Opinions of Tuesday, 4 September 2012

Columnist: Fosu, John

Calling for Truce with Asantehene

Two principal reasons have moved me to call for a unilateral truce with Asantehene. I have the strongest conviction that God will find a more diplomatic substitute for me. I find myself as having accomplished my mission, as God would want it.

By the unqualified Grace of God, I have been able to tell who the real paramount royals of Kumawuman are. They are those matrilineally related to Seni Fontom from whose lineage the Great Warrior of Asanteman (Nana Tweneboa Koduah 1) was born. They are the Ananangya and the Odumase royal families of Kumawu. Although the "supposed" Ankaase royal family has been ruling Kumawu for the past several decades, they are not in any way the true royals. They are illegitimate royals.

Furthermore, a stranger as I am though conversant with Kumawu history, I never hesitated when I had that intuitional calling to spring to the defence of the downtrodden people of Kumawuman. Kumawuhemaa with her Ankaase family has taken the citizenry of Kumawuman for a rough ride for far too long. I was obliged to expose their illegitimacy as royals let alone paramount royals.

By resorting to logics (both intellectual and traditional), I have been able to question Asantehene over his seeming delay tactics to resolving the Kumawu Chieftaincy dispute. I wonder if at all the Asantehene Great Oath, (Asantehene Ntamkese) is worth invoking, as the current Amanhene sitting in Council with Asantehene seem to be nonchalant about its effective application as against the olden times. John Fosu in the same process has exposed Kwamanghene, Agogohene and Kumawu krontihene for dubiously availing themselves of the absence of Kumawuhene to exploit the wealth (timber and land) of Kumawuman to the hilt.

My reasons for calling for a unilateral truce with Asantehene are: 1) my younger brother who cannot stand the comments passed on my articles on Kumawuman has prevailed upon me to call it quits. He believes the very people I am fighting for, thus, Kumawuman people, are not appreciative of my efforts but rather abusive. Secondly, the enemies/opponents of Asante take it as a Godsend opportunity to lambast him. Both instances are not good, he says. 2) The proverb which goes, "ohene kwasea na 3te bep3so na nnipa a egu bep3 no ase tu nnefo a 3ntie". This literally translates as, "it is only a foolish king that refuses to listen to good admonition by people who live at the foot of a hill/mountain when he is sitting on top of the hill/mountain". Could we not explain it in a much better way that makes more sense to many a less intelligent person? "It is only a foolish King that refuses to listen to the complaints by those carrying him when he is in a palanquin"

I heard one Ernest Owusu Bempa, the Director of Operations for the FONKAR, say this on Oman FM online radio and I decided to adhere to the message he was carrying across, though a vessel of God as I am. It goes to strengthen the resolve of my brother to get me off the path I have assumed. If my wife and children knew about my selfless fight to take such great people on, they would surely have disowned. Thanks to God, they never knew and would never know.

I would truly not listen to anyone but I feel I have come to the end of my assignment as ordained by God. There is no longer going to be any bad blood between the Asante Overlord and me over the Kumawu issues. However, I would expect him with all the chiefs, including Kumawuhemaa and Kumawu kontrihene aimed at exploiting, abusing and adding to the burden of the poor Kumawuman people to re-examine their behaviour. They should do the right things to avoid another situation where a vessel of God stronger than John Fosu is, emerges from nowhere to deal them disastrous blows.

Finally, I would like to remind Asantehene about the non-interference of Kumawuman Stool lands by whomever, according as documented and signed at Asanteman Confederacy Council meeting held on 21st March 1938.

From today going forward, I will be more circumspect when dealing with the Asante Overlord. I hope this becomes reciprocal. I only require of him justice to his subjects and their property. He should also know where his powers begin and ends without seeking to trespass the periphery no matter how weak he sees those on the other side of the divide.

John Fosu