PRESIDENT JOHN Dramani Mahama caused a stir yesterday when he asked the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, to update his Facebook page, right in front of Ashanti chiefs and prominent dignitaries.
The President, sounding humorous, disclosed that he had been following Otumfuo’s page but it seemed it was not regularly updated.
President Mahama said he is an ardent follower of the Asantehene’s Facebook page but he was worried because anytime he visited the page it seemed the King was behind in his postings.
He said he would be glad if the Asante King could constantly update his page so that his numerous followers including him (President Mahama) could follow his wise writings.
President Mahama was addressing thousands of chiefs and people of Asanteman during a grand durbar to mark the Asantehene’s 15 years on the Golden Stool at the Baba Yara Stadium, yesterday.
The event was graced by high profile personalities including former Ghana Presidents John Agyekum Kufuor and wife, Theresa and Jerry John Rawlings and wife, Nana Konadu as well as Ex-Nigerian President, Olusegun Obasanjo.
President Mahama showered praises on Otumfuo Osei Tutu II for his massive contributions which had helped to better the lives of Asanteman and Ghanaians at large, promising government’s support to him.
He noted that the Asantehene since his ascension on the Golden Stool 15 years ago had played leading roles to change the face of chieftaincy as an institution in the country, urging the King to sustain his good works.
He commended Otumfuo for playing leading roles to enhance education in the country, assisting HIV/AIDS patients and settling several disputes which had the tendency of causing mayhem and drawing the country backwards.
The event was attended by powerful paramount chiefs in the Ashanti Kingdom, the clergy, top businessmen, chiefs from the African continent, notably, Nigeria, just to mention a few.
National Cake
Otumfuo Osei Tutu, in his address, appealed to the government to share the national cake fairly so that every part of the country would also experience development.
He however admonished the populace, particularly, people with Ashanti descent, not to fold their arms and dwell in poverty but rather reawaken their spirit of creativity and innovation to help enhance their lives.
He lamented that the people were allowing politics to dampen their old spirit of creativity and innovation, noting that the people had now abandoned hard work and allowed depression and pessimism to set in their lives.
The Asantehene said the days when Asantes waged wars against other tribes were over, pointing out that the people needed to channel their energy and effort towards battling illiteracy, poverty and diseases, now.
He said a staggering 9,000 brilliant but needy students across Ghana have benefitted from the education fund which he established to help boost education in the country.
He lamented over situations where African nationals had lost their lives on high seas and deserts in search of greener pastures in Europe, and urged Africans to stay in the continent and develop it.
Otumfuo enumerated series of interventions which he had made to better the lives of his people for the past 15 years, announcing several programmes he had planned to ensure national growth.
He noted that work had started on an ultra modern shopping mall in Kumasi, adding that work would commence on two more shopping malls in Kumasi within the next three months.
Otumfuo also highlighted the numerous benefits that the country had gained within the last 15 years from his strong foreign links and travels, promising to work to better the lives of the people.