AsanteheneAt27: Otumfuo Holds Dual Commemoration for 3rd Akwasidae and 27th Anniversary
The Asante Kingdom came alive with its colorful tradition on Sunday as the Occupant of the Golden Stool, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, hosted a grand dual commemoration to mark the third Akwasidae Festival of the year and his 27th anniversary on the revered Golden Stool.
The ceremony, held at the Dwabrem grounds within the Manhyia Palace, drew a distinguished gathering of traditional authorities, political figures, diplomats, and admirers from across Ghana and beyond.
The dual celebration underscored both the cultural significance of the Akwasidae Festival and the enduring legacy of Otumfuo’s nearly three decades of leadership.
Clad in rich kente and adorned with symbolic regalia, the Asantehene sat in state as Nananom and the masses paid homage in accordance with customs.
Joining the Asantehene was his wife, Lady Julia Osei Tutu, who received warm acknowledgment from the gathering.
The event also attracted prominent national and international figures, including the Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Dr. Johnson Asiama, and the Vice-Chancellor of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Prof. Rita Akosua Dickson.
Notably present was former NBA player Pops Mensah-Bonsu, whose attendance drew excitement among younger spectators.
Other dignitaries included businessman Nana Kwame Bediako, politician Paul Afoko, and UK-based Ghanaian media personality Dentaa Amoateng.
The international community was also strongly represented, with the Canadian High Commissioner to Ghana, Myriam Montrat, the French Ambassador, Diarra Dimé-Labille, and the Swiss Ambassador, Simone Petra Giger, among those in attendance.
Today’s Akwasidae
For the first time in 27 years, the 16th Occupant of the Golden Stool, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, marked his anniversary on Akwasidae, the sacred festival of the Asante Kingdom.
This year, April 26 — the exact date His Majesty ascended the Golden Stool in 1999 — falls on the 3rd Akwasidae of 2026, creating a historic overlap between personal reign and ancestral tradition.
As a result, the Akwasidae Festival was observed with exceptional grandeur, with most of paramountcies within Asanteman in attendance.
Story by Hajara Fuseini
Click to read more: https://opemsuo.com/author/hajara-fuseini/
