The Minister of Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Hon Stephen Asamoah Boateng on Sunday (7 January) paid a respectful visit to the Manhyia Palace to mark the first Akwasidae of the year, 2024.
Joined by the General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Lawyer Justin Kodua Frimpong, the Ashanti Regional Minister, and the Kumasi Mayor, the dignitaries gathered early to participate in the festival celebrated by the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei-Tutu II.
Akwasidae, known as “Adae Tokyee” when occurring on the first Sunday of the new year, is a revered festival where the Asantehene sits in state to receive prayers, well-wishes, and felicitations from guests, visitors, chiefs, and government officials. It is observed every six weeks throughout the year.
Signifying deep cultural and spiritual importance, the festival is not only celebrated by the Asante people but also by Chiefs and Asantes in the diaspora. Its primary purpose is to consecrate the remains of deceased Asante Kings, preserved in a sacred burial ground at a Mausoleum in Bantama, a royal suburb of Kumasi.
During the event, Hon Asamoah Boateng, adorned in a resplendent gold-laced Kente cloth and traditional sandals, led the government delegation to the Palace grounds. After a three-hour wait, the dignitaries welcomed the Asantehene to sit in state. Around 4 pm, the Ashanti Regional Minister introduced each dignitary to the Asantehene.
Speaking to the media afterward, the Chieftaincy Minister expressed, “It is always an honor to come to the Manhyia Palace to pay homage to Otumfuo at Akwasidae. For some of us, as long as we have life, we will be here to show support to the King whenever he sits in state and also visit him privately for advice.”
SOURCE: Michael Ofosu Afriyie
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