Kumasi, April.29, GNA- The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu 11, on Thursday unveiled a statue in memory of the late Otumfuo Opoku Ware 11, at the Suame roundabout.

The ceremony formed part of the activities marking the celebration of the Asanteman "Adae Kese" festival and the fifth anniversary of the enstoolment of Otumfuo Osei Tutu 11, as the Asantehene. The statue was erected by the Kumasi Traditional Council to honour Otumfuo Opoku Ware, for his meritorious and dedicated services, which brought a number of developments, achievements and honour to Asanteman and Ghana as a whole.

Otumfuo Opoku Ware, a lawyer by profession was known in private life as Barima Kwaku Adusei and was enstooled as the 15th occupant of the golden stool on June 6, 1970 at the age of 51.

He succeeded his uncle Otumfuo Sir Osei Agyeman Prempeh 11. Otumfuo Opoku Ware died on the 25th February, 1999 at the age of 80 after reigning for 29 years on the golden stool.

Giving a brief history of the late Otumfuo Opoku Ware 11, Nana Boakye Ansah Debrah, Asokore Mamponghene and member of the "Adae Kese" planning committee said the King opened the first Automatic Long Distance Dialing Exchange in Ghana, when he was then the Minister of Transport and Communications in the 1960s.

As a draughtsman, Otumfuo Opoku Ware 11, designed and supervised the construction of the present national house of chiefs building, surveyed and demarcated the lands for the Prempeh College, Kumasi College of Technology (KNUST) and Opoku Ware School.

He further supported the establishment of the Institute of Land Management and Development and the school of Medical Sciences, both of the KNUST.

Nana Boakye Ansah Debra said Asanteman would forever be grateful to Otumfuo Opoku Ware 11.