Asantehene Returns from UK
The King of the Asante Kingdom, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has arrived in Ghana from his two-week working visit to the United Kingdom (UK).
He returned on Tuesday, August 6, 2024, two days after he hosted the sixth Akwasidae Festival on the soil of the white man in splendour and regal.
Welcoming His Majesty back at the Prempeh I Airport were Akyeamehene Nana Nsuase Poku, Otumfuo Kyeame Nana Bonsu, Tepahene Nana Aduse Atwerewa Ampem, some queens and other prominent personalities.
His Majesty left Ghana on Saturday, July 13, 2024 for a series of events including a lecture at the British Museum.
Awukudae
Ahead of that, the King held a mini durbar to mark the fifth Awukudae Festival of the year at his Henley residence on Wednesday, July 17, 2024.
Present were traditional authorities including Oyokohene Nana Agyekum Ababio, Asamponghene Kwabena Owusu Korkoh, Dominasehene Baffour Yaw Boateng and Bebrehene Nana Atta Kyeremateng.
Otumfuo sat in state decked in a colourful Kente outfit and received homage from his subjects, Asante expatriates on foreign land. Among them was Asanteman UK and Ireland, an association of Asantes living abroad.
Athenaeum Club Dinner
Later in the day, the Athenaeum Club, a private members’ club in London in the United Kingdom (UK), was honoured to have wined and dined with Otumfuo.
The dinner was held at their famous Clubhouse at 107 Pall Mall, at the corner of Waterloo Place.
It was a private event that saw only a few guests joining including former President of Ghana His Excellency John Agyekum Kufuor, the Ghana High Commissioner to the UK, His Excellency Papa Owusu Ankomah and the representative of the King in the negotiation process of looted Asante Artefacts, Mr Ivor Agyeman-Duah.
V&A Visit
The next day, Otumfuo visited the Victoria and Albert Museum, one of the two British museums that lent back a few looted Asante artefacts in their possession and on display in their galleries in the United Kingdom (UK).
As part of the visit, Otumfuo toured the museum’s gallery and held a private conversation with the museum management led by Director Tristram Hunt.
Lecture
On Friday, July 19, 2024, His Majesty delivered an insightful and thought-provoking lecture at the British Museum during which he challenged the ethics of British law fostering illegality and denying Africans and some former colonies their looted treasures.
He also invited all continents sharing in this plight to his abode in Kumasi to develop strategies to go about the injustice they are faced with.
Visit to King Charles
On July 23, Otumfuo visited the King of England, King Charles III- who was earlier this year diagnosed with prostate cancer and underwent surgery.
It was his first visit since his coronation in March last year.
The visit took place at King Charles’ Sandringham residence, a house standing on a 20,000-acre estate in the Norfolk Coast Area of outstanding natural beauty.
Symposium
The Asantehene also delivered a signature address at the maiden edition of the Black Heritage Network Symposium, an event hosted by Citibank- a preeminent banking partner for institutions with cross-border needs- in the United Kingdom (UK).
At the event, he proposed collaborative drive between his Palace, Citibank and the Asante Professionals Club (APC) in establishing a special initiative to create a well-resourced funding vehicle to boost private sector growth.
Akwasidae
The last event was an Akwasidae Festival on Augut 4, 2024, which offered Asantes and Ghanaians domiciled across the European continent to fulfill their cultural obligation to their King, Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II.
The colourful event was held at the Middle Temple Garden in London and was attended by thousands.
