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Respect is earned but not commanded. One has to be respectful in order to be accorded the due respect. It is out of respectfulness that one can be respectable.. Respect is reciprocal; a two-way traffic system where those being respected are themselves respectful.

However, in the Ghanaian society as much as I know of, our over revered kings, chiefs or queens, do not return the respect their subjects accord them. Many a time have they erred thinking it is obligatory on their people to venerate them regardless of how untoward their attitudes may be, or, however they mistreat the subjects. Oftentimes have they assumed air of superiority? They, in their mind's eye, though falsely, take on the qualities of Omnipresence, Omniscience and Omnipotence. They, in their "peanut" wisdom, think themselves as tin God, or do play God. What a great deceit?

Most of our present day chiefs still believe living in the past. They still think to wield the authoritarian powers of their forebears where a chief could easily banish one from their jurisdiction; declaring them outcast. This is all fallacy. Their powers have been enormously curtailed by Constitutional laws. Though some still behave autocratically without their subjects raising eyebrow, they normally don't have such rights, and prove themselves hollow when challenged.

The Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II started as a visionary chief. He earned the respect of all and sundry through the implementation of his progressive policies. But with the passage of time, he has incurred the displeasure of many, especially the people of the Kumawu traditional area. He is viewed by many as lending his support to Nana Serwaah Amponsah II, the queenmother of Kumawu. She is looked upon with scorn for her callousness towards her subjects and the very area under her dominion. She is known to be interested only in exploiting the wealth of the area for her personal use. She has a deep seated animosity towards the people, their well- being, and the welfare of the area. Why should Otumfuo for reasons only best known to him worry about her interests at the detriment of the masses? All his efforts and sacrifices made to be seen as King Solomon II are a mere caricature, many a Ghanaian now concludes. He seems not to have respect for the suffering majority but the queenmother. Why?

To redeem himself of this stain, he should be seen to act without presumptions. Hardly had he been informed of the death of the late Barima Asumadu Sakyi II, when he issued his sternest orders. "I want you to help the queenmother choose a new chief. You should support anyone that she chooses. Should anyone proceed to tell me they don't support the choice of hers, I will only tolerate it on the grounds of the candidate being a murderer, a thief or has/had seduced someone's wife. Other than that, I will chase any dissenter out of this my Manhyia Palace. I will not accept any view of yours on the person being accused of neither not understanding the Twi language, nor not residing in Ghana ".

The Asantehene shot himself in the foot by the exhibit of totalitarianism as could be inferred from his order. Was this not the commencement of his loss of respect in the eyes of the Kumawu citizenries? The queenmother had within minutes of learning about the death of Barima Asumadu Sakyi II, confided in someone that she was going to give the seat to her son resident in Canada. Her son neither knows Ghana nor does he speak Twi. Was it then a planned thing, or just an unfortunate coincidence when Otumfuo issued his rigid order as stated above? Was the warning not in favour of the queenmother to getting her wish materialised? Was what purports to be a preconceived warning not connived with the queenmother?

Does his subsequent action not confirm how determined he is to help his alleged onetime lover, the queen of Kumawu? Procrastination being the thief of time can also manifest in other uncomfortable forms. Does he want the situation to degenerate into the comparable massacres of Bawku before he hurtles to offer his Solomonic decision? The real King Solomon would solve this case in less than no time. Therefore, one would expect our most venerated Ashanti King to live up to the expectation of the majority of the suffering masses by living above reproach. It is most unfortunate to see Otumfuo Osei Tutu II crawl at the pace of the tortoise to seeking solution to the Kumawu chieftaincy dispute. His adored hero, the Biblical Wiseman, would have done it at the speed of lightning to still obtain an unblemished result. Does Otumfuo being held back by personal reasons have to do with selfishness?

The Kumawu paramount seat cannot continue to remain vacant for one year and over. Kumawu traditional area needs a chief now! Please Otumfuo; cease meddling in the affairs of the far away Brongs to sort out the problems "cooking" in your very own backyard, Kumawu.

Long live Asantehene. Long live Otumfuo Osei Tutu II. I am persuaded you are the present day King Solomon when compared with other chiefs. Therefore, hasten to put things right without giving room for further manipulation by the crafty queenmother of Kumawu, the public enemy no.1. Nana Serwaah Amponsah II for unexplained reasons had determined to fast-track tradition. Instead of inviting all interested royals to present their request for the seat, she rather blanked that exponential traditional requireme nt. She only insists on having her choice of person elevated to the position of paramount chief by whatever means available to her. Why is she scared going through laid down procedure for electing Kumawu paramount chief? What has she in the closet to hide? What problem is she likely to encounter if she should allow laid down procedure to take its course rather than trying to bend the rules in her favour?

Please Nana Solomon, employ all your reasoning powers to outwit this queenmother who by her craftiness is about to bring disgrace upon you. She is pulling some strings, maybe whispering sweet words into your ears, honey-coated fantastic promises of course. Don't fall prey to such baiting promises as it is not gold, all that glitters. Have a great day and time, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, our noble chief. Source: Freddie Boasiako

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