The Asantefuohene of Chicago and Midwest on Saturday night called on Ghanaians to help educate the youth. He was speaking at the colorful Asanteman Association of Chicago and Midwest's Annual Black Tie Dinner held at the Marriot Hotel, Downtown Chicago on Saturday July 2, 2005.
He informed the attendees that funds raised at the Dinner will go into building libraries in Ghana in support of Otumfuo Osei Tutu's education initiative. He thanked all the distinguished guests and the Nananom and Asanteman Association members who helped organized the event. He also thanked members of the Ghanaian Community for turning out in their numbers to help educate the children of Ghana.
The Ghanaian public showed up in their numbers to support a worthy cause and they were dressed majestically. The organizers subsidized parking for the attendees. This would have normally cost about $28.00 for the location.
In his address the Guest Speaker, Dr. Agyenim Boateng, Assistant Attorney General for Kentucky, reiterated what the Asantefuohene stated and traced the history of the Asante traditional people and the achievements. In an appeal for funds almost $11,000.00 was pledged for the project. Mr. Samuel Akainyah, of Akainyah Galleries in Chicago and an Attorney was a Chairman and member of the fund-raising committee. Sharing the chair with Mr. Akainyah as co-chairpersons were; Mr. Joe Conduah of Wisconsin Department of Transportation, Mrs. Elizabeth Afriyie, Director of West African Relations at the International Council on Education for Teaching and Mr. Alfred Anning, Regional Manager of Inter Park.