Asantehene is 'too smart' to be 'trusted'

From empirical observations, I have come to the conclusion that Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II is too smart to be trusted any longer.

He always wittingly plays on the intelligence of those that he interacts with as if he were the folkloric “Kwaku Ananse” who saw in his mind’s eye to be wiser than anyone else in the world at his time. However, he was faulted by his son Ntikuma when Kwaku Ananse thought to have gathered the entire wisdom in the world into an earthen pot and had decided to hide it in the branches of a tree.

Kwaku Ananse thinking he had collected all the wisdom in the world into the pot to deprive everyone else of wisdom but himself, started climbing the tree with the pot placed on his stomach. As many attempts as he made to climb the tree with the pot placed on his belly, he couldn’t succeed.

His son Ntikuma watching him from afar shouted, daddy, place the pot on your back and you will be able to climb the tree. As Kwaku Ananse did as suggested, he could finally climb the tree with the pot.

He then realised he could not have gathered all the wisdom in the world into the pot as he intended to and that there was still someone wiser than him or someone who possesses wisdom. He then let go the earthen pot while still sitting in the tree. It came crushing onto the ground. All his hard work done with intent to deny the world wisdom now lay in futility.

Back to the subject matter, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II has authoritatively asserted on recorded video that no court in Ghana is able to reverse the decisions he makes because of the uniqueness of his position as Asantehene, the Overlord of Asanteman. However, conducted investigative searches have proved that he sees judges secretly to plead with them not to reverse his proven authoritarian manner of imposing one Dr Yaw Sarfo on Kumawuman as their paramount chief.

He pleads with them saying, if they reversed his already made decision to rather rule in favour of the other candidate from the Ananangya royal family, thus, Barima Tweneboa Kodua V, the one most preferred by the subjects of Kumawuman and who is actually the true royal of same matrilineal lineage with Kumawuhene Barima Tweneboa Kodua I, the originator of the Kumawu Kodua Stool, there will be a catastrophe in Kumawuman. Therefore, they should leave his decision to stand as it is although it was made in bad faith as it’s vividly indicated in a recorded video and other evidential documents.

He made former President John Dramani Mahama, his “Yen ntie obiaa” buddy, side with him on his blatant lies. President Mahama also persuaded former Inspector General of Police (IGP), Dr Kudalor, to believe same hence they made the police personnel available to him to be used to intimidate Barima Tweneboa Kodua V and his teeming supporters.

The abundance of credible evidence already in the public domain speaks volume for itself; however, Asantehene is bamboozling some judges, government appointees and important personalities into believing that chaos will be the order of the day in Kumawuman should they allow the truth to prevail to culminate in the destoolment of Dr Yaw Sarfo, the alleged Kumawuhene Barima Sarfo Tweneboa Kodua.

He tells the judges and whoever he consults for help in his bid to prop the fake position of Dr Yaw Sarfo as Kumawuhene that there is peace in Kumawuman, an indication that everybody likes Dr Yaw Sarfo.

If it were not so, there would have been commotion in the area long ago. It is only a few people, one or two persons from the Ananagya and the Odumase royal families that are making noise because he did not give the Kumawu stool to them, he tells the judges, government officials and the security personnel that he pleads with for their support.

It is not that everyone likes Dr Yaw Sarfo hence there being no open agitations for his removal by the subjects but that we believe in the law taking its just course. Additionally, it is not Asantehene who is vested with the powers to nominate, select or impose a royal on Kumawuman as their paramount chief (Omanhene). This fact is well established and entrenched in Kumawu history.

Again, he has declared his support for His Excellency President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on his government’s determination to fight the ongoing devastating galamsey. Otumfuo said he had himself chartered a helicopter to fly over the lands in Ashanti region and some other places where galamsey is taking place. He could bear witness to the ruins galamsey has caused to the ecology.

Therefore, he advised the President to stop galamsey for about six months, get UNESCO and other international bodies involved to reclaim the destroyed lands by planting trees to restore them to their former arable state. The government must also try as possibly as it could to restore the destroyed or extensively contaminated rivers to their previous drinkable nature.

Why this advisory lecture to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo about lands destroyed by galamsey activities? When did galamsey become intensified in Ghana? Was it not under his best buddy, former President John Dramani Mahama? Why did he not ask President Mahama to stop it? When did he go on board a helicopter, fly over the lands to ascertain the extent of the damage caused for himself? Was it before or after Nana Akufo-Addo taking over the presidency of Ghana?

Not long ago, Manso-Nkwantahene was fighting with one of the Kumasi chiefs over a parcel of land where galamsey was in full force. Asantehene kept mute over it although, the activity was wreaking havoc on the land. Why did he not intervene to stop these chiefs who are his confidantes from continuing with the galamsey knowing the devastation it has been causing to our lands and water bodies?

I hope Otumfuo will cease playing on the intelligence of people for many a Ghanaian is now wiser for his shenanigans to gain any credence as far as they are concerned. If he really meant to see to the end of galamsey, he could have advised former President Mahama to stop it and also, he should have been seen to intervene to stop his two chiefs feuding over a parcel of land as just reported above.

Anyway, we welcome his suggestions and advice to stop galamsey provided they are genuinely from the bottom of his heart.

In our Ghanaian society, he who speaks the truth is oftentimes tagged as being disrespectful to the elderly. I am one of those tagged as such but do I care as long as I speak nothing, but the truth?

Until Asantehene ceases his authoritarian posture; ceases being overly smart, people’s trust in him will have been eroded.