Ossei Tutu II, Other Ghanian Kings Host Ooni, Pledge To Join His Peace & Unity Initiative

By Lukman Ayelabola

The King of Ashanti Kingdom in Ghana Ossei Tutu II on Monday 25th July 2016 lauded the Ooni of Ife, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi for his peace and unity move he embarked on in the interest of Africa.

Ossei Tutu, according to a press statement made available to CityMirrorNews on Tuesday by Director of Media and Public Affairs in the Ooni’s palace, Comrade Moses Olafare, promised on behalf of the other Ghanian kings to work with him to move the Continent forward.

Ossei Tutu II who is 16th Asantehene, ruler of Ashanti  said this when he hosted the 51st Ooni of Ife  at his palace in Kumasi, Ghana.

He described the Ooni’s visit as a bond of intensity created by the ancestors that will surely strengthen the relationships not between Ashanti and Yoruba but also between the two brother countries of Ghana and Nigeria.

Ossei Tutu said: ” Your Imperial Majesty, welcome to your land, this is your home just the way Ile-Ife is our home too. This my throne was first occupied by Ossei Tutu the I 400 years ago and I have been very close to the very revered Ooni’s stool since I mounted this throne.

“You are indeed a great inspiration to the Africans, especially traditional Institutions. It’s a historic moment of joy for me and all Ashantis globally to have you and your delegation visiting Kumasi.

“This historic visit confirms the bond of the intensity created by our ancestors. We are very proud of your achievements within the little time on the throne especially your peace and unity in Africa initiatives.

“You are undoubtedly the new symbol of African progress and I cannot afford not to quickly join you in this project as I will work with you for the bond between Yoruba and Ashanti to move Africa forward”.

In his speech, Oba Ogunwusi  said his visit was of brotherliness with an expression of love to the people of Ashanti Kingdom, describing it as  too important African tribe to be ignored  in his Peace and Unity In Africa Initiative.

He reminded king Ossei Tutu II of when Africa’s various used to exist without the geographical boundaries sequel to the Berlin Conference 1894 and solicited his collaboration for a need to go back to the basis if Africa must progress.

Oba Ogunwusi said: “There were no boundaries in Africa until 1894 Berlin Conference. We should forget those boundaries and focus on the strength of bond of our natural togetherness created by our earliest ancestors. Am so proud to associated to the Royal stool of the Ashanti Kingdom, the throne of Ooni that am privileged to occupy today was established by Oduduwa the progenitor of our race some thousands of years ago.

” I know you were very close to my predecessor and some other Nigerian kings, this relationship must not die, we must uphold our bond, our heritage, culture and traditions as we remain inseparable one big family.”

The Ooni with an entourage including SSA to the Nigerian president on foreign affairs Hon. Able Dabiri-Erewa and some prominent Yoruba traditional rulers had earlier at the weekend visited the Ga Mantse, Nii Tackie Adama Latse II,  of Accra and King Oblempong Nii Kojo of Jamestown also in Accra both of whom at different times in their palaces described the presence of Ooni Ogunwusi as that of a father in search for a missing children who have either been taken away or left home to settle down in their present places.

At the palace of Ga Mantse, Ooni described the Ga people as descendants of Oduduwa who have always been proud of Ile-Ife as their home and assured them of his fatherly love and care always.

The Mantse Ga of Accra reaffirmed their migration from Ile-Ife.  he said he was very grateful for the Ooni’s visit and expressed surprise as Ooni didn’t wait for their necessary homage before visiting them.

“We indeed came from Ile-Ife and Yoruba nation to settle down here about 400 years ago, that’s why your visit is very important to us. We are surprised that you are so humble to come looking for us when we should have visited you earlier as our father. This is a clear indication that you are a good father and you really mean well for the progress of Africans”, he said.

Welcoming Ooni to the Jamestown Palace, king Oblempong of Alata Kingdom described Pba Ogunwusi as not just a visitor but a father who left his comfort zone to look we his children from whom he had lost contact for centuries.

He informed Ooni that the name “Alata” added to Jamestown emanated from the vessel SS Alata that conveyed their forefathers

as slaves from different parts of Africa especially Yorubaland of Lagos over 200 years ago.

“We are so grateful, since I was born 94 years ago, this is the first time anybody has come to look for us. Your Majesty, Ga is not the only tribe from Yoruba nation, we too are from there because majority of the slaves dropped here by the British 200 years ago were from Lagos and you are our father”, he stated.

Ooni promised to always look after them and that never again we he allow geographical barrier to separate Alanta people from their Yoruba origin..

“Our ancestors must be very happy today as members of the same family separated over two centuries ago by the then slave merchants have now found themselves. I will do everything within my capability to sustain the reunion as never again should we be separated by mere geographical barrier”. Ooni assured.

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