Hundreds of well-wishers and people from all walks of life, last Friday, joined the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, in a non-denominational Thanksgiving Service held at the Manhyia Palace, to mark his 25th anniversary as the King of Ashanti Kingdom.
Nana Kwaku Duah ascended the Golden Stool under the stool name of Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, as the 16th Asantehene on April 26, 1999 after he had been nominated out of seven contestants and unanimously accepted by the Gyase Division comprising Mmawere, Nkosuo, Ankobea and Gyase clans.
He succeeded Otumfuo Opoku Ware II upon his demise on February 26, 1999.  Traditional rulers and clergy from various parts of the Ashanti region were also present at the Thanksgiving service.
Clergymen who participated in the Thanksgiving Service included Most Rev Dr Paul Kwabena Boafo, Presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church Ghana; Most Rev. Peter Kwesi Sarpong, Catholic Archbishop Emeritus; Most Rev. Gabriel Justice Anokye, Catholic Archbishop of Kumasi and Most Rev Cyril Kobina Ben-Smith, Anglican Bishop of Asante Mampong and Archbishop of Ghana and the Church of the Province of West Africa, among others.
As part of activities to mark the 25th anniversary celebrations, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II has commissioned a 2,500 capacity multipurpose hall to host traditional and other functions in the Ashanti region.
The State-Of-The-Art hall, christened Otumfuo Osei Tutu II Jubilee Hall, is located inside Manhyia Palace in Kumasi.
The King celebrates his 74th birthday on May 6, 2024 after which the jubilee anniversary would be climaxed with a grand durbar at the Manhyia Palace on May 12, 2024.
