Rawlings secret Dealings with Manhyia Palace

Jerry John Rawlings the NDC founder has established himself with the Manhyia Palace since the beginning of his (P) NDC autocratic regime ended in 2002 till his current status as the former president of Ghana. The majority of Ghanaian citizens, especially the Ashantis, are not aware of Rawlings stimulation socialization with the late Otumfuo Opuku-ware II, the Ashantehene whom Rawlings called “his father”. The relationship between the late Ashantehene and Jerry Rawlings was father and son.

The essence of Jerry John Rawlings, socialization with the late Otumfuo Opuku –Ware started when Rawlings government brutalized the former Kumasi Metropolitan Chief Executive Akwasi Agyeman. That destroyed his image and disgraced him in the streets of Kumasi. Rawlings began to realize that in order for him to govern the country effectively without any ethnic conflict, he needed to establish an immediate cordial relationship with Manhyia Palace in Kumasi to assimilate himself with the palace ideology. As a result of that Rawling’s father in law stated this underground lobbying on behalf of Rawlings, who took this strong initiative to visit Manhyia palace secretly at night. During the middle of his PNDC’S government when political tension began to mount against him, Rawlings mostly spent his time with Otumfuo at Manhyia palace to consult his new found father as he always called Otumfuo. Rawlings sees Otumfuo as a universal symbol of peace and tolerance, a shepherd of the faithful and a keeper of flame for all Ghanaians. Their relationship grew to the point that anything that happens to Otumfuo Opuku- ware Rawlings is the first person to be informed. Even before some of his immediate family knows about it, Rawlings, being the leader of the nation and having this relationship with Otumfuo will send someone immediately and follow suit the same day and rush to him immediately. This secret relationship with Rawlings and Manhyia palace gives Rawlings hegemonic powers which many Ghanaians, including some sub-chiefs in Manhyia palace are not aware of. Recently, when I visited Ghana Otumfuo Osei Tutu senior brother passed. Rawlings came to the funeral at Manhyia Palace making the statement that this is my house; this funeral is our funeral, my brother has passed; this is not a time for politics. Rawlings was speaking on one of the radio stations in Kumasi that we are here to mourn our senior brother’s death. Many people in Kumasi may not understand the motive behind Rawlings language use on such an occasion due to his long time secret relationship with Manhyia Palace. When Otumfuo Oseitutu II was installed as the new Ashanti king, at he beginning the relations between them were in danger but now Rawlings has benefitted too much from his secret connections with Manhyia palace. Otumfuo Osei tutu II has a close familiarity with Rawlings. This has let Otumfuo show a strong solidarity for Rawling’s wife Kwanadu Agyeman Rawlings criminal case against the state. Upon all Rawlings negative utterances against the Ashanti tribes, Manhyia Palace has become a safe haven for Rawlings to protect his wife Konadu Agyeman from going to Jail. I urge to whom it may concern at the Manhyia palace to stop his or her political lobbying for these Rawlings, Let them face Justice as they didn’t gave other people chances during their time in Government to allow people to have the due process of the law before Rawlings murdered them.

From Nana Kofi Amankwah (New York)

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