I have been made aware of the concerns raised, and it has been communicated to me the messages of allegations levelled against me by a well known Kumawuman subject. The said person’s messages have been noted and taken in good faith.

It is all about the attitude of Kumawuman subjects towards offering condolences and assistance to their fellow Kumawuman subject when they are bereaved.

Not long ago, we had a Kumawu subject pass away in the UK. When we attended the funeral prior to the corpse being flown to Kumawu (Ghana) for burial, those Kumawuman citizens attending did contribute money. The money was collected and presented to the bereaved family in the name of Kumawuman citizens that had gathered there that night.

Presumably the oldest or one of the oldest among the Kumawuman subjects that had gathered at the funeral ground that night, the idea to collect the contribution fee of £50 per head to be given to the bereaved family was not mooted by me. It originated from the son of one Mr Abu (once a teacher at Kumau-Abotanso) who until then was unknown to me due to the vast age difference between us.

Those of us at the funeral saw his suggestion as superb. It could unite the Kumawuman subjects living in the UK to some extent. It could permit us to know one another better if we followed it through by exchanging phone numbers and email addresses to keep in constant touch.

What has happened now to put me in the firing line? One Nana Asare Kumi, a Kumawu royal from the Kumawu Odumase royal family has passed away in London a few weeks ago. We attended the viewing of his body and funeral on Saturday 21 May 2016 at Tottenham, London, before his remains are flown to Ghana for burial on 9 June 2016.

As I was working that day, I could only attend the church service for the viewing of the body. I was not in the position to attend the follow up funeral celebration which was attended by my wife. My younger brother and my wife did perform our traditional obligations to the bereaved family according as I had agreed with them beforehand.

However, a Kumawuman subject who had attended the previous funeral where donations were raised collectively and presented to the bereaved family in the name of Kumawuman subjects present at the funeral ground, had expected same for the family of Nana Asare Kumi who had mostly come from Germany. This did not happen hence Rockson Adofo getting the flak for not being fair to the family of Nana Asare Kumi. What is good for geese is also good for the gander, said the subject in question. Why not doing same for the family of Nana Asare Kumi, the person queried and pointed a finger at me accusing me of not being fair.

As a Kumawuman subject who craves for unity among Kumawuman subjects living both home and abroad, I shall put up my hands to accept the blame in good faith. It should have occurred to me to designate someone to suggest to those Kumawuman subjects around to make collective contributions to give to the bereaved family instead of each person going their own way to fulfil their traditional obligations to the deceased person’s family. It did not speak well of us.

Again, most of the Kumawuman subjects did not turn up at Nana Asare Kumi’s funeral. My simple question to them is why that? Two wrongs never make a right. Whether he did attend funerals or not, whether he did frequent occasions organised by Kumawuman subjects or not, he has died and we should have attended his funeral to pay him our last respect as a subject of Kumawuman.

How could his brothers and sister who had come from Germany know that Kumawuman subjects living in the UK or to be more precise London love themselves?

We learn from our mistakes and I hope this will not occur again.

I am happy to have been reminded of my duty as an elder Kumawuman subject who should at all times ensure that fairness to one another becomes the pivot on which the prosperity and the welfare of Kumawuman subjects revolves.

The critique of my behaviour as narrated above has been accepted and I do apologise to anyone who became offended following my behaviour not to have replicated the envious initiative taken by Teacher Abu’s son.

It is never too late to show your kindness to the family of the late Nana Asare Kumi by presenting your funeral donations to them.

Lest I forget, on the same Saturday, 21 May 2016, another Kumawuman subject was holding a wedding ceremony for his daughter. I know some Kumawuman subjects had gone to the wedding hence unable to attend the funeral. As I could not attend the wedding, I shall arrange to fulfil my obligations to them in line with our tradition.

C. Naa’s mum’s one week funeral rites will be coming up on Saturday 28 May 2016, I have heard, so please take note.

Rockson Adofo