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Opinions of Sunday, 14 August 2016

Columnist: Adofo, Rockson

Why is the magic wand of King Solomon no longer working?

Less than two decades ago, a King rose up in the Asanteman Kingdom and was accorded the nickname “King Solomon”. He had a caring heart. He initiated policies that most of the people in his kingdom perceived as excellent, for the policies had the potential to uplift not only the subjects of Asanteman but also, the citizens of Ghana from their academic and entrepreneurial doldrums. He foresaw his initiatives addressing their lack of competitive academic knowledge by granting the people requisite academic qualities able to enhance one’s chances of employability in the global market.


The good intentions the king had, coupled with the initiatives he took, earned him the nickname King Solomon, for people considered him to be wise because he had taken a step in the right direction. However, in less than no time, the king’s true character or colours started to emerge to the astonishment of many.


Many are those still filled with dismay to seeing their King Solomon turned into King Charlatan who lacks the wisdom he is so much esteemed for and is completely devoid of true love for his subjects.


As the biblical King Solomon was very deft at handling complex and difficult situations, e.g. two women brought before him with each claiming the same baby as theirs. Intelligent and wise as he was, he ordered one of his servants to cut the baby up into two halves to give each woman a half. When one woman was happily loudly insisting the child be cut up as ordered by the King, the other was weeping inconsolably, pleading for the child not to be cut into two but rather given to the other woman whole, safe and sound. Even at her tearful request, the other woman was still calling for the child to be cut into two, meaning, be killed.


King Solomon straight away pointed out who the baby’s real mum was and ordered the baby to be given to her. Who was in your opinion the child’s real mother, Mr/Ms Public Reader; was it the one who wanted the child cut up into two, thus, killed, or the one weeping, requesting the child was handed over to the other woman whole and alive?


Now, in the Kingdom of Ghana’s King Solomon, his very backyard has a minor smouldering problem but with the potency to blow into full conflagration yet, he is sitting with his arms folded around the chest watching and doing nothing.


Just at Kumasi Tafo, a suburb of Kumasi, the Muslim youths (Zongo boys and girls) and the indigenes fought and are still on the verge of fighting again. Their first fight led to Tafo paramount chief receiving a dirty slap from a Muslim youth, one indigene killed, and many houses and other properties destroyed.


This alleged King Solomon promised to intervene to bring peace to the area but until today, he has not been able to resolve the problem. He is looking on like a hungry dog sitting behind a bar of soap.


The Tafo youths, the indigenes of course, recently went to Tafohene asking him to provide them with guns to protect themselves and Tafo against the aggression directed at them by the Zongo youths. Will this not culminate in violent fatal crash between the Zongo population and the indigenous population?


What is King Solomon waiting for? If it was the case of dubiously selling/leasing some lands from another Division in Asanteman to keep the money as his, or to take money from ineligible persons to impose them on other Divisions as their Omanhene, he would not hesitate a second but do it quick like Usain Bolt running an Olympic 100 metre race.


It is not colluding with other crooks to deprive certain States (Divisions) within Asanteman eligible chiefs or forcibly stealing their stool lands to sell to pocket the proceeds that makes the King a wise King but by doing the right things at the right time to guarantee the safety and security of your subjects and that of the citizens of Ghana.


This King has poked his “Pinocchio” nose into Kumawuman chieftaincy dispute, flexing his muscles, lying to judges and his “Yentie Obiaa” buddy in the hope of attaining the right to exploit Kumawuman and her subjects to the hilt. This attitude does not make one a King Solomon but rather a thief.


Asante Agogo had been burning but King Solomon could not apply his “Abracadabra” magic wand full of wisdom to resolve the problem to bring peace and harmony to the entire people of Agogo with the murderous Fulani inclusive.


I am left to wonder if at all the king ever held a magic wand of wisdom. A King alleged to have caused his friend to buy the Kumasi house belonging to the puppet imposed on Kumawu as its Omanhene, leading to the puppet’s wife divorcing him to run away to the United States of America. He later reconciled the both husband and wife, and then offered them a house in Kumasi Adum.

Is this not a criminal King? For cunningly securing the puppet a roof over his head, the puppet at any small opportunity he gets, praises the King saying, “Odeefo3” made me a chief; it is because of “Odeefo3” that I have a place to sleep etc.


To trick someone to lose his house and wife, and then arrange to reconcile them together; get them a place to sleep and dubiously get the husband’s name to appear on the Chiefs’ roll does not make one King Solomon. However, being honest and truthful, solving problems to bring about peace and harmony among people does.


Did he at all own a magic wand of wisdom if I may enquire?


I know Tafohene owns the Manyia land, the place where the Asanteman paramount chiefs meet. If King Solomon sits down doing nothing while Tafohene keeps getting slapped, insulted and humiliated by the Zongo youths, he may claim back his Manhyia land come what may.

Rockson Adofo