Once again, I have had the opportunity and cause to respond to a query made by my dear prolific internet writer and columnist, Dr Michael Borkor. In his publication on Modernghana and Ghanaweb on 20 October 2016 and 21 October 2016 respectively, and under the heading, “What will the Asantehene do now”?, he wants to know about the reaction of Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II to the 58 Ashanti region chiefs overtly declaring their unflinching support for Nana Akufo Addo, the NPP Presidential candidate for Election 2016?

For the attention of Mr Borkor, and to answer his question with a terse statement, Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II can do them fuck-all. Is Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II not more partisan and a political person than any of the said fifty-eight chiefs that had openly declared their unflinching support for Nana Akufo Addo, the nation’s socio-politico-economic Saviour in waiting? Is Otumfuo Osei Tutu II not a known diehard “Yen ntie Obiaa” buddy of President Mahama and a fervent supporter or member of the NDC who is alleged to have influenced some Supreme Court judges to tip the scales in favour of President Mahama and the NDC during the Election 2012 petition filed against the EC and President Mahama following the detection of obvious election irregularities, malpractices, omissions and commissions?

How can he rebuke the chiefs supposedly under him for what he does more or worse than them? He has no moral ground to castigate them for doing exactly what he is deeply embedded or involved in himself.

Does an Akan proverb not have it thus, “He who is following, copies the footsteps of he who is leading”? – “Nnie odi akyire, sua nnie odi kan nnantie”. They have done, or are doing, exactly what he, Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, does best or is deeply involved in. He has absolutely no right to reprimand them howsoever.

Additionally, Asantehene has no absolute power over the Divisional Chiefs (Amanhene) and their sub-chiefs within Asanteman or the Ashanti Confederacy. He has the right to oblige the Kumasiman sub-chiefs or chiefs to do his wishes but not those of say, Juaben, Kumawu, Mampong, Nsuta, Kokofu, and Esummeja etc.

Unless an Omanhene (paramount chief) and their sub-chiefs from the mentioned Divisions do not know their history and that of Asanteman or how they became incorporated into Asanteman or the Ashanti Confederacy, they will not sit down to be castigated or bullied by Asantehene, the “Overlord” of Asanteman.

In a nutshell, Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II has ABSOLUTELY NO RIGHT to do anything to the said chiefs. None of them is his waiter or manservant to be dictated to as and when and how he likes. Subsequently, he can do them FUCK-ALL!

Finally, my fellow internet columnist Dr Borkor’s hypocrisy and hatred for Nana Akufo Addo know no bounds. Why do I say this? It is because when some chiefs in the Northern, Volta and Brong-Ahafo regions e.g. Techimanhene, declared their support for President Mahama during his recent campaign tours of the regions, Dr Borkor was never seen publishing articles to question why they were doing so.

What a hypocrite he is! He has the shameless audacity to write that after all the chiefs are only 58 and goes on to say, “I don’t think that 58 votes from them will make any huge difference on Election Day”. Do the declarations and votes by certain chiefs for President Mahama make any significant changes on Election Day? He has to be a judge of himself and for himself, as hypocrite and obnoxiously partisan and tribally-inclined as he is.

Rockson Adofo