Is Asantehene Above The Law? (IV)

Chieftaincy as an institution occupies a constitutional high ground that denies access to more sinister forces; to a partisan or corrupt president, divisive of the nation; or even to a dictator. Like wise the Asantehene even as a king cannot have his own way in Ashanti let alone Ghana.

In my opinion, Otumfour Osei Tutu II has been acting as a political referee, not a political player since his enstoolment. Hence to perceive that Otumfour would use his office to circumvent the laws of Ghana seems preposterous to me.

I believe Otumfour Osei Tutu II, unlike his predecessors would be the first to respond to the courts or the Georgina Wood Commission if he is asked to appear before it. Like any sensible and reasonable innocent citizens I don’t think we would volunteer to give any information we have not been called to give in such a volatile national mayhem. How do we expect Otumfour to do less?

It is rather unfortunate that as human, Otumfour could not contain his anger on the many insults that was being directed to his office by the media especially from the pen of Kwasi Prat. I must admit some of his altercations underscore a trace of ethnocentric undertones as some would like to argue. Albeit, we cannot take one mistake to generalize or judge Otumfour. We all make mistakes sometime.

If there was an individual Ghana who eschew tribal sentiments, even as a traditional ruler, in my opinion, that would be Otumfour Osei Tutu II. This king of Ashanti has worked more towards national unity than division. Hence to link secession to Otumfour’s defense, to me is preposterous and a false alibi by his opponents.

And to those of us who are fond of accusing Ashantis as tribalistic, I think a second look at the facts would be helpful.

Tell me which tribe in Ghana today encourages or supports inter marriages in Ghana than Ashantis?. Using my own family as an example of a typical Ashanti, even of royal descent; my brother though very traditionalist than anyone I have known is married to a Ga. My sister is married to an Ewe and I am married to a beautiful Akyim lady. And I bet there are many Ashantis out there married to every tribe you can name in Ghana. So why the stereotyping?

In truth Ashantis are known to be more hospitable to other tribesmen in Ghana than any other even in the world. Aske The Fantes in Fante New Town, aske the northerners in Asawase, ask the Ewes in Anloga etc or ask anyone who has lived with an Ashanti (as compared to another tribe. Above all it is mainly the Ashantis who don’t vote on tribal grounds but on merit.

Why the noise of Ashantis and everthing related to the golden stool? Some may argue that the Ashantis are too proud. It is unfortunately so may be, because of their rich and cherished heritage.

A Brief History of the Ashantis will suffice here.

According to Wikepedia (on line) “Pprior to European colonization, the Ashanti people devoloped a powerful empire in West Africa through trade. Before the 13th century, Akan peoples migrated into the forest belt of present-day Ghana and established small states in the hilly country in the neighborhood of modern Kumasi. During height of the Mali Empire the Ashantis, and Akan people in general, became wealthy through the trading of gold found within the mines in their terriroty. The Ashantis later developed the powerful Ashanti Confederacy and became the most powerful ethnic group within the Gold Coast region competing with the Fante people, another Akan group. They became powerful during the colonial period by selling Gold and slaves in exchange for guns and became entrenched in the slave-gun cycle. Ashanti was one of the few African states able to offer serious resistance to the European imperialists. Between 1826 and 1896, Britain fought four wars against the Ashanti kings (the Anglo-Ashanti Wars), one of which was notable as the first conflict in which the Maxim gun was used.

The Ashantis went from being a tributary state, to a confederation of states, and ultimately a centralized hierachical kingdom. Beginning as a tributary state of Denkyera, the foremost Akan power during the 16th century, the Ashanti Kingdom or Asante grew out of a confederation of Akan-speaking states led by [Osei Tutu]], the first Asantehene. Using Kumasi as the central base and an alliance with the lower coastal Akan states for trade, Osei Tutu challenged and eventually defeated the Denyera in 1701.

Realizing the weakness of a loose confederation of Akan states, Osei Tutu strengthened centralization of the surrounding Akan groups and expanded the powers judiciary system within the centralized government. Thus, this loose confederation of small city-states grew into a kingdom or empire looking to expand its borders. Unique to West Africa, the Ashanti government was built upon a sophisticated bureaucracy in Kumasi, with seperate Ministries to handle the state's affairs. Of particular note was Ashanti's Foreign Office based in Kumasi; despite its small size, the Ashanti Foreign Office allowed the state to pursue complex arrangements with foreign powers, and the Office itself contained separate departments for handling relations with the British, French, Dutch, and Arabs individually. Relations improved, however, and in 1926 the Asantehene was given ceremonial control over Kumasi. In 1935 the full role of leader of the Ashanti people was restored, but limited to purely ceremonial functions” (Wikepedia)

I therefore submit that Ashantis have done nothing to deserve these ethnocentric insults. Nor does the occupant of the golden stool. At best it is these disgruntled individuals who cannot trace their identity or find any pride in their culture who keep on preaching division using Ashantis as a front. This nonsense must stop immediately. Ghana is destined to be one nation under God and we cannot and would not allow these pocket Ghanaians to divide and disunite us. Stop the feud with the Asantehene and let the courts do their work. United we stand divided we fall.

And I must add, those tribesmen among us, even the ‘uncouth’ Ashantis and the ewes in cyberspace who are fond of jumping over one another at every giving second must learn to learn to be civilize in their language. It surely does not give a true and good picture of the Ghanaian. There are many wonderful, polite and civilized Ewes as much as there are Ashantis. Therefore we can and should live together peacefully as One nation under God.

We are at the crossroads of our political system where tendencies of division are being sewn to destabilize the present government. This must not continue. To auger for peace and continuity of government I strongly propose that Ghana choose a president in 2008 who understands the concept and importance of peace. Kennedy is the best fit for 2008. Why? The reasons are numerous. For the sake of time I would only mention a few.

Kennedy cuts across tribal barriers. As a Fante he was born in Volta region Educated and lived for the most part in Ashanti region. Kennedy has great respect for the elders and traditions of Ghana. Kennedy is a strong and principled believer of ‘true’ democracy and self-reliance. Kennedy will subject himself to the laws of Ghana and endeavor all to do the same. On moral grounds he is honest and transparent and open to criticisms or corrections. In fact at this epoch of Ghana’s political journey we cannot but support Kennedy if we want our nation to go forward.

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