The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has revealed that
former President Jerry John Rawlings disliked him when he first assumed the
Presidency of the country.
According to him, that feeling of animosity later turned out
to be a great relationship between them.
The Asante Monarch and the former military leader who
assumed the highest office of the land, first through a coup d’etat in 1979,
have an enviable friendly relationship.
Their closeness have often led to
critics accuse the king of having a soft spot for the ruling National
Democratic Congress (NDC) which was founded by Mr. Rawlings in 1992. He went
ahead to win the 1992 elections under a democratic dispensation, becoming a
democratic leader.
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| Former President Rawlings (left) and Otumfuo Osei Tutu II |
Addressing a group of chiefs and elders of the Ashanti
Kingdom on his return from South Africa Sunday, Otumfuo dismissed rumours that
he is in bed with the ruling party, saying his position as a traditional leader
makes it imperative for him to work with all Presidents regardless of their
political parties.
I came to meet Jerry Rawlings in office. Initially, he
didn’t like me but we went on to become friends and we worked together until he
completed his tenure in 2000,” he said.
Otumfuo Osei Tutu calmed the nerves of the people of Agogo
and Old Tafo and promised to protect his kinsmen and resolve the conflicts in
the two areas.
He did not indicate how soon he would take action but gave
an assurance that he would not remain unconcerned and watch the people in his
kingdom being killed.
The Asantehene said he would institute his own mechanisms
and initiative to end the conflicts, but did not state which form these would
take.
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