Hundreds of people from all walks of life yesterday joined the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, at the St Cyprian’s Anglican Cathedral in Kumasi for a thanksgiving service to mark his 76th birthday.
The well-attended ceremony also afforded the Asantehene, accompanied by his wife, Lady Julia Osei Tutu, the opportunity to thank God for his 27th anniversary as the 16th occupant of the Golden Stool.
The congregants, mostly clad in white clothing, included paramount and divisional chiefs, queenmothers, friends and well-wishers.
Also in attendance were representatives of political parties, mainly from the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), government officials, and the public.
Notable among them were the Chief Executive Officer of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly, Richard Ofori-Agyeman Boadi; former Chief of Staff under the erstwhile New Patriotic Party government, Akosua Frema Osei-Opare; the Chief of the Defence Staff, Lieutenant General William Agyapong; a former Defence Minister, Kwame Addo Kufuor; and the Chief Executive Officer of the Tree Crops Development Authority, Dr Andy Okrah.
Others were business mogul, Ibrahim Mahama; Board Chairman of GCB Bank PLC, Professor Joshua Alabi, and Member of Parliament (MP) for Damongo Constituency, Samuel Abu Jinapor.
Daughters of Glorious Jesus
The entire auditorium went into frenzy when the famous and all-female gospel music group, Daughters of Glorious Jesus, mounted the stage to sing in honour of the Asantehene.
Otumfuo Osei Tutu II being congratulated by Apostle Prof. Opoku Onyinah, a former Chairman of the Church of Pentecost
Otumfuo, who sat directly opposite the performance stage, was spotted nodding in tandem as he murmured the songs along.
Sermon
Delivering the sermon, the immediate past Chairman of the Church of Pentecost, Apostle Kwadwo Nimfuor Opoku Onyinah, commended the Asantehene for diverse contributions towards national development.
He said through Otumfuo Osei Tutu, several interventions had been undertaken in education and health for the benefit of many residents, especially those living in underserved communities.
“You have demonstrated that traditional leadership is not about wielding power but rather an institution that can be used to transform the lives of the socially disadvantaged to live dignified lives in society,” he said.
“You have consistently used your influence to advocate for better education, health, peace and unity, as well as human development,” he added, stressing, “Your ability to combine traditional leadership with national and global responsibilities is highly commendable.”
Bible text
Quoting from Mathew 22:15-22, where Jesus Christ answered a question by saying: “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and give to God what is for God”, he said the text taught how to live faithfully in the wake of competing demands.
Buttressing his submission with practical lessons, he said the answer given by Jesus Christ to a question by the Pharisees as to whether they were supposed to pay tax to Caesar meant that people must do the right thing at all times and respect lawful authority while honouring God’s order as well.
He urged the citizenry to obey the laws of the land and to honour those in authority as required, saying, “While you are doing what is right, balance wisely without compromise”.
Special message
Speaking through the Omanhene of the Juaben Traditional Area, Nana Otuo Serebour II, Otumfuo Osei Tutu thanked the Anglican Church, the denomination he belonged to, for its continuous prayers and support since his enstoolment as the Asantehene.
Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the Asantehene, and Lady Julia, his wife, seated during the thanksgiving service
He further lauded the chiefs and elders for their supportive roles that had sustained the Asante Kingdom, and expressed gratitude to guests and well-wishers who joined him to thank God for His blessing and protection throughout his reign.
He called for stronger collaboration and unity among the people towards the growth and development of Asanteman, stressing, “I equally call for the same virtues among Ghanaians to accelerate the nation’s progress”.
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