The Royal Seat of the Asante Monarchs, Manhyia Palace on 12th May, 2024, became the venue where the world’s wide array of different cultures, were richly woven together in elegant colours, to depict the beauty of cultural unity in diversity.
The impressive and exciting “Akwasidaekese”, a grand durbar, climaxed a litany of events commemorating the 25th anniversary of the enthronement of Asantehene, Otumfour Osei Tutu II.
The anniversary of the 16th occupant of the Golden Stool, pulled a mammoth crowd from different creed, ethnicity and cultures, across the globe, to join in the celebration with the Great King.
It was all colour, at “Dwabirem”, forecourt of the Royal Citadel, as traditional chiefs, seated in full regalia, under a canopy of giant multi-colored umbrellas, amidst the reverberating and pulsating sounds and rhythms from the “Fontomfrom” and “Mpintin” drums, the “Atenteben” and “Ntahra”, awaiting the entry of the celebrant.
As if the popular kente was the dress code, most people including President Akufo-Addo, himself, wore different designs of the traditional cloth.
The canopy of umbrellas, the fully adorned chiefs, and participants combined, to give the Dwabrem, a panoramic view of a sea of variegated colours.
The event reached a crescendo when His Royal Majesty, Asantehene and Nana Ama Konadu Yiadom, the Queen of Asante, adorned in gold ornaments and resplendent in a majestic kente cloth, after parading through some of the principal streets in the city of Kumasi, riding in a palanquin, entered the durbar grounds preceded by a long serpentine retinue of chiefs, holding the Golden Stool, amidst the firing of musketry.
In spontaneous outbursts of joy, the enthusiastic crowd hailed the King and the Queen.
Distant onlookers had to climb heights to catch a glimpse of him. There were many dignitaries including President Akufo-Addo, vice-president, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, Former President J. A Kuffour, Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Dr Christopher Rowley.
Traditional rulers from the Volta Region, including the Awomefia of Anglo, Togbe Sri, others from, Central Region, Bono, Ahafo and across the country, were also present.
They paid homage to the King and expressed their felicitations to him as he sat in state.
Countless gifts had since the beginning of the event been showered on him by well_ wishers.
By Benjamin Aidoo
