Elsewhere in this issue we carry news of the potential elections sometime in November 2009 for new leadership in the Asante community in Toronto. We have decided to devote our editorial column to this seemingly “harmless” event for very good and urgent reasons:

All across Canada, Europe, the United States and most large cities around the world where there are sizable Ghanaian populations, the Asante Ethnic group are usually in large numbers. And not only are they in large numbers in Ghanaian communities around the world, they tend to engage in community organizing activities centered around their very rich culture. In effect they tend to strongly portray the Asante culture vibrantly around the world and all members of Ghanaian communities in these cities enjoy such glamorous display of part of our Ghanaian cultural heritage around the world.

Sadly though, the attempts to form Asante ethnic associations and in so doing promote the Asante culture abroad have been engulfed in controversy, conflicts and bitter internecine fights which always spill into the larger Ghanaian communities in those cities. The simple and undeniable fact is that, as the largest of the Ghanaian Ethnic groups outside the shores of our dear nation, the Asantes posses strong leadership skills and Ghanaian communities around the world have always looked up to the Asantes for strong, effective and respectful leadership. This has sadly not been the case in many Asante communities around the world.

Coming back home to Toronto, we have all been witnesses to the bitter fights that have always engulfed the Asanteman community association in Toronto whenever it comes to electing new leadership and conferring the honorary crown of “Asantefuohene” and Asantefuohemaa on someone. These bitter fights and struggles have always affected the cohesiveness of the Ghanaian community in a number of ways. That is the simple truth.

On the occasion of their attempts to elect new leadership for their community and the conferring of these honorary titles this time around, we at The Ghanaian News, as the mouthpiece of the community will be following this process with keen interest. As they gather to elect their new leaders, we strongly caution them to place the larger interest of their community, the legacy they want to bequeath to their children, the image of the whole community and the responsible leadership that is expected of them, at the center of whatever they do. Gone should be the times when personal egos and blind loyalties were the deciding factors in these exercises of electing community leadership.

Attempts to elect new leadership for the larger Ghanaian Union of Ontario is stuck in limbo. The Asantes should show the way in responsible leadership and set a standard and hallmark for the larger community elections which we hope should come before the end of the year.

There are enough experienced, matured and responsible elders in the Asante community who can ensure that this electoral process passes peacefully and responsibly. We are watching. They can not afford to fail this time!!