Obasanjo, Rawlings, Kufuor storm Kumasi

Top people from across the globe, including former Nigeria President, Olusegun Obasanjo, will attend the grand durbar of chiefs and people to mark the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II’s 15 years anniversary at the Baba Yara stadium in Kumasi, on Sunday.

The ex-Nigerian leader had confirmed his participation of the historic event and the Manhyia Palace had arranged for his grand welcome to Kumasi, Nana Atta Poku Agyeman, a grand nephew of Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, told DAILY GUIDE in a telephone interview.

He announced that the grand durbar of chiefs and people to commemorate Otumfuo’s 15 years on Golden Stool is a big event, indicating that top world leaders, powerful traditional leaders and top businessmen from the African continent, would also be present.

Nana Poku Agyeman, who is the son of Nana Akwasi Agyeman, an Ashanti Royal, disclosed that President John Mahama is among the top personalities who are expected to grace the occasion to make it grand and memorable on Sunday.

He said former Ghana Presidents, Messrs Jerry John Rawlings and John Agyekum Kufuor, would also be present at the colourful event which is under the theme ‘Rekindling the spirit of creativity, innovation and enterprise through traditional leadership’.

Nana Poku Agyeman averred that His Eminence, Alhaji Abubakar, Sultan of Sokoto and Sir Chief Gabriel Igbenidion, Esama of Benin Kingdom in Nigeria, are among the famous traditional leaders on the continent who have given indications of attending the event.

According to the grand nephew of Otumfuo, top businessmen across Africa including Robert Kumedi of South Africa who owns a chain of businesses, is also flying from his country to Ghana to take part in the celebrations marking Otumfuo’s 15 years on the throne.

He said top traditional leaders from all parts of Ghana, have also confirmed that they would visit the Baba Yara stadium to join the chiefs and people of Asanteman, to honour the Asantehene for his remarkable achievements as King during the past 15 years.

Nana Poku Agyeman disclosed that ministers of state, parliamentarians, members of the judiciary, the clergy, politicians, foreign diplomats in Ghana, businessmen and people from all walks of life, are expected to jam the Baba Yara stadium on the day.

He stated that the Manhyia Palace, the officials seat of the Asantehene and other bodies, including the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) in charge of the organisation of the event, have done a yeoman’s job to make the event memorable.

Nana Poku Agyeman said there would be massive police presence in and around the venue of the programme, assuring the large number of people who would be trooping to Kumasi to attend the event of maximum security.

Known as Barimma Kwaku Duah, the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, ascended the Golden Stool on the May 1999, succeeding the late Asantehene, Otumfuo Opoku Ware II, who had visited his ancestors at the Royal Mausoleum at Breman near Kumasi.

Otumfuo since his ascension on the Golden Stool had implemented several policies and programmes which had contributed to better the lives of Ghanaians from all corners of the country.

So far, thousands of brilliant but needy students from all the 10 regions of the country have benefited from the Otumfuo Education Fund, created by the Asantehene to boost education.

The Asantehene had also contributed immensely towards the promotion of good health for the people, as he had also formed a body whose sole mandate is to work to promote healthcare in the country.

Otumfuo had also instituted an award scheme to motivate teachers that ignore the pleasure of city life and accept postings to the hinterlands to teach children residing in those deprived areas.

Started about four years ago, hard working teachers from all the 10 regions in the country are selected and assembled at the Manhyia Palace for the Asantehene to reward them handsomely.

Otumfuo had also earned praise from all over the world, for his wise leadership and contributions which had helped to resolve several chieftaincy disputes that once rocked the Asante Kingdom.

Married to Lady Julia Osei Tutu, whom he has two children with; the Asantehene is also hailed all over Ghana for his efforts to bring lasting peace to the Dagbon chieftaincy issue.