Otumfuo truly inspires
The theme for the just ended 15th anniversary celebration of the reign of Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, Asantehene, was the epitome of the ideals of the Asante king’s 15 years on the Golden Stool.
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The theme for the celebration, “Rekindling the spirit of creativity, innovation and enterprise through traditional leadership”, was very appropriate, speaking to the evidence on the ground since Otumfuo ascended the throne in 1999.
The past couple of weeks which brought the celebration to a close were inspiring but what really geed up and made the celebration unique was the special recognition of women, as well as the sod-cutting to establish a university college in Kumasi.
Celebration of women
Unprecedented of a traditional leader, Otumfuo singled out the celebration of women as part of his anniversary programme. What was termed the Queen Mothers Day brought together queen mothers and paramount queens, as well as a number of women leaders, not leaving out Lady Julia Osei Tutu, the wife of the Asantehene. The day was marked with a grand durbar in honour of the Asantehemaa, Nana Afua Kobi Serwah Ampem.
In the Ashanti tradition, of which I am pretty familiar, women are given a special place of honour. They are often consulted in family matters, and the elderly in the home, often referred to as Obaapanin, take the place of pride in decision-making matters.
The queen mother’s voice is necessary in some of the decisions taken in the traditional area, especially when it comes to the selection of a new chief. Sometimes I get convinced that it is for the singular respect the tradition accords women and the influence they wield that the matrimonial lineage in the Asante custom has been preserved to date.
By setting aside a day in his anniversary celebrations to honour women, an innovation which is reported to have touched the hearts of many of the queenmothers, the Manhyia Palace’s respect for the role of women in our traditional setting is without doubt. What is more, Otumfuo himself found time to attend the durbar, acknowledging the role of women in his 15 years of successful reign.
Assent to women empowerment
One can say that Otumfuo’s assent to women’s empowerment and his deep belief in the transformational power of the woman came even earlier when some years ago, the Otumfuo Education Fund adopted an existing mixed senior high school and converted it into an only female senior high school to promote girls education. That school is what is now known as Afua Kobi Girls Senior High School. Having encountered a couple or so of the girls at a recent interview session for an international scholarship for tertiary education, I can attest to the quality of girls being produced by the school.
It is within this same creative and innovative spirit that to date, the Otumfuo Education Fund has awarded over 4000 scholarships to young men and women to afford them the opportunity to go through secondary and tertiary education. In addition, the fund has donated educational aids such as books, computers, science equipments, desks for basic schools, and other learning enhancements to educational institutions.
Assistance to teachers
As complementary to supporting brilliant needy children to access quality education through his initiative, Otumfuo has extended the fund’s assistance and recognition to the work of the teacher. It was refreshing last week to see that the anniversary programme once again recognised hardworking teachers and other workers in the educational sector.
Tertiary education
In his characteristic enterprising spirit, Otumfuo Osei Tutu has added another feat to his exemplary vision for education. As part of the anniversary celebration and on his 64th birthday, Otumfuo cut a sod for the Osei Tutu University College.
The Otumfuo Education Fund has in the past supported tertiary institutions by donating books to them, renovating the halls of residence at the Kumasi campus of the University of Education, Winneba and constructing student hostels at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, among other things. However, the latest commitment to establish a university college in Kumasi is commendable. Education has no borders and the higher the level of education, the better we enrich the quality of the human resource skills we are building for our country.
Royal infirmary
Much seems to have been done, and for as long as the energising spirit of the Asantehene continues to inspire, much more could be achieved. There are plans to establish a royal infirmary, with the benevolence of corporate institutions home and abroad, as well as individuals.
Suggestion
To urge more donors on, the Otumfuo Education Fund should endeavour to make public its laudable achievements, as well as its financial statement. The bold communication with the public and the openness so created is likely to attract even more hearts to the laudable initiatives of the fund as we go forward.
At a time when the Ashanti Region in general and the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly in particular are fiercely embarking on investment opportunities, it goes without saying that with Otumfuo’s influence and good works over the last 15 years, Kumasi and the entire region would once again be a centre of focus.