The Minister of Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Hon Stephen Asamoah Boateng on Sunday, together with the General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Lawyer Justin Kodua Frimpong as well as the Ashanti Regional Minister and the Kumasi Mayor paid homage to the Overlord of the Asante Kingdom, Otumfuo Osei-Tutu II at the Manhyia Palace.
The dignitaries showed up early at the Palace to participate in the first Akwasidae of the year, 2024.
The Akwasidae is a famous festival that is celebrated by the Asantehene at the Palace where he sits in state to welcome guests, visitors, chiefs and government officials who show up to offer him prayers, well wishes and felicitations.
The first Akwasidae happens the first Sunday of every new year and it is uniquely called “Adae Tokyee”.
However, every other Akwasidae happens every six weeks in the year and it is always celebrated on a Sunday.
Significance:
The Akwasidae or Adae is celebrated by the Asante people, Chiefs and all Asantes in the diaspora.
The festival is primarily used to consecrate the remains of dead Asante Kings.
These remains have been kept at a sacred burial ground in a Mausoleum located at Bantama, a royal suburb of Kumasi.
Details:
Wearing a resplendent gold laced Kente cloth with a glowing pair of traditional sandals to match, Hon Asamoah Boateng led the government delegation flanked by the Ashanti Regional Minister, Simon Osei-Mensah to the Palace grounds.
Waving to the cheering crowd as they made their way to the special dais set up at the Palace, these dignitaries calmly sat for about three hours waiting to welcome the Asantehene to sit in state.
Taking their turns to greet the Overlord around 4pm, the Ashanti Regional Minister introduced the dignitaries one after the other to the Asantehene.
Speaking to the media later, the Chieftaincy Minister said, “it is always an honour to come to the Manhyia Palace to serve and pay homage to Otumfuo at Akwasidae and for some of us as long as we have life we will be here to show support to the King anytime he sits in state and also visit him privately for advice”.
Story By Michael Ofosu-Afriyie,
Kumasi.
