Opinions of Tuesday, 24 February 2015

Columnist: Adofo, Rockson

Who Are Indirectly Causing The Downfall of Asantehene & Asanteman?

It is now time to call a spade a spade. There are no longer any ifs or buts, in our quest to establish the truth. The truth must be told as it should. Subsequently, I am going to narrate my views and story and in the end, you will be your own judges as to who is to be blamed for the current predicament in which Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, inextricably finds himself.

Understandably, Asantehene has got advisors and spokespersons of varied calibre in various positions. What is their work, one may ask? Are they not there to advise him to take responsible and well-informed decisions? Are they not there to direct him away from irresponsible acts and decisions? Who is to blame if they fail in their duty of care to their boss? Is it themselves, their boss, or Rockson Adofo, who has unequivocally vowed to stand up to defend the rights and the collective interests of the poor and the suffering masses in the society? It is about time we got our act together.

Unless the Asantehene's physical, moral and spiritual advisors, linguists, etc., tell me they do not know their functions, they have to be held squarely responsible, blameable of course, for the calamitous situation in which their master and lord finds himself today if indeed, he feels the heat of calamity. They have let him down by failing to perform their duty to him in the most honest, sincere and responsible way.

They have all along been telling him what he wants to hear, the sweet words, rather than what he honestly needs to hear and be told, the bitter truth. Do they not possess the right to rebuke him in private if he erred, similarly as the prophets did in the ancient times before the birth of Christ?

They know that certain actions and public stance assumed by Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II are not right yet, they fail to warn him against the concomitant repercussions. When the public in their wisdom take him on after he has taken such actions, then his very advisors who should have known better or differently from the outset, envisaging the public reaction well in advance, come out seeking to make innocent citizens scapegoats. That will not wash!

If Asantehene falls, if Asanteman falls or disintegrates as it may if things are not changed for the better, but continue in the current deplorable trend, then I am afraid, the so-called advisors, spokespersons, etc. are to have themselves to blame, but not Rockson, who is baring their short-comings publicly. All public exposures of the attributed wrongs in perpetration are meant for the correction of both their boss and themselves. They are not intended to disgrace him as mischievously perceived by these advisors of whom his "Nsumankwaahene" (spiritual and traditional physician) has allegedly taken offence of.

Being shielded by the armour of God and armed with the weapon of truth, I find the alleged threats by the said Nsumankwaahene, if they are true, very funny if not irresponsible. How dare he go on air to issue threats to me if indeed he did as some source has conveyed to my attention. Whether I am from Kumawu or not, he had better advise his boss to stay away from meddling needlessly in Kumawu chieftaincy affairs. His boss is not mandated to decide who Kumawuhene becomes, or who is to be destooled from the position of Kumawu sub-chief as established in a letter the Kumawu Traditional Council sent to Police Commander Kofi Boakye on request by Dr Yaw Sarfo (Barimah Sarfo Tweneboah Koduah).

Those advising him know very well that no Asantehene wields the power to impose anyone on Kumawu as her Omanhene. No Asantehene has the right to attempt, let alone, dubiously leasing Kumawuman stool lands to foreigners in the public's belief and hope of bringing foreign investment to the area while actually swindling the people out of their land and money. No Asantehene has ever gone against the aspirations, the expectations and the beliefs of their subjects to the extent that Otumfuo Osei Tutu II has. No Asantehene has openly sarcastically shown to his subjects that he does not give a hoot about their plights through the obstinate, insinuating "yen ntie obiaa" behaviour as demonstrated by Otumfuo Osei Tutu II.

It must be noted by whoever desires to intimidate Kumawuman people through threats and resort to devilish spiritual means as it is the intention of the Kumasi Nsumankwaahene that nobody is scared of them. People are more educated, well-informed and more civilized now than ever before. No superstitious threats or beliefs will be enough to cow us into submitting to your illegal endeavours to exploit the people. We have grown past that era. We have learnt to be bold to ignore irrelevant superstitions when interacting with the contemporary Whites, thus, living among them.

Asantehene can only be saved of his little reputation left if he would stay away from committing further acts perceived by his subjects and the public as repugnant, demeaning and criminal. He has to desist from any ill-intents he has for the suffering masses of Kumawuman. The people are never going to accept Dr Yaw Sarfo (Barimah Sarfo Tweneboah Koduah) as their Omanhene for reasons disclosed in one of my recent publications. Refer to the underlying link.

http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/features/artikel.php?ID=346291

Nobody is seeking the collapse of Asanteman. However, Kumawu may pull out of the Union if the leader and his lieutenants will continue to live the life of lies. They cannot intimidate anyone to remain in a Union where truth is anathema to the leader and his cronies who have the fondness of exploiting the most vulnerable through unnecessary acts of intimidation, harassment and victimization. What at all is the benefit of the membership of the Union to its contemporary members? Is it not only the leader who is having a lopsided benefit from the Union? Refer to the below link on why the Union is not serving any significant purpose until the leader behaves understandably differently.

http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/features/artikel.php?ID=343985

Is it worthy of Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, to arrange DCOP Kofi Boakye to breach the laws to compel Kumawuman citizens to accept Barimah Sarfo Tweneboah Koduah as the Omanhene contrary to the will of the people ("Nkwankwaa")? The police intimidations which befit the description of wreaking terror on the people, will not work either in the medium or the long term. Are not these out-of-order intimidating measures that are gradually, but progressively leading to the collapse of the Asanteman Union? Rushing out to exhibit the restored Golden Stool in public will in itself not be enough to cohere the various membership of Asanteman, but the honest and sincere show of respect for each member through respect of, and adherence to, the existing traditional and customary, and Constitutional rules and regulations binding them together.

When you watch the video posted on YouTube entitled, "Asantehene involves in corruption", are the rules and regulations respected by the congregated Amanhene? No!

You can watch the chief that Kumawuman prefers as their Omanhene on the same YouTube under the heading, "Barima Tweneboa Koduah V.

Of all the chiefs in the Asanteman Confederacy history, dating over three centuries ago, are not Nana Osei Tutu I and Barimah Tweneboah Koduah I, the most popular and famous and the most cited when it comes to discussing the unity and saviours of the Asante nation? If Barimah Tweneboah Koduah I was able to self-sacrifice his life for the sake and survival of the Asante nation, why cannot others follow his sterling effort?

It is my turn, a self-believed vessel of God, to fearlessly stand up to defend the collective interests of the people of Kumawuman in particular, and that of Ghanaians in general. Therefore, I find certain attitudes by the cronies of Asantehene Osei Tutu II as complete joke. They had better advise him to stay away from Kumawuman chieftaincy affairs, conduct himself in the most appropriate manner, and the hatchet will be buried forever. Their threatening posture will not yield them the desired results. I hope his "Nsumankwaahene" will take notice of this earnest proposal.

The reading public, my fans and enemies alike, who then in your opinion is/are causing the downfall of Asantehene and Asanteman?

Rockson Adofo