Asantehene is unhappy

The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II is worried about the short-sightedness of some Ghanaians and has reacted with regret to suggestions and innuendoes being made within certain ethnic groupings that Asantes are nursing the clandestine agenda of imposing themselves and in the long run ruling the nation.

The Ga Dangme for instance has regularly questioned why the Otumfuo has not observed the age old tradition of first paying homage to traditional rulers whose territory he passes through and has accused him of acting in contravention of the demands of the chieftaincy tradition.

Sections of Ghanaians have also been depressed at the thought that a visit to the Manhyia Palace and a call on the Otumfuo is a routine item on the official programme of any high profile personality who visits the country and allege a grand orchestration by the government to in the long run move the capital from Accra to Kumasi in fulfillment of a grand agenda to make the Ashanti Region the most supreme in Ghana.

But the Otumfuo has assured that “Asantes have no ambition of seeking to impose themselves on any ethnic group”. They are only trying to equip themselves to face the challenges of the 21st century. The Asante king told the ongoing third biennial Asante Congress at the Centre for National Culture (CNC) in Kumasi , that this goal, initiated by Asantes, demands adopting practical approaches to issues of wealth creation and job openings for the unemployed youth.

The theme for the five-day congress is: “Moving Asanteman Forward Into the 21st Century - Challenges and Prospects”. The Asantehene, said the level to which he would be able to lead his people towards the drive to good education; access to quality health delivery and economic prosperity, would be the measuring rod for the success of his reign.

He said it was for this reason that he had made the promotion of education, health and economic development his main focus.The King’s reaction comes in the wake of a growing perception that the Asantes are determined to entrench themselves not only in the chieftaincy institution in the country but also to capture the politics of this nation.

Last week, the very enterprising Otumfuo launched the Asante Golden Development Holding Company (GDHC), a limited liability company set up to provide the impetus to the socio-economic development of Asanteman and bought one billion cedis value of the shares.

On sale were 60 million shares with a target for 30 billion cedis. This amount would be used by the company to establish a commercial bank that would give the necessary capital support to the GDHC’s planned economic ventures that would be undertaken either solely or on partnership basis.

He has also strengthened his influence over his people and won their confidence by employing traditional wisdom in healing festering tribal wounds. Many Asantes talked to felt that their new king is what they need to strengthen their kinship. They describe the ascendancy of their king to the throne and the leadership of President Kufuor a mere coincidence.