Asantehene centre of attraction at Boston exhibition

From: George Osei-Antwi, GNA Special Correspondent, Boston.

Boston, USA, Nov 3, GNA - Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, Asantehene, on Wednesday sat in state as royal guest of honour at the official opening of an exhibition on "West African Gold: Akan Regalia from the Glassell Collection", at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts.

More than 2,000 people thronged the reception hall to bow and pay respect to the Ashanti king.

Otumfuo, accompanied by a 14-member delegation from Ghana, was joined by a team of Ghanaian chiefs, drummers and dancers, based in New York and other parts of the United States.

Some of the exhibits were King's native sandals decorated with gold, gold bracelets worn by Asante chiefs, and gold weights. At the entrance of the Exhibition Hall hung a large portrait of Otumfuo Osei Tutu II and the Golden Stool.

Otumfuo Osei Tutu, who was dressed in a very rich kente, with headgear and native sandals decked with gold, as well as gold bracelets and ankle ornaments, was the major attraction at the exhibition. Earlier in the day, the Boston Globe had carried a two-page feature story on the Asantehene in its Arts column.

Otumfuo the Asantehene was billed to deliver this year's Harvard Distinguished African address Thursday evening at the WEB Institute for African and African American Research.