Countrymen and women, loyalists and opponents, kingmakers and queenmothers,

I have on several occasions pointed to the Asantehene as my kind of chief. He’s powerful, yet compassionate; he is a traditionalist with a modern outlook and he’s influential but not meddlesome. I love and respect him because he has set very good examples for most of our backward, greedy, selfish and power-hungry chiefs to follow.

But I’m sad to say that last week the Asantehene disappointed me by opening his mouth too wide in a manner very much at variance with what I know and respect him for.

Having recently returned from a journey to Libya, Asantehene called all his sub-chiefs to brief them on how the trip went. He also used to occasion to angrily respond to several allegations that he ‘knows something’ about the cocaine scandal that has overwhelmed and embarrassed us all.

If you have been following the dramatic story of how 77 parcels of cocaine disappeared from a vessel under police guard, you might have heard one of the suspects claiming that he stopped another suspect from going to the Asantehene’s Manhyia Palace. In other words, the first suspect claimed to have strong links to the palace which affords him the power, sometimes, to decide who enters Manhyia (to see the Asantehene) and who does not. That’s one story. The other story was that one of the suspects (in fact, the most popular amongst them all – Tagor) is somehow related to the Asantehene’s wife. In fact, it was Tagor, who was stopped by a certain Alhaji with alleged ties to Manhyia from entering the palace.

So, as the cocaine saga was being investigated by Justina Woode (the interior minister’s christening of the eminent Supreme Court judge we all know as Georgina), the Asantehene’s name was mentioned on more than one occasion. This, of course, triggered some ‘huhuhuhu’. There was intense speculation that Manhyia was being used as a cocaine warehouse because no police officer who wants to keep his job will dare search the Asantehene’s abode. Obviously, the Asantehene was ticked off by this sort of ‘huhuhuhu’, which was making the rounds as he was wining, dining and negotiating with the Libyan leader in Tripoli. So when he sat down a few days ago with his chiefs to brief them on his trip to Libya, the Asantehene couldn’t help but bring up the issue of how his name (and the Golden Stool he sits on) had been connected to a crime as heinous and abominable as drug trafficking. Very justifiably, he did not hide his anger. It’s very human to be angry when you are accused of crimes you know nothing about, isn’t it? So once again, going to the extent of expressing his anger in public is yet another sign that the Asantehene is a great chief who doesn’t mind portraying himself as one of us – he’s indeed demystifying chieftaincy and that’s a good thing.

Unfortunately, however, some of the things the Asantehene said at that meeting with his sub-chiefs (who sat in the pouring rain to listen) did not go down well with me at all. First, he condemned all the social commentators who had demanded that he should appear before the Georgina Woode Committee to tell the nation what he knew (or didn’t know) about the cocaine saga. I don’t like the social commentators very much and I will be the first to say that they spew a lot of crap most of the time. But suggesting that the Asantehene should make himself available for questioning by a fact-finding committee is not really a silly thing to say, is it? It is also not insulting, is it? From the account I read in the newspapers about the Asantehene’s comments, I get the impression that he feels he’s beyond criticism and he can’t be questioned. I think it is wrong of the eminent chief to see himself this way and ask: “what country are we building in which there is no respect for authority and the elderly?” Good question. But I hope that he is not thinking that being criticized is an act of disrespect. If anyone has shown disrespect to the Asantehene, it is cocaine suspect who claimed to have had strong links to Manhyia. If the Asantehene wants his good name to be cleared, he should come out and tell us all whether or not he knows the guy. That’s what the social commentators had asked for and I agree with them. Nana must speak.

At that meeting with his chiefs, the Asantehene also said things I would never have expected him to say. The ‘Daily Graphic’ reports: “The Asantehene stressed that Ashanti was alive before [Sikaman] was born and said Asanteman, which covered the entire Ashanti Region, the whole of Ahafo and a larger part of the Brong Ahafo Region, should be powerful enough to ward off any threat from any self-seeking politician”. What kind of talk is that? It seems to me that Asantehene was needlessly beating the war drums, asking his people to rise up against a non-existent enemy. I don’t know of any politician who is threatening his kingdom. As far as I know all politicians respect the Asantehene and hold him in awe. We all know that it is politically suicidal to get on the wrong side of Nana Otumfuo. So what was he talking about? Maybe, Nana knows something we all don’t know and I will respectfully entreat him to tell us everything that makes him think that Asanteman is under threat from some politicians. What I know, however, is that there are some people who think that Ashantis are taking over the country and they use every little opportunity they get to spew tribalistic nonsense. So the Asantehene was right on cue when he expressed concern about the way tribalism was eating deep into our national psyche. But he was wrong to suggest that his people are the main targets. Everyone is a target and we should fight tribalism as a nation. All right thinking citizens of this country know that stirring tribal sentiments will draw us back and they will not condone such antics. So I never expected the Asantehene to dignify the silly tribal talk with a public comment – and definitely not in the manner he did. Asking his chiefs to “rise and fight the enemy” is like telling them to go pick up their axes and battle with anyone who says anything untoward about Ashantis. What will happen if another tribal chief asks his people to “rise and fight”? Very soon, we will be fighting, maiming and killing each other – for absolutely nothing.

The Asantehene’s comment that “Ashanti was alive before [Sikaman]” (quoting the Daily Graphic report) was also in very bad taste. To my mind, he seems to be suggesting that his kingdom is greater than Sikaman (the collective union of several chiefdoms). Yes, Sikaman is younger than Asanteman (and all the other kingdoms). So what? Is Nana Otumfuo implying that Asanteman (and its king’s) interests are greater than that of Sikaman? I hope not. But let me stress (just as he stressed in his speech) that our country is bigger than any chiefdom, fiefdom or kingdom. Our national interest overrides any parochial tribal interests. So if your chief calls on you to “rise up and fight”, think twice and remember that we will not allow you to destroy our country to defend the pride of your tribe.

My last criticism of the Asantehene is his threat that he has had enough and he’s now going to “bite”. How the hell is he going to do that? I hope that he is not going to use needless posturing like last week’s. If he intends to challenge those who are dragging his name in the mud, Nana will do well to use the laid-down legal processes afforded every citizen of the land. To conclude, let me say that despite his needless vituperations, I still hold a lot of respect for the Asantehene. I believe that he is the best chief ever and he still has a lot to offer his people and our nation. A lot of chiefs can learn a lot from him. But what he said last week (and the manner in which he said them) are definitely not worthy of emulation.

Excellently yours,

J. A. Fukuor
fukuor@gmail.com

Views expressed by the author(s) do not necessarily reflect those of GhanaHomePage.

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