How Asantehene Redefined Greatness
From the insight of the Occupant of the Golden Stool, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, greatness is not measured with the yardstick of wealth, titles and public applause.
At the Ghana Business Leaders’ Conclave on May 15, 2026, His Majesty redefined it using the virtues of honesty, service and moral courage.
Otumfuo called on the youth not to blindly admire but to question how wealth, power and success are acquired.
“Do not admire wealth without asking how it was made. Do not admire power without asking how it was used. Do not admire success without asking who suffered for it.”
“Do not measure greatness by cars, houses, titles and public applause. Measure greatness by honesty, service, discipline and the courage to do right when wrongdoing is profitable,” he added.
The Asantehene also told students and young professionals that their education was preparation for responsibility, not just employment, noting that Ghana would ultimately judge them by character, not certificates.
“When that day comes, Ghana will not only ask what degree you obtained, but Ghana will ask what kind of person you became,” he said.
Otumfuo counselled them to reject corruption, environmental destruction, and politics that divide the country, while warning against building Africa’s future solely on borrowed values.
“Your generation must refuse to normalise corruption. You must refuse to celebrate environmental destruction. You must refuse to accept that politics must always divide us. You must be modern, rooted and ambitious but ethical, confident, humble, successful, and then responsible.”
Story by Hajara Fuseini
Click to read more: https://opemsuo.com/author/hajara-fuseini/
