Asantehene is King Solomon of Our Time- IGP

The Inspector-General of Police, Mr Christian Yohuno, has hailed the conflict resolution skills of Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, eulogising the Asantehene as “the King Solomon of our time.”

Reflecting on the impact, he said the exceptional skills had left a lasting impact on the national security fabric.

“Allow me to describe you as the King Solomon of our time. Your wisdom, patience and moral authority have brought calm where tensions once prevailed and unity where division threatened our peace,” he said when Otumfuo visited the National Police Headquarters in Accra on January 6, 2026.

That said, the IGP referenced the Dagbon, Yendi and Bawku chieftaincy conflicts.

He similarly touched on the impact of the King in the fight against illegal mining, international diplomacy, humanitarian assistance and other areas.

Mr Yohuno used the occasion to appreciate His Majesty’s commitment to national service and development.

Turning Point Visit
He further described the visit by the Asantehene as a turning point in policing.

According to him, the historic visit was a clarion call for his outfit return to history, re-embrace the indigenous knowledge system and strengthen community and tradition-based policing.

He acknowledged that chiefs as custodians of land, culture and customs remain indispensable partners in maintaining law and order.

He pledged to strengthen and integrate traditional culture, customs and local governance systems into the Service’s training, orientation and re-orientation programmes.

“Your Majesty, your visit is a great honour to every man and woman in the Ghana Police Service and will leave a lasting legacy not only in drink and water but in mindset, policy and practice. We reaffirm our commitment to upholding state laws while respecting customary laws and to build a security system that reflects the history, culture and aspirations of the Ghanaian people.”

New Year Message
Speaking at the event, the Asantehene conveyed warm wishes to the entire police body.

“Let me, in the spirit of the New Year, convey a message of glad tidings to the gallant men and women who make up the Ghana Police Service… We bring you hope for progress and prosperity in the years to come.”

Credit for Globally Acclaimed Safety
Otumfuo also acknowledged and commended police officers across the country for their selfless sacrifices to keep the country safe.

The Asantehene recognised their service of commitment and professionalism despite the many challenging hurdles of the service, as he credited the Police Service for the global peace of the country.

“When we snuggle in our comfortable beds at night, we cannot forget that there are thousands of our sons and daughters battling with mosquitoes while dutifully protecting them from the snares of criminal minds. And while we travel along our motorways, whether in our shining limousines or humble trotros or Aboboyaa and Pragya, we cannot forget that there are again thousands of our sons and daughters keeping guard in the most uncomfortable spots just to make sure we arrive safely at our destinations.”

Integrity Gap
That said, Otumfuo also reechoed the need to give the needed attention to persistent public disquiet about lapses in discipline and mistrust.

“We have to admit that there are going to be more mountains to climb if we ignore the concerns about the police values. I have always believed that the discipline and values instilled during training by the police and military shape one for a lifetime.

“No one who goes through the training is ever in doubt about what the uniform represents and the values they profess to uphold when they bear the coat of arms, so it is puzzling to say the least when Ghanaians see the men in uniform in a manner that evidently compromises the integrity of the service.”

Political Neutrality
His Majesty also raised concerns about the play of politics in the service, as he encouraged the IGP to root it out.

“I always hope you work towards making the Service politically neutral. There will always be one government responsible for the state of Ghana, and as the police service of the state, you have sworn to be unalloyed in your loyalty to the government, but there must be a line drawn between the government and the political party.”

Customs and Culture
In a walk down history, Otumfuo defended age-old customs and culture as one of the most effective means of maintaining law and order within the Ghanaian society.

“According to the King, custom was the first law that was enacted, while culture was the constitution of the day.

These, His Majesty indicated, regulated the behaviours of people at the time.

“Long before the first police uniform was sewn, communities had learned how to live together. Before courts were built, disputes were settled, before statutes were written, wrong was already understood. Custom was the first law. Culture was the first Constitution.

“It taught restraint before punishment, responsibility before rights and harmony before victory. It reminded people that their actions didn’t end with themselves, that every deed echoed through family lineage and memory. In those days, the child feared disappointing an elder more than facing authority,” Otumfuo said while delivering an address at the National Police Headquarters on January 6, 2026.

With these two in place, Otumfuo recounted how a man thought twice before wrongdoing, adding that it was not because of arrest but because the shame would outlive him.

As such, the Asantehene noted that conduct was shaped long before crime could take place.

“That is the quiet power of culture. When culture is strong, crime struggles to breathe; when culture collapses, law enforcement is forced to compensate.”

Collaborators Not Rivals
In further remarks, Otumfuo affirmed that the police, as the protectors of law, must collaborate with traditional authorities who are guardians of culture to safeguard the future.

“Culture cannot do without the police and the police cannot succeed without culture…The Tradition and modern law enforcement are not rivals struggling for relevance. They are collaborators safeguarding the same future.”

“When traditional authorities respect legal authorities, communities stabilise. When police respect local customs, cooperation deepens. When both communicate openly, crime loses its hiding place. If law alone can save society, then countries with the thickest laws would have no prisons at all, yet even prisons have rules and require values.”

Emphasising the need for partnership with chiefs in community policing, His Majesty noted that no society can outsource morality entirely to the state and expect peace.

“Let chiefs serve as allies in community policing. Let officers be trained to understand the customs of the people they protect. Let dialogue precede deployment and mediation precede confrontation. This is not softness; it is intelligence. The nature of public order lies not in louder sirens but in stronger values supported by competent, disciplined law enforcement.”

Historic Visit
The Asantehene paid a historic visit, accompanied by some revered Asante chiefs.

His Majesty was treated to an all-female Guard of Honour at the Police headquarters, where he was received by the IGP, the Management of the Police Service, as well as some retired and eminent serving officers.

Story by Hajara Fuseini

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