The day kente had a break when Asantehene and Okyenhene met

The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II hosted the Okyenhene, Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin at the Manhyia Palace on Saturday.

Also at the Manhyia Palace on Saturday, June 16, 2018, was President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo who interacted with the two, ahead of the Head of State International Golf Invitational Tournament Awards Dinner.

In the picture (above) President Akufo-Addo is sandwiched by the Asantehene to the left and the Okyenhene to the right. 

It was a night the custodians of tradition and custom, dropped their cloth to wear tuxedos. 

Read also: When the Asantehene and Okyehene met for the historic tee off

The Asantehene and Okyenhene had met in Kumasi to promote golf development in Ghana as they took part in a historic tee off at the Royal Golf course in Kumasi on Saturday in the second edition of the annual Head of State Invitational Golf tournament.

The gesture, seen by many as an attempt to douse recent rift between Akyems and Asantes following some disparaging comments supposedly made by some Akyems in government. The tournament also brought together business tycoons, including Sir Sam Jonah and captains of industry.

At the Royal Golf Course, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, Asantehene, said it is imperative that the nation take critical look at whipping up the enthusiasm of golf amongst the citizenry, reports the Ghana News Agency (GNA).

“Golf is an interesting game which imbibes discipline, integrity and honesty. Nothing unites people more than the game of golf. I, therefore, entreat all those who have not taken up the game to make an effort to do so”, he noted.

The programme had been sanctioned by the Presidency, under the Nana Akufo-Addo-led administration, to diversify the growth of sports in the country, while giving prominence to the development of the lesser-known sporting disciplines.

The Ghana Golf Association organized the event, in collaboration with Northwestern Solutions, project managers for the tournament, bringing on board about 150 executive golfers, comprising Chief-Executives and top management members from various corporate organisations.

The wife of the Asantehene, Lady Julia Osei Tutu (middle) joined by the Juabenhene, Nana Otuo Serebour (extreme left) who is also chairman of the Council of State in the pose of President Akufo-Addo, Okyenhene and the Asantehene.

Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin, the Okyenhene, was also on hand to support the cause for golf development in the country.

The Minister of Youth and Sports, Mr. Isaac Kwame Asiamah, as well as Mr. Simon Osei-Mensah, Ashanti Regional Minister, and the Metropolitan Chief Executive, Mr. Osei Assibey-Antwi, were also present at the occasion.

A cross section of traditional rulers, sporting personalities, including Ghana’s football legend, Tony Yeboah, Members of Parliament, and other top government officials were there in their numbers for the success of the programme.

The Asantehene and Okyenhene thrilled the gathering as they took turns to tee-off with well-taken shots, playing in the Hole One and Hole Seven, on the 144 par-four and 340 par- four scorecards, respectively.

The ceremonial tee-off also had Sir Sam Jonah, a staunch enthusiast of golf participating in the same event.

Otumfuo Osei Tutu lauded the Ghana Golf Association and Northwestern Solutions for their foresight and hoped the programme would be sustained for the benefit of the nation.

“I share in the vision of the promoters of this event to “transform the nation through golf and think that, this laudable novelty be sustained”, he emphasized.

Mr. Michael Aggrey, President of the Association, said they were committed to creating the needed awareness on the benefits of golf to development.

The Head of State tournament, which commenced in 2017, he said, was one of its flagship projects to making the sport more attractive to all Ghanaians.

Mr. Francis Andoh of the Northwestern Solutions, in an interview with the GNA Sport, disclosed that the tournament had been billed to rotate among the various eighteen- hole golf clubs in the country.

The next event, he said, would be held in the Western Region.