Regional News of Tuesday, 1 September 2020

Source: Ibrahim Baidoo, Contributor

Obokese University of Excellence holds maiden chieftaincy development seminar

The seminar seeks to reorient traditional rulers on the need to develop their respective communities The seminar seeks to reorient traditional rulers on the need to develop their respective communities

Obokese Foundation on Friday 28 August 2020 held its maiden Chieftaincy Development Seminar at the Headquarters of the Obokese Foundation at Cape Coast.

The event was witnessed by forty Chiefs amongst which eight of them were Paramount Chiefs from Central and Western region.

Held under the theme; 'Orientation, Rationale, African centredness and the concept of Aso dzi/ Ubuntu', the seminar seeks to reorient the traditional rulers on the need for African Centeredness approach and thought towards development of their respective communities.

The event had great speakers including Amb Arikana Chihombori Quao, former Ambassador of the African Union to the United States of America who is the Founder and President of African Diaspora Development Institute (ADDI), Nana Kobina Nketsia V, Paramount Chief of Esikadu, Osaberimba Kwesi Atta II, Paramount Chief of Oguaa Traditional Area, Mr Akwasi Awuah Ababio, Director of Diaspora Affairs, Office of the President, Nana Kwamina Kra, Provost of Obokese University of Excellence, Okatakyi Professor Amanfi VII, Paramount Chief of Asebu Traditional Area, Dr. Chike Akua, Dr. Anthony Browder, Mr. Kwane Boateng, a Co-Chairman of Beyond the Return - A Sequel to the Year of Return and Rabbi Kohain Halevi, Executive Director of PANAFEST Foundation.

Nana Obokese Ampah I, Apagyahen of Asebu Traditional Area and Founder of the Obokese University of Excellence shared his vision for the University and appealed to the traditional leaders for support to bring it to fruition. He underscored the importance of the project as one to make a loud statement to the world that Africans Home and Abroad can come together to solve their own problems because it is a collaborative effort between some prominent children of Africans in the Diaspora and Ghanaians.

Nana Kwamina Kra II, Tufuhen of Atonkwa- Elmina and Provost of Obokese University of Excellence in a response to a call by Nana Kobina Nketsia V, for Africans around the globe to take the 2019 Year of Return call by the President of Ghana, H.E Nana Akuffo Addo as one to embrace or to revive Africaness asserted that the Obokese University of Excellence will stand to continue drumming home the vision of the Year of Return and accord it a legacy.

Hon. Akwasi Awuah Ababio, Director of Diaspora Affairs at the Office of the President was thankful to the gathering and encouraged Ghanaians to take a cue from the Obokese Foundation and take advantage of the "blessings" of the vision of President Akuffo Addo in making the most out of the Year of Return. He assured that the government stands ready to support any such initiative.

Mr. Ibrahim Kwame Baidoo, Executive Director of the Obokese Foundation thanked all participants on behalf of the Obokese Foundation and its partners and disclosed that the event will not be a one-off thing but will continue on monthly basis going forward.