Yes, HRM Otumfuo Osei Tutu II is King
1999 will always be remembered as a year when three traditional leaders were enstooled to lead their peoples. The first was Nana Barima Kwaku Dua, who was enstooled as the Overlord and King over Asanteman. He was made King on Monday, April 26, 1999, and became known as Otumfuo Osei Tutu II.
The second was Daniel Mensah, who was enstooled on Sunday, July 25, 1999 as the Paramount Chief of the Dormaa Traditional Area and became known as Osagyefo Oseadeeyo Agyemang Badu II.
And the third was Odeshie Kwame Boakye Ofori Atta, who was enstooled on Monday, October 4, 1999 as the Paramount Chief of Akyem Abuakwa and became known as OsagyefuoAmoatia Ofori Panin II.
Among the three, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II has control over a traditional area of sixty-nine paramountcies, which expands regions and countries. This makes him very important and powerful. However, during the twenty-four years since he ascended the Golden Stool, he has faced intimidation and uncalled for attacks from a sitting president and the other two chiefs mentioned above.
In 1999, then President Jerry John Rawlings, openly spoke rudely to the new King, when the Asantehene visited him in Osu Castle to formally introduce himself to the leader of the nation. Rawlings used something that had transpired on JoyFM to accused Otumfuo of not disciplining his boys in Accra, and went as far as poking his fingers into the King’s face.
The King took all this calmly and his maturity later won the heart of Rawlings who became a good friend of the Asantehene.
The next was OsagyefuoAmoatia Ofori Panin II. The Okyenhene on, at least, two occasions during high profile funerals showed great disrespect towards the Asantehene in particular, and Asanteman in general.
Tradition and culture make it mandatory that anyone representing a chief must be accorded the same respect that should be given that chief, nevertheless, in 2009 at the funeral of the late Chief of Amanokrom, Nana Wereko Apem II, the Okyenhene attacked the Tepahene, Nana Adusei Atwenewa Apem I, who was representing the Asantehene and fired multiple shots into his umbrella, because he refused to stand up to acknowledge him at the funeral grounds.
After other sad incidents orchestrated by the Okyenhene against the Asantehene, a show of tolerance and maturity was constantly displayed by Otumfuo Osei Tutu II. Later, the two settled for peace and have each paid a visit to the other.
Lately, the Dormaahene, Osagyefuo Agyemang Badu II, have been firing missiles at the Asantehene and on some occasions even threatened to have the courts revoke the title, king given to the Asantehene. To him, Otumfuo Nana Osei Tutu II, was not a king but a paramount chief.
His unprovoked and reckless attacks on the Asantehene, made a member of the Berekum Traditional Council, Osabarima Kyere Yeboah Darteh II, to seek court order to bar him from attending the funeral of the late Berekumhene, DaasebreAmankona Diawuo II, becausethe Asantehene, who is the overlord of Berekum was going to be in attendance.Nananom in Berekum saw the position of the Dormaahene as something that could lead to the breach of the peace of the area, and therefore sought legal action to prevent him from attending.
A Ghanaweb news report on Friday November 24, 2023 had it that the Dormaahene addressing his subjects said he was grateful to God that the incidents of November 23, happened because things could have turned out ugly.
He should be made to come out with proof of what he stood on to justify that remark, since from all indications, the Asantehene will not format trouble or order his people to format any.
It is very obvious who would instigate trouble, since from his conduct the Dormaahene is the one always at war with the Asantehene going about spreading falsehood and casting aspersions at the Asantehene and Asanteman at the least opportunity.
Just as the Okyenhene did before, Osagyefuo Agyeman Badu II, shows clearly how he spites Otumfuo Osei Tutu II.
Recently, he as a judge came out to condemn a decision of the court on Gyekye Quayson’s case, which made prominent lawyers to call for his dismissal from the bench. Interestingly, the Sunyani Court’s decision which barred him from attending the Berekumhene’s funeral, has not received any condemnation from him.
One thing that the Dormaahene is propagating is that Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, is not a king. This inspired a self-acclaimed lawyer and historian, Yaw Anokye Frimpong, to also support this claim adding that Ghana’s customary laws do not support a king.
The likes of the Dormaahene and Anokye Frimpong including Kweku Baako, define king as one who is head of state of a country. And unless someone is a monarch and head of state, he cannot be called king.
So, how do you call a traditional ruler who is an overlord of paramountcies? In our local dialect there is no word for a king, as in a single word. However, just as there is no single word for cousin, a king can be explained in a sentence.
Those against the Asantehene being called a king are saying he should be called a super paramount chief. In the Asante tradition or the Dagbon tradition, is there a word for super paramount chief? If there is, then that word would mean, king.
It is great wonder that those insisting we have no kings in Ghana, have failed to understand the Constitution of this Fourth Republic. Art. 11 (2) and (3) states as follows:
(2) The common law of Ghana shall comprise the rules of law generally known as the common law, the rules generally known as the doctrines of equity and the rules of customary law including those determined by the Superior Court of Judicature. (3) For the purposes of this article, “customary law” means the rules of law which by custom are applicable to particular communities in Ghana.
This means that what has been customarily accepted is maintained under this current Constitution. And in the Asante culture, the Otumfuo is king.
History has it that a group of people revolted against their overlords and gained their freedom; this group were led by a king. The group went on to conquer lands or have some willingly joining it to grow into a powerful nation and so had to take a name that will unite all of them. The name Asante was chosen, which means because of war. And to this day, the Asantes and Asanteman is traditionally ruled by a king, the Asantehene. His jurisdiction expands regions and into countries.
The administration of the Asante empire is recorded in books with the British and other Whites, respecting the Asantehene. For example, the Queen of England died and the only traditional leader invited from Ghana was the Asantehene, meanwhile some traditional leaders seriously lobbied for invitation.
The Dagbonwura is also a king in his own rights and must be respected and acknowledged as such. He is ruler over paramountcies, as well.
It is rather funny how the Dormaahene is comparing himself to and attacking the Asantehene. It is like an assemblyman comparing himself to an MP.
If people like the Dormaahene and Anokye Frimpong are insisting that once we have a constitutional form of government which does not allow a king to be head of state, then Asantehene is not a king, may I ask whether, it is then proper for the leaders of the following groups to call themselves presidents? The National House of Chiefs, the Ghana Bar Association and the Ghana Football Authority to mention a few.
They are addressed as president, but in our constitution, who is President?
Otumfuo Nana Osei Tutu II has proven to be a King who seeks peace at all times. He is very principled, tolerant, wise and mature. Very accommodative and he is a person who seems to see into the future and knows how to conduct affairs.
When he became king, his priority was the education of the youth and he introduced an endowment fund to cater for wards of needy parents. He did this for all Asantes as well non-Asantes in Asanteman.
Just as the Pope, Pope Francis is the head of the Catholic Church and at the same time the Bishop of Rome, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, is the Kumasihene. The age old practice in the Kumasi Traditional Council, which allowed heads of settler migrant ethnic groups (non-Asantes) to join the Council and have the same voting rights as the Asante chiefs, is upheld by this wise king.
Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, is very visionary and can rise up to the occasion to help out, not only Asanteman, but Ghana, as well. His recent initiative to solicit funds to renovate the Komfo Anokye Hospital is unprecedented in Ghana and very appreciative.
If a quarter of chiefs in Ghana can do same, and not wait for government to develop their areas, development will be highly enhanced in country. It is only a king who can have that vision to make sure his subjects get high standard of living.
Rawlings grossly disrespected the Otumfuo and showed the whole world that he did not like the king. Otumfuo allowed peace to reign and later the ex-president became buddies with the king.
Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin went as far as to even declare war on Asanteman by firing shots for fifteen minutes into the umbrella of the Asantehene’s representative. Otumfuo wisely allowed peace to reign and today, the Okyenhene will go and play golf with the Asantehene.
Osagyefo Agyemang Badu II, is firing Christmas crackers on the bench, waiting his turn to reconcile with the Otumfuo, so that he would invite himself to Manhyia Palace to play a game of draught over single malt whiskey with the king of the Asantes.
Only someone, born to be king and is truly a king, would conduct his life and administer his subjects, like HRM Otumfuo Nana Osei Tutu II, who is a king forever.
Hon Daniel Dugan
