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Akan Royalty, Cordiality between Asantehene and Okyenhene
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- Created on Tuesday, 05 July 2011 00:00
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Akan Royalty, Cordiality between Asantehene and Okyenhene
In the history of our country as a people, Chieftaincy has been the most revered and surviving ancient institution that has been able to stand the test of time, before colonialism, during colonialism and even after independence. This piece is not to exalt any chief or king above the other or even other chiefs not mentioned here, neither is it to make some chiefs seemingly more important than others but to explore the level of cordiality that had existed amongst our chiefs after independence and even before independence.
This article considers the Okyenhene and Asantehene largely because these are the two chiefs (or kings if you like) that the writer has some knowledge on as far as the relationship among chiefs are concerned probably because they seemed quite more influential or better still relationship between these two kings embodies most of the Akan chiefs in general.
Both archival and oral sources place the Asantehene and Okyenhene as the most powerful chiefs in the Akan ethnic setup even before the declaration of independence. Independence however reduced the powers of chiefs in Ghana with its attendant passage of laws to that effect by Dr.Kwame Nkrumah apparently to punish chiefs who were against him in the political circles of the country at that time. As to whether chiefs are powerless now that is for readers to make their own judgments. In historical terms enmity between Asantehene and Okyenhene started when the former decided to incorporate the latter and his Okyeman kingdom into the Ashanti kingdom which led to the death of the founder of the Ashanti kingdom itself, Osei Tutu I.
Osei Tutu I died in a bitter war with the Akyems near the Pra river, his death brought the enmity between Akyem and Asante to its crescendo and also gave birth to the highest oath of Ashanti. Records say there had been over 99 wars between Asante and Akyem after Osei Tutu’s death. However in the years to come, the Okyenhene Nana Sir Ofori Atta’s support to an Ashanti campaign to the British for the return of the exiled Asantehene Nana Sir Osei Agyemang Prempeh was not only to culminate into Prempeh’s return but to also establish some sort of peace of convenience between the two kings.
Later events manifested this peace and cordial relationship between the two as the Asantehene is on record to have sent a delegation of about 500 mourners to mourn with Okyeman during the funeral of Nana Sir Ofori Atta who died later. From here, historical hard core rival enemies are smoking the peace pipe now. Interestingly, with the formation of UGCC and its subsequent transformation to NLM these two chiefs, the new Okyenhene and the Asantehene were to support NLM over CPP which incurred the wrath of Kwame Nkrumah on them culminating into their public humiliation by Krobo Edusei and later official withdrawal of State recognition from the Okyenhene.
Apparently, the Asantehene and Okyenhene were the most powerful chiefs that had resisted the political power of Kwame Nkrumah and the CPP during the time of independence.
Coming up to recent times, the late Otumfuo Opoku Ware and Osagyefuo Kuntunkunuku had good relations as we witnessed Kuntunkunuku visit Opoku Ware at Manhyia,Kumasi and Opoku Ware also going over to Akyem to reciprocate that courtesy, such was their friendship to the extent that when Kuntunkunuku died barely three weeks after Opoku Ware’s death some people literary said the Asantehene had invited his friend Okyenhene over to the land of the dead.
Infact Kuntunkunuku was supposed to have led a delegation to manhyia to mourn the Asantehene but that was not to be as an old adage in Akan language goes this way: ‘damfo pa wu a damfo pa nko nayie’ literally means, when your best friend dies you don’t attend his funeral.
Coming up further to our recent editions of Okyenhene and Asantehene, there is some cordiality in the mist of some aggression not on their part per se but the people they represent.
I was in Kumasi some few years back and in a conversation with some people, the issue of developmental chiefs came up. In the ensuing discussion, both the Asantehene and Okyenhene were named including other chiefs not mentioned here as chiefs helping to develop their areas and the country at large. One of the guys in the discussion added “the Okyenhene is he not the one competing with the Asantehene”.
For this guy and many others who think like him, the Okyenhene is competing with the Asantehene over prominence, more or less who is who amongst the two. And to say the truth these guys somehow have a valid point, why do I say this at the funeral of Oyeeman Wereko Ampem in 2006 there was near mayhem when all rose to the arrival of the Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin who was also the chief mourner as a sign of respect to the Okyenhene except for the representative of Otumfuo Osei Tutu II in the person of the Tepahene.
This was understood to be disrespect to the Okyenhene, a similar spectacle welcomed patrons of the home coming summit of Birim North citizens domiciled abroad held at Abirem in 2002 when again the representative of the Asantehene refused to greet the Okyenhene.
In the mist of all these, in 2009 when both of them marked their 10th anniversary, there were representations from each side to each others durbar. So can the Asantehene and Okyenhene ever meet at one function? Should it be the case where one of them must decline to attend personally and send a representative depending on the role he is supposed to play or both decline to attend and send representatives as we saw.
In the 2010 Millennium Excellence Awards where the Akyempemhene played the role of Asantehene and the Okyenhene also sent Nana Tafohene to receive an award on his behalf. So is it the case that they are both very proud of the offices they occupy and see greeting the other one first as kowtowing to his authority or one of them should do the greeting depending on the location and the role one is to play at a particular function or better still it is a mere tradition which expresses no hard feelings between the two of them. Probably that is the beauty of our culture and traditions as a people.
Credit Kwaku Yeboah
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No comments$1.5bn Secured To Start STX Project - Bagbin
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$1.5bn Secured To Start STX Project - Bagbin
Government has revealed that it has secured $1.5 billion for the start of the STX Housing project.
Addressing Parliament on Tuesday July 5, 2011 Water Resources, Works and Housing Minister Alban Bagbin told the House that Barclays Bank Capital is the leading consortium of banks which are signatories to loans required for the STX Housing Project.
“The Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning has on behalf of government issued the sovereign guarantee and made the necessary guarantees for the transfer. A dedicated account has been opened at the Bank of Ghana for the necessary transaction.
"In the meantime STX Engineering and Construction Ltd per their programme of implementation will start land preparation this July and are currently mobilising to send equipment to the site,” Hon Bagbin disclosed.
The former Majority Leader’s remarks come in the wake of media reports that the $10billion housing deal between the government of Ghana and STX Korea was on the verge of collapse due to internal bickering among the parties. However, Hon Bagbin confirmed the necessary steps were being taken to ensure the project saw the light of day.
"What must be done is that the Ministry of Finance must ensure that the proper procedures and the accounting and the financial procedures are all followed through.
"There is no transfer into the account yet because the project as I said would start this month. Surely the figure has been approved by Parliament which is $1.5 billion.”
However, the opposition New Patriotic Party Member (NPP) has raised questions about the propriety of the project, especially what they describe as the mortgaging of the country’s newfound oil wealth to a single project.
Source: citifmonline.com
Divide (AMA) Into Four Municipalities!!!
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Divide (AMA) Into Four Municipalities!!!
An expert of local governance, Mr. Issaka Amon Kotei has suggested that Accra be divided into four (4) municipal areas. This according to him would ensure an efficient administration of the Metropolis.
He said the division of Accra into sub-metros has outlived its purpose because the population of the city has become very big that the idea of using Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) and the Sub-metro concept cannot ensure an efficient administration.
Speaking at a press briefing on “Efficient Administration of Accra city,” Mr. Amon Kotei who was a member of (AMA) said if Accra is divided into four (4) the benefits would be enormous. For example he noted that the revenue that would be collected would remain in the various municipalities to be used for development. Under sub-metro system which is being operated under AMA the revenues collected are divided into 2 and one part sent to AMA whilst the remaining which is usually not enough spent at the sub-metro level.
He said revenue from Lorry Parks, Markets, District Assembly common Fund and other sources could be used to sustain the proposed municipal Assemblies. He said waste management would also be easier due to decentralization of that sector. Regarding security, Mr. Amon Kotei said would be efficient because the numbers that the security would control will be smaller than the large numbers under (AMA).
Mr. Amon Kotei cited the Ledzokuku Krowor municipal Assembly which was carved out of AMA as a municipality which is on its feet and doing very well in terms of Revenue collection, security management, waste management and general Administration as compared to (AMA) which is still struggling to manage waste efficiently.
Mr. Amon Kotei said when the Nation in around 1992 decided to return to constitutional Governance the sub-metros in Accra City were six (6). They were; Ashiedu Keteke, Osu Klotey, Kpeshie, Ablekuma, Okaikor and Ayawaso. He said it was increased to 11 sub-metros and later around 2003 the sub-metros were increased to 13. He said now for a more efficient administration of Accra the city could be divided into four as follows:
First Group: Ayawaso Central, Ayawaso East and Ayawaso West. These three areas he suggested could be one municipality.
Then Ablekuma Central, Ablekuma North, and Ablekuma South could also be a second municipal Area in Accra City. Furthermore, the third Expert noted could be; Okaikoi North and Okaikoi South. Last but not the least, he said Ashiedu Keteke, Osu Klotey and La could also be made another municipality for a more efficient administration of Accra city.
Mr. Amon Kotei supported his suggestion by stating that local governance laws has it that any area that has more than 250,000 people is qualified to be a metropolitan, where the population is more than 95,000 is qualified to get a municipal status and the place where the population is more than 75,000 is qualified to be a district.
The expert noted that all the four (4) areas he enumerated above have all got more than 250,000 people, adding that in principle the (4) areas even qualified to be metropolitan areas. He said if this is accepted a deputy Minister of Greater Accra Region could be in charge of all the (4) areas for supervisory purposes.
Source: By Bernard Quanson (0244658096) P.O. BOX MC 639 Mallam Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Akufo Addo mobbed in Eastern Region
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Akufo Addo mobbed in Eastern Region
Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo Addo, Presidential Candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) for the 2012 elections received a rousing from the residents of Mpraeso as he began his nation- wide campaign from the Eastern Region.
The eight- day tour dubbed “listening campaign” would take Nana Addo to constituencies such as Afram Plains North, Afram Plains South, New Abirem, Atiwa, Fanteakwa, Suhum, Mpraeso and Abetifi, where he had already visited.
Nana Addo was accompanied by Mr Lord Commey, Director of Operations for the campaign, Mr Kwabena Boakye Ayrako, Campaign Manager, Mr Seth Acheampong, Member of Parliament (MP) for Mpraeso, and all the regional executive of the party.
From Nkawkaw through Atibie, Mpraeso, Bepong, Obemeng, and other communities, Nana Akufo Addo was mobbed by a joyous crowd of women, both young and old, who sang party songs to welcome him. Nana Addo interacted with petty traders, market women, shoppers and commuters, shaking hand and tapping every shoulder that came his
way.
Nana Akuffo Addo, who lost the 2008 election, told the crowd that he came to announce his readiness and determination to work hard to recapture power in 2012 from the National Democratic Congress (NDC), in order to bring back hope and smiles to the majority of Ghanaians. He expressed optimism in winning the 2012 election and urged the people to pray for him for good health.
At Ntomam, a farming community in the Mpraeso constituency, which has one of the biggest market centres in the Kwahu South District, Nana Akuffo Addo interacted with the market women and appealed to them to vote for the NPP, come 2012, to continue the good work of former President Kufuor.
He assured them that when he becomes president, he would focus on rural development, with the construction of feeder roads, rural electrification, infrastructure, school blocks, food security and
poverty reduction, as his major priorities.
Nana Akuffo Addo also visited the Atibie government hospital where he interacted with the nurses, doctors and patients and assured them of the commitment of the NPP government to ensure the effective operation of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
He said the NPP government, led by the former president Agyekum Kufuor, introduced the NHIS to make health care accessible to every
Ghanaian, but criticised the current government for not doing enough to make the scheme work effectively as expected. Nana Akuffo Addo said the NPP was the only party that could change the fortunes of the country.
IN A RELATED DEVELOPMENT:-
Don’t Maintain NDC In 2012 - Akufo Addo
Kwahu Praso, July 5, GNA - Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo- Addo, Presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has called on the electorate not to maintain the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government in 2012.
He said considering the abysmal performance of the NDC government, led by President Atta Mills since he assumed office two and half years ago, the nation would be in a serious crisis if allowed to continue after 2012.
Nana Akuffo- Addo therefore appealed to the electorate to vote massively for the NPP and return it to power in 2012, to save Ghanaians from the economic hardship they were going through in the
hands of the NDC government. The NPP presidential candidate made the call when he interacted with the people of Kwahu Praso, in the Mpraeso Constituency, as part of his nationwide campaign tour.
Nana Akuffo-Addo told the people that when the NPP was in power, a lot of interventions were introduced to better the lot of Ghanaians, which included the National Health Insurance Scheme, the Capitation Grant, the School Feeding Programme, the Metro Mass Transport Service and many more programmes.
He said since the NDC took over, all those interventions were not functioning well, due to the fact that they had no idea of managing them properly.
Nana Akuffo-Addo said Ghana under NPP for eight years saw tremendous improvement in economic growth, rule of law, good governance, and the fight against corruption, poverty reduction and food security.
He said Ghana gained a lot of respect among the international community, which resulted in the country being invited to the G 8 summit, adding that, ‘it did not come as a matter of chance but as a
result of hard work under the able leadership of President Kufour’. Nana Akuffo-Addo assured that when he becomes president, he would encourage teachers to accept postings to the rural areas, and that, his government would provide accommodation for teachers in rural communities.
He cautioned the people not to be swayed by the wild propaganda of the NDC, but rather analyse issues and judge for themselves if they were better off under the NDC than the NPP.
The NPP presidential candidate visited other communities such as Sukwa, Yirenkyikrom, Antwikrom, Ahodwo, Mframa, Koranteg, Osubinso, Adumfa and Besease all in the Mpraeso constituency.
Source: GNA
Asantehene: Why Do We Have To Insult Our President?
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- Created on Monday, 04 July 2011 00:00
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Asantehene: Why Do We Have To Insult Our President?
Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, Asantehene, at the weekend bemoaned the lack of respect for authority and indiscipline among Ghanaians, which he said was a clear departure from the traditions used to build the nation.
He said Ghanaians, especially the youth, need to exhibit the moral training they have received and help discourage attempts to superimpose imported cultures on the rich Ghanaian culture. The Asantehene was addressing a mammoth rally of chiefs and people of Acherensua in Asutifi District of Brong Ahafo in commemoration of the 40th anniversary of the enstoolment of Agyewodin Adu Gyamfi Ampem, Acherensuahene.
He stressed that the democratic dispensation in the country did not mean the trading of insults and invectives and that an elected personality must be accorded all the respect that he or she deserved.
“Why do we have to insult our President who has been duly elected by the people”, Otumfuo Osei Tutu asked, and noted with regret the practice existed in the Rawlings, Kufuor and Mills regimes.
The Otumfuo said partisan politics had created divisions among Ghanaians at a time when the country needed peace most to accelerate development and urged all to eschew insults, bitterness and other delinquent acts. On chieftaincy, the Asantehene advised kingmakers to always ensure that the right person occupied the stool and not to allow just anyone to claim any stool with money.
We need truth in the chieftaincy institution and we must eschew lies and avoid taking money from persons to annex the stool. Transparency must permeate all chieftaincy affairs, he said.
Mr Ahuma Ahensan, Minister of Chieftaincy and Culture, who represented President Mills, commended Agyewodin Adu Gyamfi Ampem, Acheresuahene, for the securing relative peace in the traditional area as there was no significant chieftaincy dispute.
He urged chiefs to help diffuse chieftaincy disputes to ensure continued and sustained peace for progress and development. The Minister affirmed government’s position not to meddle in
Chieftaincy but could not allow acts that would derail the country’s progress to persist in any traditional area. Mr Kwadwo Nyamekye Maafo, Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, said the government would continue to collaborate with chiefs for accelerated national development.
He said the government appreciated the role of chiefs in nation building and would tap the expertise and knowledge of chiefs in the development efforts. Alhaji Collins Dauda, Minister of Transport and Member of Parliament for Asutifi South, appealed to Ghanaians to give due respect to people in authority. He promised to rehabilitate the market at Acherensua and also construct a classroom block for the local Islamic Primary School in support of Agyewodin’s efforts at developing the area.
Agyewodin appealed for unity among Ghanaians, noting with regret the rising indiscipline among particularly the youth who had been gripped by the vanity of foreign items and lifestyles. He advised chiefs and kingmakers of areas with chieftaincy disputes to exercise restraint and avoid acts that could lead to disputes.
Source: GNA