Otumfuo's speech

Otumfuo's speech as reported by the Daily Graphic has been posted below. My post dwells on certain paragraphs of this speech.

1) The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has warned journalists, politicians and commentators to desist from hiding behind the freedom of speech to question why the Justice Georgina Wood Committee failed to invite him to testify at the just-ended cocaine probe.

2) He said he had taken too much of the vilification and believed the time had come for him to bite if such comments on radio and television continued.

3) Otumfuo Osei Tutu maintained that it was unjustifiable and senseless for people to bring him into a crime for which he had no knowledge about and asked, “What country are we building in which there is no respect for authority and the elderly?”

4) In a fiery address to the Asanteman Council on Monday, the Asantehene took on the paramount chiefs and other subjects in his domain for keeping mute over the negative comments about Manhyia and his person over the cocaine issue.

5) Otumfuo Osei Tutu, who was addressing the first Asanteman Council meeting after he returned from Libya at the invitation of Col Muamar Al-Qathafi, said it was clear that some people, out of hatred for Ashantis, were bent on soiling the image of Manhyia and the Golden Stool.

6) He asked the chiefs in his jurisdiction to rise up to prevent Manhyia from being overrun.

7) “The Golden Stool, in which the soul of Asanteman resides, is under threat and I challenge you to rise and fight the enemy,” he told the chiefs, who sat in heavy rains to listen to the more-than-30- minute address.

8) He expressed regret at the way tribalism was eating deep into the fabric of the Ghanaian society, with Ashantis being the main target.

9) “In the past, they said an Ashanti could never become President. With that over, the attention has been turned to Manhyia,” the Otumfuo said.

10) He urged his people to be wary of politicians who wanted to sow seeds of confusion in Asanteman, saying, “I would want to see my people not voting for any politician, be he from the National Democratic Congress (NDC), the New Patriotic Party (NPP), the Convention People’s Party (CPP) or any other party, who hates Ashantis.”

11) The Asantehene stressed that Ashanti was alive before Ghana 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 self-seeking politicians.

On his visit to Libya, the Asantehene indicated that a lot of benefits were in the pipeline for Ashantis and Ghanaians as a whole.

The Libyan government, he said, had decided to support Ghana to enter into the mass cultivation of yellow maize for export to that country.

Otumfuo Osei Tutu stated that he was going to take full advantage of the situation and consequently asked his chiefs to get themselves ready to release land for that purpose, since it would create employment for the people and also serve as a source of revenue generation for the traditional rulers.

He further stated that the Libyans were interested in entering into the mining of gold in Ghana.

The Asantehene gave the assurance that he would always go after what was good for Asanteman and Ghana, adding that Col Al-Qathafi was very happy about the resourcefulness of the Ashanti people.

He told the gathering that the projects undertaken in Asanteman and other parts of the country under the World Bank assistance would be jointly inaugurated at Asamang next Tuesday.

The Asantehene also said that the chieftaincy disputes at Goaso, Mim and Juaso would soon be resolved.

Earlier, the Juabenhene, Nana Otuo Serebour II, had given a detailed briefing on the visit to Libya, saying that it had been a good experience for both the peoples of Ghana and Libya.

Akrase's post.

On Tuesday the 26th of Sept, 2006, Tiafoo' Osei Tutu Opemsuo, Asanteman Wura, the physical embodiment of Asikadwa Kofi, the custodian of the Busumuru ( Aman nkoto) afena, he who removes the ring by way of the shoulder, the representative of an illustrious line of Asante kings( those who had preceded to the next world, the present and the yet unborn), sat in state!

Anyankofre Kotokohene gave a fiery speech, in which he took head-on, the malcontents who are bent upon bringing Asanteman into disrepute. Below is my take on Nana's speech: Paragraph 1.

Admittedly, a certain clique have taken this principle of freedom of speech too far. This's being exploited to the the extent, that in disregard for the norms of our society, some low-lifes have had the audacity to cast aspersions, outright insults, etc against those in authority. Certainly, its about time the criminal libel law was reinstated. At the end of the day, those who have qualms about the way the committee went about its work, should channel their grievances to the appropriate authority.

Some have in their folly, even had the effrontory to say, " Nana should have made himself available voluntarily". Since when did the mere mention of a name, constitute an admission of guilt or knowledge of some untoward activity?

In response to Paragraph 2 of Speech

In keeping with the time honoured Asante principle of calmly absorbing unnecessary provocations, invectives, ridicule etc, akin to a lake calmly absorbing the stones being thrown at it, or that of the behaviour of a gaboon viper ( allowing itself to be poked at, manhandled etc) until finally rearing its head, so impeccably has Nana behaved. For out of pure mischief, these minions have in the pursuit of aim been jumping from one radio station to the other spewing all sorts of innuendo and invective.

Nana's forbearance, has been exhausted, rightly so! For afterall he's as human as you and I. Freedom of speech, should not be construed as freedom for indisciplined acts!

3) A response to Paragraph 3

Otumfuo on his installation, holding the Mponponson afena in his right hand, swore, that, on no account will he tell untruths to Asanteman. Saying, " Me nfa nsuo ngyina m3 anom nkasa nkyer3 Asanteman da". So it has been since. The pathetic, outright foolish attempts to link the occupant of the Golden Stool to this scandal by those detractors of Asanteman, has and will come to nought!

In exercise of the time-honoured Asante rule of " dwantoa", ( by which one is entitled or enjoined by Asante law to call upon the intercession of someone in authority on his/her behalf ), the "againsts" have sought, lack of evidence notwithstanding, to link Nana to the deeds of some characters. Conveniently, they've glossed over the fact that, one of those failed in his attempt to seek audience with Nana. Again, hardly have they paid any notice to the admonishment given that person," that had it gotten to Nana's knowledge, the reason why he sought audience, he would have had him arrested". Obviously, this is at variance with their agenda, hence the need not to allude to it.

One gutter publication in Accra, noted for its anti - Asante stance, had even gone further to plant untruths in its avowed pursuit of its clandestine agenda. Alleging, the Asantehene, was seen interacting with one of the accused at a wedding reception. How further from the truth!

These characters, more often than not, portray themselves as avowed exponents of the law, giving the impression, they're dyed in the wool legal luminaries. Yet what do we observe? In their earnest desire to link Manhyia with this scandal, they've thrown the cardinal principle of criminal justice overboard. Their twisted convoluted minds, have led them, even before a competent court of law have had the chance, pronounced the suspects guilty, indicted the govt, and adjugdged Manhyia guilty by association. Obviously, I need not mention, that they're compatriots mentioned in this saga, have been portrayed as being on the receiving end of a political exercise. All this flies in the face of belief, for I'm reliably informed, the Attorney General's Office, is having it tough, coming forward with the evidence to support the laid charges.

One need not be an Einstein, to infer what the Asantehene's attitude to this nefarious business is, judging from Alhaji Moro's( said to be a power broker of sorts at Manhyia) severe reprimand to Tagor. Do you? This certainly ain't rocket science, is it? For had he, Nana, been favourably inclined, would Moro's warning or reprimand been necessary? Nananom, Ote kokoo soo', has said he knows nothing of this, so that is it!

4) A response to Paragraph 4

As the saying in Asante goes " Hu m'ani ma me, nti na atwee mmienu nam" literally " B'cos of the need for someone to clear anothers eye of debris, is why the deer, always walk in pairs. Again, " Benkum dware nifa, na nifa nso adware benkum".

Frequently, chiefs and others, seek the assistance of Manhyia/Nana to go through the vicissitudes of this life. In keeping with the principle of reciprocity, Nana has every right to ask us, his people, why our support for him in this time, is less than forthcoming. My people, we are becoming ungrateful, to say the least. Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, within this short period of his reign, has accomplished much for Asanteman. I need not elaborate! He's done what to others, was impossible. He's restored our pride and innate confidence as a race and an ethnic group.

Lest we forget, a few years ago, Asanteman had lost its sense of direction, for the pacifist nature of his predecessor had been much abused. We a proud people and justifiably so, had become objects of derision, a laughing stock etc. The Almighty in his infinite wisdom, together with Nananom Nsamanfoo' in answer to our prayers sent us Osei Tutu Opemsuo again. Now where once, doom and gloom was out lot, where once we were headed on the journey of self-oblivion and despair, our pride and sense of purpose has been restored. Our heads, we can once again hold high. All because of the coming to the throne of Nana. Are we now to turn our back on the Golden Stool, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, Manhyia and Asanteman? I hasten to add, for our attitude of nonchalance, seems to suggest so!

Nana has done much for Asanteman, he's demonstrated to all and sundry, what kingship is about, i.e service and striving to improve the lot of one's people. As such naturally, the ire, opprobrium and spite of the never to do well, sit down for manna to fall from heaven or govt, anti - Asante bigots has he attracted. Aterall, " dom ani san de3 oson ntakeraky3", " onipa mama ho y3 ahi ". Am I surprised? Surely not, for since the inception of Asanteman, jealousy, contempt, envy and outright hatred has been our bane. This our forebears countered, today its out turn, the lot has fallen on us. Let us all rally to the defence of Otumfuo in whatever dignified manner we can, in a way that's true of a kotoko ni.

I personally assure these detractors of Asantes and Asanteman( for it is the order of the day, these days in Ghana, for any Tom, Dick and Harry of trivial consequence, to villify Asantes) we Asantes are a formidable, built of sterner stuff people. Your continued pursuit of your agenda, will only serve to give us the impetus to strive for even greater glory to your detriment.

Asanteman will continue to chalk unparalled successes, will continue as a united entity under the leadership of our illustrious, go getter, eschewing laziness King. Such was it in times gone by, such is it now and such will it be in times yet to come.

Asanteman, should as a matter of urgency, reappraise its relations vis-a-vis some people in Ghana. For these, have exhibited ungratefulness of the highest order. To wit, we've purchased for them salt, only to be rewarded with pepper.

My fellow Asantes, in Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, we have, all we envisaged our King to have! He is the embodiment of what we hold noble, our traditions, treasure and expect of an occupant of the Asikadwa Kofi.

Osubene Antwiedu Wura, Obosomtwi Otadee' Kesee' Wura, Okumase Adu Ampoforo Antwi Wura, Osei Tutu Nyam kesee' , Twum ne Antwi Nana, Okatakyie, Okowia, Opambuo, O'Bonsu Nana, Asanteman Wura, Osagyefuo Osei Tutu a odi ne man anim kopere fa ho dee' bre' ne man Nana, Otumfuo! Me ma wo hy3 den a aburu!

Asanteman taa w'akyi.