OTUMFUO NANA OSEI TUTU II
Let us never know what old age is. Let us know the happiness (that) time brings, not count the years.
Ausonius
COMMENCEMENT: OTUMFUO NANA OSEI TUTU II aetatis 67 last Saturday. There were lots of activities at Manhyia Palace, and during the daytime, Nananom congregated there, resplendent in their variegated– coloured Kente cloths. To wish the King long life: “Onyame mma wo nkwa. Nkwa tenten a ahooden wo mu”.
At dusk, there was a ball in the foyer of the palace, at the park named after Otumfuo’s loving mother, Nana Afia Kobi Serwaa Ampem ‘ad perpetuam memoriam’ (to her memory). Many of those who mattered in Asante, and Asante people in other places were there.
“Come and see dressing”! Officially, the dressing was ‘black with tie’ or ‘traditional’. The ever handsome Nana Osei Hyeaman, the Mawerehene easily caught one’s attention, dressed like the 16th United States President, Abraham Lincoln, in his top hat. You could remember Lincoln’s 6 feet 4 inches figure topped with J.Y. Davis’s hat appearing at the Ford’s Theatre, Washington on a Good Friday, April 14, 1865 and getting assassinated by John Wilkes Booth, while watching the play: “Our American Cousin”.
Otumfuo was smartly dressed with Lady Julia beside him. Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings was there, sitting close to former President, J. A. Kufuor. Representing the President Nana Akufo Addo, were the Regional Minister Simon Osei Mensah, his deputy, Honourable Elizabeth Agyemang, Nana Otuo Siribour, the President of the Council of State and Juabenhene and Osei Assibey Antwi, the Kumasi Metropolitan Chief Executive, who graced the occasion.
The Members of Parliament and Ministers of State, too numerous to count, were all present. Of course, I could see the Member of Parliament, Dr Emmanuel Marfo, of Oforikrom. Kwame Adinkra, the MC was colourful with his antics, and the President of the Women’s Aglow started the ball rolling with a very powerful prayer. The queens of all the ten regions of Ghana were there in their numbers, including Odeneho Akosua Frema Juaben II, Dormaahemaa and Nana Amissa III of Mankessim. Speeches– not that people did not want to speechify– were shelved except for the proposal of the toast by Kantinka Dr Donkor Fordjour. You could predict the approach of Kantinka – from Shakespearean (Merchant of Venice) Bellario’s letter: “I beseech you, let his lack of years be no impediment to let him lack a reverend estimation; for I never knew so young a body with so old a head” to Latin: “ad multos annos” (to many wishes for many years and long life). He did not fail to tout the appellation given to the ‘youthful-faced’ Otumfuo, being King Solomon and King David. The response to the toast was rendered by the former President J.A. Kufour, who extolled Otumfuo as embodying the modern and ancient cultures. President Kufour recalled the ‘divine rights of Kings’ (a doctrine that the right of rule derives from God, giving the royal political legitimacy). For him, Otumfuo’s influence transcends the Asante Kingdom – just because of his personal attributes of humanity, wisdom and intelligence.
Some people were lucky to have their birthdays falling in tune with Otumfuo’s – the MD of Societe Generale, and the representative of the World Bank in Ghana. How I wished mine coincided with Otumfuo’s!
The Tagoe Sisters were as adept as they had always been with their voices, except for their physical structures which were now a far cry from those of the 90s. They sang melodiously: “Osoro no ye wode, asase ye wode; Ohene biara nte se wo… Diwo hene; di wo hene, di wo hene”. Their songs were lovely, enchanting, delightful, spell – binding and enthralling.
And who said dinners do not last till 1.00 am the following dawn? The gifts were flowing: handy ones, and after the show, Otumfuo spent time to shake hands with all the invited guests, except of course those who decided to “fall out” rather too early, especially the teetotalers. He had a nice word for everyone—diplomatically couched, but reverently natural.
The Sunday after was an Akwasidae, and the mid- morning drizzle was remarkable for watering the seed of the day before. Some people skipped their regular Sunday morning activities–to get ample time to attend the Akwasidae ceremony. Everything fell in place. The school—children had a rare opportunity to see the Otumfuo at close range, and they appeared to relish that opportunity. The drummers at the opposite end thought they could not catch the King’s eye, even though the sound of the drums could be heard far, far away.
The developments going on in the various villages and towns in Asante are all advancing through the instrumentality of Otumfuo. Events are happening with cascading rapidity. One need not look beyond the Kumasi Mall, which was inaugurated on the 10th day of May, this year, by Otumfuo and the President, Nana Akufo- Addo as the latest addition to the numerous tourism centres being undertaken in the Ashanti Region. It is the latest rendezvous for many young lovers –where Guinness, my favourite, sells for less than GH¢3.00 a bottle. Children can have fun at very little cost. When the Kumasi Cultural Centre lost its shine, there was no other place for entertainment around Kumasi, save a few, including the Lakeside Resorts of Bosomtwe. The Kumasi Mall reminds one of those malls in Johannesburg, including ‘Greenstone’, ‘Forever New’, ‘27 Boxes’, ‘44 Stanley’, ‘Sandton City’, ‘Southgate Mall’ and many more.
In 1985, Ricky Nelson sang the song, ‘Garden Party’; I recall it vividly: “I went to a garden party to reminisce with my old friends; A chance to share old memories and play our songs again. When I got to the garden party, they all knew my name, no one recognised me, I didn’t look the same. But it’s all right now, I learnt my lesson well. See you can’t please everyone, So you got to please yourself”. Who would think the King did not ‘recognise’ him or her? He is as eagle-eyed as he is sharp-witted.
August 18th (when I shall also be three score years and seven) is some months and some days after May 6th. But after enjoying myself pretty well at the King’s birthday bash, I hope Lawyer Oppong, Lawyer Koffie, Lawyer Owusu Sekyere, Ms Angela Acheampong of ‘Daaso Boutique’ and others who equally enjoyed themselves at the dinner will understand why I shall not “celebrate” my 67th birthday anywhere. I have already celebrated it—with Otumfuo! Finalement: Nana, we pray for long life and prosperity; we believe God will hear our prayer and will continue to give you wisdom—for the benefit of Asanteman and beyond.
PS: Don’t be surprised, dear reader, to find in the script, snippets of French and Latin phrases. Henceforth, that is the way things will go—as my contribution to the President’s initiative to get Ghanaians to learn French, and remind my age-mates the little Latin we were taught at school. Comprenez vous? (Do you understand?). Etes-vous d’accord? (Do you agree?). This postscript cannot be complete without a mention of the Otiko—Bugri Naabu debacle. It is ‘incroyable’ (unbelievable) how such important political figures can throw caution to the wind and disgrace themselves by spewing dirty invectives at each other! Apology from Otiko? To whom? Hope the petulant Otiko has not so soon forgotten the agony her party passed through before getting the nod for her on the road to her Ministry. And the Ministry of Gender, of all ministries? There is no need for NPP to provide fodder for the NDC. Maverick Bugri Naabu is equally supposed to set a better example for the ordinary members of the party. No need to wash their dirty linen in public! There is little need to explain why.
Africanus Owusu—Ansah
africanusoa@gmail.com