantehene applauds Savannah State's international efforts

As the sound of chanting voices drew near to the Savannah State University ballroom Wednesday morning, someone called out, "His Majesty Otumfuo Osei Tutu!" and the group of local political, business and education leaders gathered there got to their feet.

In walked the king of Ghana's Ashanti region, visiting Savannah State University this week as part of the institution's international education initiatives in Africa.

He was surrounded by members of his entourage, including three chieftains, two princes and a linguist who, because Ashanti kings traditionally do not communicate directly to others, must stand to his right as a buffer when the king speaks.

There was the keeper of the king's gold, the king's cameraman, an umbrella bearer charged with the duty of shielding the king from the elements and two praise singers who follow the king, chanting praises to remind him of the deeds of his ancestors and to inspire him to achieve the best for his people.

Also among them was Kojo Yankah, a businessman, member of the Ghanaian parliament and father of the first international student recruited through Savannah State's international education program in Ghana.

"Part of what we want to do with our international program is to so expose our students and faculty to cultures and business and ways of other countries that we literally become part of raising a generation for whom international education is normal," SSU president Carlton Brown said.

University officials first met King Otumfuo Osei Tutu during one of two educational trips to Ghana.

"My whole aim was to propel my kingdom into educational development," the king said.

He pledged his support to Savannah State's international educational efforts, and university officials signed agreements for cultural, faculty, student and research exchanges with three Ghanaian universities University of Cape Coast, the Kwame Nkrummah University of Science and Technology, and the University of Ghana. A group of Savannah State students will travel to Ghana soon for the first summer exchange activities. The royal visit is the first of those cultural exchange activities.

Wednesday's morning meeting was sponsored by the Savannah Chamber of Commerce and the Savannah Economic and Development Authority. It was designed to introduce area business, education and political leaders to Ghanaian culture and spark discussion about possible economic partnerships.

The king, who was educated in Africa and Europe and traveled the Americas after establishing a lucrative transport and supply company in Ghana, described the business opportunities in his region, which is ripe with gold, cocoa and timber.

"The time is right for an economic take-off in Africa," he said. "Education holds the key to economic development in the country."

Stacy Watson, of the Georgia Ports Authority, said Savannah businesses are already taking advantage of some of the many opportunities Ghana has to offer, importing wood and rubber products and exporting heavy machinery and hair care products.

"The foundation is there," Watson said. "We do $12 million a year to and from Ghana."

But Wednesday's visit wasn't all about business. Members of the African delegation said the bridge-building, cultural exchange trip had spiritual meaning as well.

Before embarking on tours of the historically black college campus, the king remarked that the majority of African Americans were taken from the Ashanti region of Ghana for enslavement in the Southern United States and many of the faces he saw on campus were undoubtedly descendents of his people.