Otumfuo is 10 years

Otumfuo Osei Tutu II SUNDAY APRIL 26, 2009 will be exactly ten years since Otumfuo Osei Tutu II ascended the Golden Stool to become the sixteenth Asantehene, replacing his late brother, Otumfuo Opoku Ware II who had gone to the village.

As expected, all roads in the Garden City would lead to the Baba Yara stadium in Kumasi on Sunday where a grand durbar of chiefs, some selected heads of states on the African continent  and people from all walks of life would be held to commemorate the historic occasion.

Known in private life as Barima Kwaku Duah, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II on April 26, 1999 swore the Great Oath of Ashanti in the presence of the paramount and divisional chiefs of the Asante Kingdom, amid pomp and pageantry.

A direct descendent of the founder of the Asante kingdom, 'Opemsuo' Osei Tutu, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II is the youngest of the five children of the current Asantehemaa, Nana Afia Kobi Serwaa Ampem.

Born on May 6, 1950, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II in his childhood days was carefully groomed in Ashanti traditions and statecraft, under the tutelage of his uncle, Oheneba Mensah Bonsu who was the Hiahene of Asante kingdom.

The young Ashanti royal had his secondary education at Sefwi Wiawso Secondary School in the Western Region, where for five years, he was under the care of Nana Kwadwo Aduhene II, the then Omanhene of Sefwi Wiawso Traditional area.

After the completion of his secondary education, Otumfuo was enrolled at the Osei Kyeretiwe Secondary School (OKESS) in Kumasi where he successfully completed his A-Level education.

From OKESS, Otumfuo moved to the nation's capital, Accra, where he completed a course in accountancy at the Institute of Professional Studies (IPS), Legon.

He later traveled outside the shores of the country, the United Kingdom (UK) to be precise, where he furthered his accountancy education at the Kilburn Polytechnic and later moving to the University of North London where he read Human Resource Development and Public Administration.

Otumfuo Osei Tutu II later relocated to Canada, where he worked as the Senior Consultant with Mutual of Omaha Insurance Company of Toronto. He also worked as the Finance Officer at the British firm, Oxon, in London as well as Personnel Administrator at the Manpower Service Commission, attached to Brent Council in London.

 
After a long sojourn abroad, the energetic and buoyant Ashanti royal finally returned to his motherland, Ghana, in 1989, and immediately announced his presence by setting up the Transpomech International Ghana Limited.

 
Otumfuo Osei Tutu II's nomination as the sixteenth Asantehene following the sudden death of Otumfuo Opoku Ware II in 1999 received a universal acclaim in Asanteman and Ghana at large.

 
Since his ascension of the highest throne in the Ashanti kingdom ten years ago, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II has perfectly blended tradition and modernity to transform Asanteman and for that matter, Ghana.

 
The visionary King has also during the time under observation, worked tirelessly to protect the rich culture of the Ashanti Kingdom which dates over 300 years.

 
Otumfuo Osei Tutu II's vision within the past decade had particularly centered on education, health, economic development and anything that can better the lives of the people.

 
Within the past decade too, the Asantehene has been at the vanguard of peace and reconciliation in the Ashanti Kingdom and Ghana at large, which is manifesting in the total peace and unity that is flourishing in the country.

 
Without doubt, every initiative of the Asantehene during his reign has been extremely successful and this is clearly shown in the incredible achievements of the Ashanti King so far.

 
Immediately Otumfuo Osei Tutu II ascended the throne, he continually contended that the key to success in this computer era is the provision and accessibility to proper education to the Ghanaian youth.

 
In his own way of contributing to the growth of the educational sector in the country, the Asantehene established the 'Otumfuo Education Fund' in 2000 purposefully to aid brilliant but needy students in the country to get access to proper education to at least, the university level.

 
Nine years after the establishment of the fund, more than 6000 of such students at the various levels of education have so far benefited from the fund which is still vibrant and poised to assist more students.

 
Commendably, the beneficiaries of the 'Otumfuo Education Fund' have so far been drawn from all corners of the country and from every tribe including Ewe, Asante, Ga, Akyem among others.

 
Otumfuo Osei Tutu II has also played vital roles to promote excellent health care delivery to the people of Asanteman and Ghana by establishing the 'Otumfuo Health Fund' to raise funds to fight diseases in the country.

 
Among such diseases are Galucoma and other eye diseases and a campaign to promote to inoculation of children against the six killer diseases including polio.

 
The 'Otumfuo Health Fund' is also objected to provide financial and material support for the reduction of maternal and infant mortality.

 
Still on health, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II has also set up 'Serwaa Ampem Aids Foundation', headed by his wife, Lady Julia Osei Tutu to help children who have been infected with the deadly HIV/AIDS virus.

 
Otumfuo Osei Tutu II who frowns on the adverse poverty that has engulfed a good number of the populace has also set up an 'Asanteman Economic Revitalization Plan' (AERP) to promote private and corporate investment as well as local industries.

 
The AERP is also geared towards re-afforestation and irrigation programmes. To make it a success; the Asantehene has already extended invitation to all prospective investors to Ashanti, with a firm assurance to easy access of land.

 
Still on his contribution towards the rapid development of the country and its people, Otumfuo in his own initiative, secured a World Bank Project with the approval of the Government of Ghana.

 
Dubbed 'Promoting Partnerships with Traditional Authorities Project' (PPTAP), the laudable project challenged the Asantehene and other traditional leaders to lay bare their capacity and use their own resources to  respond to the financial support readily provided by the Government or the World Bank.

 
Through the PPTAP, the Asantehene has single handedly built new schools, rehabilitated old ones, built teachers residential quarters plus water and electricity supply and collaborated with the state to intensify HIV/AIDS and general health campaign in the rural areas.

 
During the Asantehene's ten year rule, matters bordering on land litigation and succession to vacant Asante stools which were rampant, have been nicely settled peacefully to promote unity in the Ashanti kingdom.

 
Sources at the Manhyia Palace have hinted that within the last decade, over 600 of such cases which were normally characterised with fighting and bloodbath have been amicably settled by Otumfuo.

 
Still on Otumfuo's peaceful initiatives, the Asantehene has for the past years volunteered to chair a Committee of Eminent Chiefs who are trying to find lasting solution to the Dagbon chieftaincy case.

 
Though the matter is yet to be finally settled, indications are that very soon, the Asantehene, relying on his charm and abundance of wisdom which has earned him the nickname 'King Solomon' would peacefully bring the nagging matter to a close.

 
Also worthy of mentioning is Otumfuo's love for beautiful architecture which has seen him transform the Manhyia Palace, the official seat of the Asantehene, to a great edifice which is extremely pleasant to behold.

 
All manner of people who have been thronging the Manhyia palace in recent times, including foreign nationals, have heaped tons of praises on Otumfuo for bringing the palace to its current status.

 
During the last decade, Otumfuo's remarkable achievements have caught the eyes of both Ghanaian and international bodies who have patted the back of the occupant of the Golden Stool for a good job done.

 
It therefore came as no surprise at all when some respected universities in the country and across the globe conferred honorary doctorate degrees on Otumfuo Osei Tutu II to honour him for contributing to the total development of his people and the country.

 
Among these universities include Glasgow University, University of Maryland, Savannah State University, US, and Eastern Shore, Essex Country College.

 
The rest include the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), University of Ghana, Legon and the Metropolitan University of London.

 
Still on academic, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, during the year under review, was also appointed Chancellor of the KNUST and he has since that time, played an instrumental role to bring the university to its current level.

 
The visionary Ashanti king has since his enthronement hosted high ranking world leaders at the Manhyia Palace in Kumasi , which among them include Col. Muammar Al Qathafi of Libya, Ahmed Tejan Kabbah and Alpha Konare of Mali.

 
The rest include Blaise Campoare of Burkina Faso, Lauren Gbagbo of Coe d'Ivoire, Prince Al-Aweed Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia, His Royal Highness, Prince Willem-Alexander of Netherlands, among other prominent people from the globe.

 
Otumfuo, the last ten years was also hosted by prominent world leaders including Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain, Queen Beatrix of Holland, Mr. James D. Wolfensohn, President of the World Bank and President Thabo Mbeki of South Africa.     

 
Otumfuo also visited Mr. Nelson Mandela, former President of South Africa, Mr. Don McKinnon, Commonwealth Secretary General, King Mohammed VI of Morocco, Archbishop of Canterbury, just to mention a few.

 
The Asantehene, during his achievement-packed ten year rule, has addressed many world conferences where his vision for the quick transformation of the world was made known.

 
Among the conferences which the Asantehene made the splendid addresses were the International Cocoa Organization, London, and Royal Guest of Honour to the 7th Session of the Anyiam-Osigwe Lectures in Lagos.

 
In recent times, Otumfuo addressed staff and students of China Foreign Affairs University in China, not forgetting a speech he made at the Plenary Session Of The Economic Commission of Africa, Addis Ababa.

 
In fact, the aforementioned statements and facts clearly indicate that Otumfuo Osei Tutu II has contributed his quota to Ghana, in its quest to become a well endowed country and it is high time Ghanaians, in one accord, praise the 'Wise King' to continue his exemplary works

From I.F. Joe Awuah Jnr.,  Kumasi