Revered for his cross-tribal and nationalistic approach to relating with politicians as well as persons from all walks of life, the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has continued to lead as not only the king of the Ashantis but as a proven unifier.
This time-tested acumen again came to the fore when the National Democratic Congress (NDC) visited the Manhyia Palace with their 2024 running mate, Prof Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang.
As is customary, the NDC team made time to greet the Asantehene before they all settled on some pleasantries.
But this time, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II had a subtle chiding of the former president (John Dramani Mahama), as well as the NDC party as a whole.
And what were the Asantehene’s concerns? Justifiably, the king wondered why the NDC had made the occasion of paying him visits only one reserved for when they are in political power.
In essence, the Otumfuo was troubled that unless the NDC (and its leadership) were at the helm of the political divide, they did not consider it appropriate to make an audience with him.
This was particularly concerning to the Asantehene because, as he shared, it had to take his personal interventions and literally, his own promptings before the NDC leadership decided to bring Prof Naana Jane to greet him.
And as Otumfuo Osei Tutu II would say, he did not particularly understand why the NDC had to wait that long, also because it selected its running mate towards the 2024 polls longer before the New Patriotic Party did.
“I have always wondered why it is that when the NDC doesn’t have power, it behaves as if it is also at loggerheads with Manhyia. Since they left political office, they don’t come to visit me or look for me. When Naana was selected, I heard it but you have not brought her. You selected her before the NPP picked NAPO but you have sat there for them to bring NAPO to greet me before them.
“So, why haven’t you brought Naana to greet me? It was when I met her (Naana) in Cape Coast that I said if they would not bring her to come to greet me, then she should follow me so we go. This is because I have known her for long. When she was vice chancellor at Cape Coast, with the good work she did there, she always gave me a lot of respect and so I have known her for long… I have told her before and I repeat that her humility and her respect should guide her and she should use that to convince people,” he said.
Prof Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang was at the Manhyia Palace with some leading women of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), including Betty Mould-Iddrisu, a former Attorney General and Minister of Justice.
GhanaWeb
