"The King is gone!.. Succession sets tongues wagging. Akwasi Agyeman is candidate", says the lead headline story of the Ghanaian Chronicle. The paper says as a routine, Otumfuo Opoku Ware II, had gone to bed for a siesta at 3 p.m. with instructions that he should be woken up at 5 p.m., if he was not already up. The Chronicle says like the obedient servants of the King, the valets went to inform the Asantehene that the time he gave them was up, but this time, there was no response. Otumfuo had joined his ancestors. The Chronicle reports that rumours of the death of Otumfuo Opoku Ware had done the rounds previously without substance. The paper says about three years ago, the Asantehene returned from treatment abroad and expressed serious concern about rumours that he had died in London. It says last year, Otumfuo Opoku Ware fell ill and was rushed to London for treatment, reportedly paid for by the government. On his return, he thanked the government for the gesture. According to the Chronicle while in London for treatment, rumours did the rounds that the Asantehene had died. Otumfuo Opoku Ware who reigned for 29 years, was enstooled Asantehene on July 27, 1970.
"The King is gone!.. Succession sets tongues wagging. Akwasi Agyeman is candidate", says the lead headline story of the Ghanaian Chronicle. The paper says as a routine, Otumfuo Opoku Ware II, had gone to bed for a siesta at 3 p.m. with instructions that he should be woken up at 5 p.m., if he was not already up. The Chronicle says like the obedient servants of the King, the valets went to inform the Asantehene that the time he gave them was up, but this time, there was no response. Otumfuo had joined his ancestors. The Chronicle reports that rumours of the death of Otumfuo Opoku Ware had done the rounds previously without substance. The paper says about three years ago, the Asantehene returned from treatment abroad and expressed serious concern about rumours that he had died in London. It says last year, Otumfuo Opoku Ware fell ill and was rushed to London for treatment, reportedly paid for by the government. On his return, he thanked the government for the gesture. According to the Chronicle while in London for treatment, rumours did the rounds that the Asantehene had died. Otumfuo Opoku Ware who reigned for 29 years, was enstooled Asantehene on July 27, 1970. In another front page story headlined: "Keta sea eats up Rawlings' home", the Chronicle reports that the family house of President Jerry Rawlings at Keta has been gobbled up by the sea, quoting Torgbui Nyaho Tamakloe, acting President of the Anlo Traditional Council. According to Torgbui Tamakloe, there is no more cordial relationship between the people of Keta, the sea and the lagoon. "The sea no longer gives the people in the area enough fish but has turned into an 'angry bully', pounding the shores, destroying houses and rendering thousands of residents homeless", he is quoted as lamenting. Torgbui Tamakloe is said to have expressed these sentiments in his welcoming address at a durbar in honour of the new Volta Regional Minister, Alhaji Iddi Seidu, at Keta. According to the paper, Torgbui Tamakloe said the "mighty Keta Lagoon, which is the greatest fishpond in West Africa, has also dried up, bringing economic activities to a halt". "How long shall we allow this brute force from the sea to go unchecked? My grandfather's palace at Keta is miles in there, so also are those of the Aamegashie and James Ocloo families. "Even the family House of Mr Agbotui, the grandfather of our beloved President, J.J. Rawlings, has not been spared. Is this right? I ask you", he is reported as saying.
