Grand durbar, fundraising to mark Asante Day 2015 held in New York

The Asanteman community in North America celebrated Asante Day 2015 by holding a grand and colorful durbar at the Sound View Park, Bronx on September 5, 2015 and a fundraising dinner dance at Ghanatta Hall on September 6, 2015 in New York City.

His Royal Majesty, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the Asantehene, was represented at both events by Nana (Dr.) Adusei Atwenewa Ampem I, Tepamanhene. The Otumfuo's Manwerehene, Baffour (Dr.) Ossei Hyeaman Brantuo VI, was also present as part of The Asantehene’s delegation.

Also present at the grand durbar was Ghana's Permanent Representative to United Nations, Mrs. Martha Ama Akyea Pobee. There were also several other prominent chiefs and queenmothers, including Otumfuo's Aboafuohene, Nana Osei Agyeman Bawuah II, who were present to grace and support the two events.

The leadership of the organiztion of the people from the Northern Region of Ghana who are residents of New York City were also present at the durbar and joined the teeming crowd at the durbar to greet Asantehene’s representative. The fundraising dinner-dance was chaired by Dr. Kwasi Acheampong.

On Sunday, September 6, 2015 at the Marriott Residence Inn located in Yonkers, NY, the Asanteman community in North America held Asante Congress (Town Hall Meeting), which was attended by over hundreds of delegates from several cities in North America including Toronto, Canada; Dallas DFW, TX; Houston, TX; Chicago, IL; Columbus, OH; Charlotte, NC; Washington, DC; New York, NY; Denver, CO; and Cincinnati, OH.

The Congress adopted couple of resolutions that will be presented to the Asantehene through his representative, Nana Tepamanhene and the current leadership of Asanteman Council of North America (ACONA).

One of the resolutions contained a litany of charges which had been proffered against the current ACONA Executive Secretariat for which the assembled attendees at the Congress had expressed their disdain and had necessitated an overwhelming (100%) vote of no confidence in the Secretariat and in particular fingering mostly the Executive Secretary, Mr. Kwaku Agyeman-Duah and the Deputy Executive Secretary, Kwabena Agarkwa-Boansi, as well as Nana Adu Poku, Asantefuohene of Cincinnati. Additionally, the Asante Congress passed a resolution calling for the elimination of the Executive Secretariat in ACONA structure.

Nana Tepamanhene at the Congress entreated all Asantes in North America to work in unity to support Asanteman in particular and Ghana in general and to uphold the Asante culture and traditions.

The Congress chose Asanteman of Columbus, OH to host Asante Day 2016. The Congress also commissioned an Interim Management Committee (IMC) whose mandate includes working towards the total unity of Asanteman in North America under the supreme authority of Manhyia and planning for the Asante Day 2016 in Columbus, OH.

The IMC is made up of all the chiefs, queenmothers and abusuapanin of all Asanteman organizations whose chiefs have sworn oath of allegiance to the Asantehene through his representative Nana Tepamanhene.

Two out of the only three chiefs in North America who had sworn the oath of allegiance to the Asantehene and not present at the Durbar/Congress in New York had earlier called Nana Tepamanhene to explain the circumstances of their absence to Nana’s satisfaction.

The IMC was entreated to meet as soon as possible to craft a united way forward and to maintain and consolidate the gains chalked at the New York Congress.