Okumahene Oseadeeyo Dr. Frimpong Manso IV, King of Kotoku has underscored the need for traditional leaders to form partnerships and start businesses to help their communities break the rigid cycles of poverty across Africa.

The traditional ruler made this submission when a delegation of traditional leaders from the Free State Province of South Africa led by the South African Ambassador to Ghana, Grace Jeanet Mason, paid a courtesy call on the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs on October 10, 2023, in Koforidua.

During a question and answer session during an open forum discussion chaired by the Konor of the Manya Krobo Traditional Area, Nene Sackitey II, Morena Neo Mopeli, chairperson of the Free State Provincial House of Traditional and Khoi-San Leaders asked: "How best can African traditional leaders raise funds to help their citizens?”.

Reacting to the question, Okumahene Oseadeeyo Dr Frimpong Manso IV said: “We are closer to the people especially here in Ghana. Fortunately, we still control the land; at least what is on it. We tend to just sit back just because we’ve been told we should not get into politics. We must do what we have to do to succeed. We have to always think about business.

"We have to evaluate our strengths in terms of the resources that we have and the human capital that we have. We have the respect of the people and we have to find ways to bring the human capital that we have together to interface with the resources that we have to start businesses”.

The consultant physician described most African traditional leaders as "too dormant” and howbeit encouraged: “Since we have control over the land, I think we should do better in terms of thinking business than just being chiefs”.

The answer seemed to have fallen on good ears and was met with thundering applause from across the spectrum of traditional leaders from the Free State of South Africa and their counterparts from the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs.