President mourns with Azantilow family

Sandema (UE), May 1, GNA - President John Evans Atta Mills, on Saturday described the late Nab Dr Ayieta Azantilow, Paramount chief of the Builsa Traditional Area, as an exceptionally remarkable man, who performed his assignments with satisfaction.

He said the late chief was an important national resource in the area of education and health and social development. President Mills made these observations when he together with a high profile delegation of the National Democratic Congress joined the people of the Sandema Traditional Area to celebrate the final funeral rites of the late chief, who died in 2006.

The President said: 93Nab Dr Azantilow was a kind of leader, who did not fear to take difficult decisions and kept his ears on the ground for very good use".

President Mills said he cherished the good memories of the late chief when he visited him during his (President) tenure of office as a Vice President of the country, and on his campaign trails, saying the late chief 93supplied me with a bowl of eggs each time I visited him". Alhaji Aliu Mahama, a former Vice President of Ghana, on behalf on a former President John Agyekum Kufuor and representative of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo- Addo, flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party foe Election 2012, said the late chief was a true statesman and soldier. Alhaji Mahama said Nab Dr Azantilow helped to reinforce chieftaincy in Northern Ghana.

Alhaji Mahama presented a bull and 2,000 Ghana Cedis from former President Kufuor to the bereaved family.

Mr Robert Asekabta, a nephew of the late chief, in a tribute, said his uncle, was the longest reigning paramount chief in Ghana until he passed away in November 2006.

The late chief's nephew said his uncle was heavily relied upon by the British colonial masters for the supply of soldiers from the Northern part of the country for the Second World War, and he was asked to address soldiers before they departed to Abyssinia and Burma for war.

Mr Asekabta said Nab Dr Azantilow, who also represented the Gold Coast at the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in London in 1953, was gender and human rights advocate and helped in settling marriage problems.

Offices held by the late chief included president of Builsa Traditional council in 1931, Vice president of the Northern Traditional Council and chairman of the Upper Regional Agricultural council.

Other honours he received were: medals from King George V and Queen Mary in 1935, Queen Elizabeth, 1953, Grand Medal of Ghana 1996, Order of star of Volta 1971, For his pioneering role in education, the late chief was awarded honorary doctorate of letters by the University of Development Studies in 2005.