Akwasidae: Lady Julia Pays Homage to Asantehene
The wife of Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, Lady Julia and two of their children, joined the fifth Akwasidae Festival held at the Manhyia Palace in Kumasi on Sunday.
The family led by Lady Julia paid homage to the King.
Each took their turn with Afia Kobi Serwaa Ampem, who recently graduated from high school, taking the lead ahead of her younger brother, Nana Kwame Kyeretwie, after their mother.
They extended a handshake to His Majesty and exchanged some words that threw them all into laughter before making their way back.
It marks the first Akwasidae festival after the grand one which climaxed the 25th Anniversary of Otumfuo on May 12, 2024, and saw the presence of dignitaries from across the country and beyond, including the President of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, H.E Keith Rowley.
The festival on June 24 was joined by individuals and identifiable groups.
They included delegations from the Ashanti Regional Coordinating Council led by Sam Pyne, the Kumasi Mayor, the National Chief Imam, Asanteman North America, Diamond Club Kumasi and the Sefwi Wiawso Traditional Council.
Other individuals who joined were the Bulgarian Ambassador to Ghana, Yanko V Yordanov, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Cocoa Asante, Ella Pinamang Livingston, former footballer Samuel Inkoom, Boxer Seth Gyimah, representative of Justice Stephen Alan Brobbey, a retired jurist.
Asanteman North America, the Sefwi Wiawso Traditional Council, the Chief Imam and the -Diamond Club Kumasi donated $4000, GHC300,000, GHC20,000 and GHC5000 respectively towards the Heal KATH project.
The next Akwasidae festival will be held on August 4, 2024, but will be preceded by the Awukudae festival, another auspicious festival on the Asante calendar, on July 17.