The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II
Cognitive dissonance is a psychological phenomenon that occurs when a person holds two or more contradictory beliefs at the same time. The contradiction creates conflict in the person's mind, and this conflict creates discomfort in the person, which then impacts their behavior.
Ashantis have been struggling since the creation of Ghana to reconcile themselves to the fact that their beloved ancient imperial tribal king (king with a small 'k) is now just a paramount chief in the Republic of Ghana and under a President elected by the majority of the Ghanaian electorate. All the previous Asantehenes understood this new reality and comported themselves during their time on the so-called "Golden Stool."
But the current Asantehene, since he ascended the "golden stool," has employed an elaborate confidence game to elevate himself to the status of "king." And he has, so far, succeeded with the help of our elected gullible presidents, clueless ministers of state, and compliant diplomats.
With the collective approval and assistance of our presidents, politicians, diplomats, and not-well-informed Ghanaians, this Asantehene was empowered to arrange private loans from Manhyia with the World Bank and IMF, using the gold and other mineral deposits in "his kingdom" as collateral and the government of Ghana as surety! This is how, as a chief, he is able to live the lavish lifestyle we are all witnessing. History: The 10th Asantehene, Mensa Bonsu, was described as "chronically short of revenue and personally avaricious (for women as well as gold)."He was destooled and banished from Kumasi by his sister, Yaa Akyaa, in 1883.
I have no problem with Ghanaian chiefs living lavish lifestyles with their own money. I do, however, have a problem with any chief whose lavish lifestyle has been made possible by money borrowed privately by him and with the Ghanaian government as surety.
I believe in a level playing field for all our paramount tribal chiefs. So what pertains in one traditional area should never make the paramount chief of that area superior to the rest of our paramount chiefs. It has been argued by some Ashanti "intellectuals," for example, that because the Asantehene appoints his paramount chiefs in the Asanteman traditional area, he is above the rest of our paramount chiefs.
And on the basis of this rather crooked argument, they state further that this is why he is exempted from attending the National House of Chiefs. The fact that he appoints his paramount chiefs in his traditional area should never make him superior to the Okyehene, the Ya Na or the Oguaahene (Cape Coast chief), the Ga Mantse or the Chiefs of Ewe traditional areas, and the rest of the paramount chiefs, who have different traditional systems, a few with limited powers to appoint their paramount chiefs in their respective domains.
The discussion is about recognizing and understanding the inherent equality and importance of the fundamental tribal building blocks of Ghana as an entity, irrespective of the geographic size of the tribal district, irrespective of its population, irrespective of its natural resources and irrespective of its history. We must bear in mind that without any one of the building blocks, there will be no Ghana as we know it.
The discussion should therefore not be about which traditional area has a superior system of governance or traditional practices, and it is certainly not about the number of people, chiefs, and lands under the authority and control of any particular tribal paramount chief. Ashanti's ancient imperial status should not be allowed to influence government policies and national events in their favour.
We must also bear in mind during this discussion the White Man's Dictionary definition of the word "paramount," which has been used in the Chieftaincy Act of 2008. "Paramount" has been defined as "having supreme power." And "supreme" has been defined as "highest in rank or authority—the apex. Now, since the Asantehene cannot be higher than the Apex in his domain, it logically follows that the "Asantehene and Paramount chiefs," as provided under Section 58 of the Chieftaincy Act 2008 (Act 759), are equal in authority and status in Ghana. Section 58 makes provision for the categories of chiefs (not kings and chiefs) in Ghana as follows:
The following are the categories of chiefs:
the Asantehene and Paramount Chiefs
Divisional Chiefs
Sub-divisional Chiefs
Adikrofo, and
other chiefs recognised by the National House."No mention of a "king."
It is, however, my considered opinion that the construction of the provision in Section 58 creates ambiguity in relation to the status of the Asantehene and the status of the Paramount chiefs and gives the impression that the Asantehene is superior to the Paramount chiefs. The construction also provides an opportunity for preferential interpretation of the provision in that it names the Asantehene first by his title but fails to mention the other Paramount chiefs by their titles (S58(a)).
It is this ambiguity that the so-called Asanteman "intellectuals" have used and continue to use to argue that Asantehene is the "primus inter pares of all the Paramount Chiefs in Ghana". I do not accept this contention. He may be "primus inter pares" in Asanteman but not in other tribal domains outside Asanteman.
I think the aforementioned Section 58 provision should be amended to state clearly the tribal titles of all our paramount chiefs [not to include paramount chiefs appointed by Asantehene and the other Apex paramount chiefs in their respective domains] namely Asantehene, Okyehene, Yaa Naa, etc. When the amended provision is drafted in the way I am proposing, I believe the ambiguity will disappear and the equality of their status will become clear for all to see. The amendment should also include unequivocal provisions to prohibit the use of the title 'King' by any chief in Ghana.
I believe passionately that all Paramount chiefs in Ghana should enjoy the same privileges that have been accorded to Asantehene by the state. Failure to do so will be construed by all right-thinking Ghanaians as rewarding Asanteman for their pre-colonial hegemonic aggression and barbarity against the other tribes. In this regard and as a first step, all paramount chiefs must be permitted to use the emblems of their tribe as their respective official vehicle registration and have their tribal flags on their official vehicles. All paramount chiefs should be equal before the law; Ghana's stability depends on it.
A level playing field for all paramount chiefs in the Republic of Ghana is a must. After all, it was their forebears who brought us to this geographical location named Ghana. They all deserve equal respect and treatment by the state in a manner befitting their status as Paramount chiefs. For example, Government should give more financial support to traditional areas which are less endowed with natural resources.
There cannot be a lawful King in a Republic. The Oxford English dictionary defines "King" as: "the male ruler of an independent state that has a royal family", for example, King Charles III of Britain. So, for the Asantehene to use the 'King' title means that he is a 'Ruler of an independent state...'. This is the danger the Asantehene and his gullible followers pose for our independence, our Republic, our Constitution, our democracy, our national laws and the cohesion of our unitary state.
I have often wondered why the Asantehene chose to describe himself as a "King" when, in my view, his Asantehene title is more noble. It is a title that has cultural and historical roots, is regal in pronunciation and resonates with the mass of Ashanti people and non-Ashantis. Sadly, by pretending to be "King," the Asantehene has exposed himself to ridicule. Some Ghanaians have even suggested that the use of the "King" title by Asantehene and Manhyia (when by all sensible, legal, and academic accounts he is not) is tantamount to fraudulent misrepresentation.
The Asantehene should be advised therefore to stop the charade he has been orchestrating in order to prevent some concerned Ghanaians from taking legal action to stop him from carrying on with his shenanigans. I do not want to see him embarrassed or disgraced. I just want the orchestrated big lie to stop. I rest.
