The frustration of the Ashantis is very much understandable. Their readiness to vent their anger on President Mahama is where I have an issue with them. It is very painful that President Mahama should neglect them the way he has. The Ashantis are not only the most populous tribe in Ghana but also, from their Ashanti land, most of the resources that generate internal and external income for the government are obtained.

However, the President Mahama NDC-led government has an agenda to suppress the Ashantis through discrimination at work, sacking the Ashantis from jobs, starving Ashanti region of essential developments, and indirectly overseeing their gradual extermination through NHIS capitation. In his tribally-inclined government, the Ashantis have manifestly been side-lined all due to the President’s sense of insecurity, inferiority complexes and lack of farsightedness.

Upon all the government’s absurdities and malevolence towards the Ashantis, I do not blame her more than I will blame the traditional leadership of the Ashantis. Our traditional leaders, especially the Asante Overlord, are not offering the right leadership. They do not represent their subjects as pertained in the olden days. These modern day traditional leaders are vigorously pursuing their insatiably greedy and selfish interests instead of the collective interests of their subjects.

No wonder that the very buddy of John Mahama, who is allegedly on record to have dubiously facilitated his ascendancy to the presidency, is nonchalant about the fate of his subjects. All he thinks and cares about is himself but no-one else. Can such a person be the leader or the ruler of the Ashantis?

His forefathers went to war, sacrificed their lives for the Ashanti Kingdom. They made the Ashantis proud and strong. During his turn, he is not required to go to war but just use his cordial relationship with the President to assist his people. He is to be truthful in all his undertakings and dealings with his subjects. This, he won’t, because he finds it quite an insurmountable obstacle. What then is the significance of his friendship with the President? I do not get it.

He is the one the Ashantis should blame and get rid of if they have the opportunity. He is not a good leader but a selfish one who does not merit his position. I do not care about whatever he thinks, I have spoken the truth. Direct your demonstrations and anger at your traditional leaders who are as useless as the current government. Until they are made to understand our feelings, they will continually take us for fools.

Rockson Adofo