Former military ruler Jerry John Rawlings has commended Ashanti King, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II for his leadership qualities that have polished the image of the kingdom in Ghana.
Mr Rawlings lauded Ashanti King as he marks two decades since his ascendancy to the throne.
The Ashanti king is marking the climax of his one month long celebration of his ascendency to the Golden Stool twenty years ago on Sunday in which more than 20 top dignitaries across the world have joined Ghanaians to celebrate.
According to former Ghanaian leader Rawlings, Otumfuo Osei Tutu has done well in his efforts towards addressing land-related problems in Ashanti Region and has also promoted education in his kingdom.
He said Otumfuo Osei Tutu II has on various occasions helped to resolve complex chieftaincy disputes including recently the protracted Dagbon crisis which paved the way for the enskinment of the new King of Dagbon Yaa Naa Abdulai Mahama Yakubu Andani II.
“His Majesty’s recent historic visit to Kyebi and an earlier hosting of the Okyehene in spite of the traditional rivalry between the two kingdoms was yet again a great exhibition of his dynamism and desire to spread the spirit of unity and the spirit of one Ghana,” Rawlings noted.
In a Facebook post on Sunday, Rawlings stressed that Otumfuo’s reign as Asantehene has elevated the image of Asanteman and brought “a refreshing new aura to the institution of chieftaincy in Ghana.”
Otumfuo’s extraordinary charm campaign took him to Seychelles in 2015 in what many thought was an impossible journey for an Asantehene because of the painful history of Otumfuo Agyeman Prempeh’s exile in that country.
He said Otumfuo’s historical visits to Suriname, Uganda, Nigeria, Morocco, England, Netherlands, Germany, Swaziland and South Africa are but a few of the visits he embarked upon as an extraordinary ambassador for Ghana.
“Otumfuo, your tenure has enhanced Asanteman’s enviable position as a tourism destination with many high-profile visitors insisting on calling on Manhyia Palace in Kumasi during official trips to Ghana”, fthe ormer military leader recounted.
“Your tenure has brought a refreshing new aura to the institution of chieftaincy in Ghana, elevating it to a respectable new level and setting a standard for many to emulate across the country”, he added.
DAP/as/APA