"The evil that men do lives after them". Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II has for sometime been behaving as if all power on earth belongs to him. As the tiny crab is able to floor the giant elephant, so is the purported Asanteman jewels stolen in Norway may be able to cause his destoolment. I am sure he has now realised it is not worth playing God, assuming he is an untouchable sly autocrat.

I am very perturbed about the incident that has befallen him. I really sympathise with him. I am not least in the mood to gloat over his mishap irrespective of how callously he has been treating the commoners under his jurisdiction, especially those in Kumawuman, Essumeja and Adansi Fomena. I rather pity him for thinking he was the invincible Omnipotent, Omniscient, and Omnipresent and Immortal being able to arrogate the titles of Almighty God to himself. He can avail himself of the powers of God but only for a short while.

I listened to his secretary speak on radio narrating how the historic relics were stolen. His voice was quivering. He was incoherent. One could correctly imagine he was pausing, thinking and choosing his words carefully. This is a sure sign of there being a looming problem. He further went on air the next day saying, "the missing items are comparatively insignificant to lead to the destoolment of Otumfuo Osei Tutu II". I personally hate the arrogant attitudes of people who find it hard to put up their hands to say SORRY, when they are in the wrong. Whether the items are small, insignificant or whatever, they have gone missing. Why should they carry the items with them if they were that near valueless to warrant any questioning about them going missing? It is all about the principle of taking good care of all that our ancestors fought for by their sweat, blood and intelligence. It is all about their historic importance to Asanteman and how whoever we entrust to be their custodian will do as obliged, holding them in high esteem but nothing else.

The current Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has no respect for the Asante's customs and traditions. If he had, he would not be conducting himself improperly in the event of invocation of the Asantehene Great Oath. He seems not to have respect for his elders and the occupants of the paramount stools under him. He had better start thinking twice before he acts as there is an end to everything on earth no matter how small or big it is and how long it takes.

His girlfriend, Kumawuhemaa, has the 300-year old "Abamo" stolen or fraudulently sold. The "Abamo" was a precious war booty recovered from Ataala Finam during Kumawu war with him. Asantehene by his dilly-dallying in favour of Kumawuhemaa has let her off the hook. He has absolutely no respect for the traditions and customs of Kumawu. He has no power over the stool and the stool lands of Kumawuman yet, by probable mutual agreement Kumawuhemaa and him, he thinks to have Kumawu completely under his control. This assumption is completely preposterous and constitutes an act of living in the fool's paradise.

I pray this does not lead to his destoolment. He should reflect over his selfishly myopic attitudes that are gradually but progressively ruining Asanteman. I feel sorry for him. I pray the Norwegian authorities identify the culprits; retrieve the items, to save Asantehene and Asanteman from needless embarrassment and ridicule. Many people do not trust the current occupant of the Golden Stool due to his past unpalatable youthful exuberance. They therefore doubt if he had no foreknowledge about the circumstances leading to the disappearance of the bequeathed memorabilia.

I personally believe the items have simply gone missing owing to a bit of inattention. Nobody planned anything dodgy. Co-incidental incidents do happen. Did the gods and ancestors not bring this disgrace upon him for fooling his elders a day before his departure to Norway? To read more about how he played "April Fool" on his elders, please refer to my article published on Ghanaweb.com on Tuesday, 9 October 2012 titled, "Asantehene pulls a Fast one on Asanteman"

John Fosu