A Welcome Address and farewell Message From Nana Akwasi Addae

(Out-Going Asantefuohene of Chicago land & the Midwest)

March 26th, 2006

Dear Asanteman,

Me ma mo Afe nhyia pa,

Nananom, Abusua Mpaninfuo, Council of Elders, Ladies and Gentlemen. I welcome you from the recess, and wish you all a Happy New Year. It is very nice that we are all back to work for the progress of Asanteman. It is a pleasure to address you at this gathering as the out-going Asantefuohene /president of this noble Association. The election is over and we have entered a new era with a new administration, it is time for work. We can all be winners if our ultimate goal is putting Asanteman first at heart. I thank you for exercising your voting rights. For those whose wish was to see me continue to reign, I am still here so stay with you and thank you for recognizing my potentials, I am always available for you. In spite of the change of administration, join me to make it easier for the current government to take Asanteman to the pinnacle of development.

I am here today to render a final account of my reign as the Chief and president of the Asanteman Association, and to seize the opportunity to express my heartfelt appreciation and gratitude for the wonderful support you gave me during my reign. I am asking of you, the same or a higher level of support for my successor, Nana Addae Baffour. When I took over, I had the record of two terms / eight years government to emulate and I knew it wasn?t going to be easy, but with your support and that of outstanding executives, we did it. You should be the adjudicator. Thank you Abusua, Thank you my able executive members. If our focus is not drifted away, we can still keep the good work going.

The financial position of the Association has been very remarkable during these three years from about $20,000.00 to about $42,000.00 with no increase in the monthly dues. In addition, we have been able to acquire some properties that include a Public Address System and Microphones (One Cordless Mic.) Attached is a copy of a draft audited report for the internal revenue that shows a gain of about $7,770 for the year 2005 about $200.00 less than that of last year. This is inline with our annual average income.

We do also have collectable pledges that could boost our account from Forty - two Thousand ($42,000. 00) to well over Fifty Thousand dollars, ($50,000.00).

I believe that if the total welfare of our members is our target, coupled with Cooperation, Respect for one another, Commitment, Discipline and Truthfulness in the Association, the cause for which my administration tried very hard to instill. These are the qualities which I believe can propel us to greater heights in the future. We must try to avoid personal and petty squabbles to permeate into the affairs of the Association. The ?Pull Me down Attitude? will not help anybody but rather adversely affect the smooth administration of any governing body. As we only have Two (2) hours in a month for a general meeting, our time there should be very fruitful.

I personally believe that our administration followed the Constitution in all of its dealings and activities and whatever measures we took did not in any way contravene the Constitution but rather to serve the best interest of the Association. We refused to be dictated to, by the few that referred to traditional law when The Constitution fails to back them and vice versa.

The least we can do as Ghanaians abroad is to initiate programs and or projects that will be beneficial to us here and our motherland. This was the mission of my administration, hence the proposed Asanteman Library Project in Kumasi, for which I personally pledged to release one of my plots of land for the construction. The library project was the THEME for which we organized the Black Tie Fund Raising Event last year. It is still feasible and I do hope that the new administration will take this program seriously and budget for it. Let us extend our help back home. The same goes to the Ghana House Project. The Alderman on behalf of the City has given us a fifty-two (52) page document to fill and return it. What is left is your support and Finances. Let us join the Ghana National Council and others, to come out with the money for purchase and development of the Ghana House, we need our own Cultural Center.

My speech will not be complete if I fail to express my sincere appreciation to all those who in diverse ways contributed to the success of my administration. Especially Nana Agyeman Barnie and his Family, thank you so much and may the Lord richly bless you and replace what ever you might have lost by hosting our meetings all these years. Not forgetting Nana Akwasi Appiah for his continues support and dedication.

My special thanks also go to Abusuapanin Nana Kwame Boakye Yiadom, Obaapanin Sally Owusu, Nana Amofa Kwabia Brempong, and Obaapanin Gifty Lawson, and the Council of Elders.

Kudos to my outstanding EXECUTIVES. Namely,

Nana Abena Amponsah ( Queen Mother/ Ohemaa),

Nana Diana Akyekum (Ohemaa Abediakyere)

Nana Amofa Kwabia (Linquist/ Okyeame)

Nana Yaw Asamoah, (Vice / Kurontihene )

Nana Addae Baffour, (Gyaasehene)

Nana Yaw Sarfo ( Treasurer / Sannahene)

Nana Yaw Mensah (Kyidomhene)

Nana Kofi Oduro (Nkosuohene)

Nana Kusi Karikari (Benkumhene)

Nana Aboagye Bosompem (Secretary)

Nana Abena Agyeman (Public Relations)

Nana Kwaku Sarpong (My Minister Without Portfolio)

Without them I wouldn?t have succeeded. I am glad they are still here to help. Thank You and more grease to your elbows.

Once again I say a big thank you to all and sundry, and wish the incoming administration success in governing this great Association. ?IN UNITY LIES STRENGHT ?

I thank you very sincerely

.

I love you all.

Nana Akwasi Addae, (Out-going Asantefuohene)