Asantehene damns detractors
The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has denied rumours being peddled by his detractors to tarnish his hard-won reputation.
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He said he owed his position to the Almighty God and, therefore, no amount of orchestration would affect his reign.
Receiving the National Chief Imam, Sheikh Dr Osman Nuhu Sharubutu, at the Manhyia Palace in Kumasi last Friday, the Asantehene made reference to rumours about his death, drug peddling and involvement in the 2012 election petition and said all those machinations were intended to jeopardise his enviable reputation.
The visit of the National Chief Imam was his first to Manhyia since the Asantehene returned from South Africa where he had gone for medical check-up.
While the Asantehene was in South Africa, it was rumoured that he had died.
Denials
Otumfuo Osei Tutu denied rumours of his death, which had mostly been circulated on social media platforms, particularly Facebook and Whatsapp.
He also debunked rumours that he had offered himself as a conduit to bribe judges who sat on the 2012 election petition to influence the verdict of the Supreme Court.
He, furthermore, denied the claim that he had sold the stool ornaments which had been reported missing in Oslo, Norway, for his personal financial interest.
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The Asantehene said instead of engaging in any banter with his detractors, he would rather summon all those involved in that vicious rumour mongering before the Almighty God.
God Almighty
The Asantehene affirmed that it was God who enstooled him as king and that it was only He who could take his life.
He requested the National Chief Imam and the Muslem fraternity to continue to pray for his good health and long life and the development of Asanteman.
Sheikh Sharubutu asked for Allah’s continuous blessing for the Asantehene.
He said Allah had sent leaders to lead their followers to Him and that the Asantehene’s leadership was an “Allah-oriented” one.
He said he had heard of the death rumour but treated it with disbelief, saying he trusted that his prayers for long life for the Asantehene would never fail.
The Chief Imam said the title “Otumfuo” meant a supreme being and that the Asantehene would continue to remain supreme in championing the cause of Asanteman.
He further asked Allah for good health and growing wisdom for the Asantehene and encouraged him to remain focused, even in the face of rumours and challenges.