Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country. – John F. Kennedy
“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader” – John Quincy Adams
“It is not the strongest on the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change” – Charles Darwin
One of the greatest and noblest decisions taken by Oheneba Mensah Bonsu (Hiahene) guided by the advice of another uncle, Asantehene Nana Sir Osei Agyemang Prempeh II was to send the present Asantehene, Nana Osei Tutu II to Sefwi Wiawso Secondary School in 1964.
Who would see through the “conspiracy” to get the present Otumfuo groomed for his present task through a structured and disciplined environment under Omanhene, Nana Kwadwo Aduhene II, a cousin to his guardian Oheneba Mensah Bonsu. This was the time when students of rich and poor illiterate parents would tamper with prospectuses from high class schools, spelling out Geo – £1, Gra – £1, Phy – £1 for one book Geography – £1.
In a parallel narrative, Nelson Mandela would say in his Autobiography “A Long Walk to Freedom”, thus: “…the only thing my father bestowed upon me at birth was a name, Rolihlahla. In Xhosa, Rolihlahla literally means ‘pulling the branch of a tree’, but its colloquial meaning more accurately would be ‘troublemaker’. I do not believe that names are destiny or that my father somehow divined my future, but in later years, friends and relatives would ascribe to my birthname the many storms I have both caused and weathered…”
No doubt, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II born as Nana Barima Kwaku Duah, on May 6, 1950 to Nana Afua Kobi Serwaa Ampem II (Asantehemaa) and Nana Kwame Boakye Dankwa had weathered the storm in many ways; from Sefwi Wiawso where he learnt of many cultural/traditional behaviours, he came to Osei-Kyeretwie Secondary School (OKESS), Kumasi; then studied accounting at the Institute of Professional Studies (IPS) Accra, now the University of Professional Studies (UPSA); then to Kilburn Polytechnic to read Human Resource Development and Public Adminstration.
The various activities arranged for Otumfuo’s celebration of his 76th birthday reached a climax with a Thanksgiving Service at St. Cyprian’s Anglican Church. People from all walks of life paraded the streets and thronged the church…
In a resplendent colourful Kente cloth, Otumfuo walked majestically into the Church with his adorable wife, Lady Julia in white. The clergy: Most Reverend Dr. Cyril Ben Smith, the Primate CPWA Archbishop, Right Reverend Oscar Christian Amoah, Anglican Bishop of Kumasi, Most Reverend Professor Daniel Yinkah-Sarfo, Most Reverend Dr. Gabriel Justice Yaw Anokye, Archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Kumasi, Rt. Reverend Stephen Kwaku Owusu, Diocesan Bishop, the Methodist Church of Ghana… were assisted at the Service by the Wardens: Samuel Ampadu Kyei, Mrs. Erica Kyere Kankam… and call it “music-music” by daughters of Glorious Jesus, St. Cyprian’s Cathedral Choir and Marvellous Youth Choir… what! The voices reverberated: Otumfuo, Otumfuo, Otumfuo…
The Sermon, a 50-minute delivery showed the professorship in Apostle Kwadwo Nimfour Opoku Nyinah.
The academic luminary told the history of the rise of the Israeli tribe, (Ruth, David, Jesus) as comparing favourably with Asante and Ghana (J.B. Danquah, Ako Adjei, Nkrumah… The Apostle referred to Matthew 22:15-22 honouring the sacrifices of our founding fathers as we do the 27-year-old rulership of Asanteman by Otumfuo.
He plunged into the cultural practices of Asante: calling on Otumfuo to “do something about” the rising cost of funerals; one week observance, one year observance … What should Otumfuo do?
Go back to the days when our grandparents would do “abuada-wesee” (dry fasting) or we restrict the funeral activities to serving only palm-wine as decreed under Otumfuo Opoku Ware? Nothing wrong with Otumfuo forming a committee to examine the present trend of funerals, but the said committee should be careful in their recommendations.
We can pick a cue from Karl Marx’s dictum: “From each according to their ability, to each according to their work”. Drawing a parallel, in the contex of funerals in Ashanti, it would be: From each dead person according to his/her family’s resources, to each dead person according to his/her work on earth. We don’t need to create a problem when there is no problem; just as Karl Marx’s theory changed from the original: “From each according to their ability to each according to their need”. As for giving unto Caesar what is Caesar’s and unto God what is God’s, it needs to be emphasized, for respect to authority.
Otumfuo was celebrating his birthday: he needed to relax, because there was a myriad of chiefs, intellectuals, … to assist him. The ever-young Chief of Juaben, Daasebre Otuo Siriboe, would on behalf of Otumfuo deliver the “Otumfuo’s Remarks”: “All praise to God; it is not by Otumfuo’s personal might; it is by the Grace of God… we remember our ancestors… all of you here present and those elsewhere, all well-wishers, Asanteman and Ghanafoo… Great thanks…” Gratias ago tibi, princeps magnus.
You could not fail to notice the adorable faces of Honourable Addo Kufuor, Honourable Opoku Prempeh (Napo) Nana Adumhene, Asafohene, the Adontenhene, Nana Adu Gyamfi, Mamponghene, Mampong hemaa, leading the women’s group.
The Vice-Chancellor of KNUST, the Pro-Vice Chancellor, Registrar of KNUST… Lawyer Asiedu-Basoah could distinctly be seen by the wig he was wearing.
It was hilarity, jubilation, ecstasy all mixed together as one. You could not doubt the story of Nana Boakye as a chorister in his youth judging from the way he sang the songs: Nana Boakye was all over the place, and when someone quipped, “Are you the one celebrating your birthday?” he retorted, “Otumfuo’s day is my day… I can afford to sacrifice my own birthday, having lived through Otumfuo’s birthday…” and he melodiously sang the Halleluyah Chorus, waving a white handkerchief.
It was dragging to 2:00pm, and it was time for the canticles and Lesser Doxology. Otumfuo, in a non-discriminatory fashion, shook hands with all those on the nearby pews. For all the congregants he had a nice word: thanks. The route to Manhyia was engraved, as if with gold and silver. The atmosphere was serene, and most of the invited guests including Dr. Amoakohene, the Regional Minister, the Mayor of Kumasi, Dr. Mahamud Bawumia and Samira enjoyed themselves. We all pray for Otumfuo.
