The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has reaffirmed his long-standing position that his allegiance is not to any political party but to the sovereign will of the Ghanaian people, emphasizing that his duty is to support national leadership regardless of political affiliation.
Speaking in Toronto, Canada, the Asantehene stated that he works with every President duly elected by Ghanaians and is currently collaborating with President John Dramani Mahama.
Addressing members of the Asante community in Toronto on Saturday, the revered monarch offered a rare reflection on his decades-long engagement with Ghana’s political leadership.
He explained that since ascending the Golden Stool, he has consistently provided guidance and counsel to successive Presidents, beginning with former President Jerry John Rawlings.
“My conviction is that any government elected by the people of Ghana, I have to work with the President and offer him my advice on the quiet,” Otumfuo stated, drawing applause from the audience.
He added that “I work with whoever Ghanaians elect as President; I am now working with Mahama.”
The Asantehene traced this tradition of quiet statesmanship through successive administrations, noting that his first formal engagement with a sitting President came in 1999 when he met and worked with Rawlings.
He said he subsequently offered advisory support to Presidents John Agyekum Kufuor, John Evans Atta Mills, John Dramani Mahama during his first term in office, and Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. With Mahama’s return to the presidency, he noted, that relationship of counsel has resumed.
“Those who will listen, do listen; those who don’t listen, they don’t listen,” the Asantehene remarked with characteristic candour. “But I won’t say it in public that a President didn’t listen to my advice.”
The King also addressed recurring public perceptions about his political leanings, observing that his willingness to engage with all administrations often fuels speculation about partisan affiliation.
“So sometimes they would brand me as NDC, the next time they would say I am NPP,” he said. “And in all, I say, I like it and would even add that I am CPP. I do this to ensure there’s peace in Ghana.”
The comment was met with laughter and applause from members of the diaspora audience, underscoring the Asantehene’s enduring popularity and reputation as a unifying national figure above partisan politics.
Otumfuo Osei Tutu II’s visit to Toronto formed part of a broader engagement in Canada aimed at strengthening cooperation between Ghana and Canada in trade, investment, green energy, and institutional development.
He also used the occasion to encourage Ghanaians living abroad to remain closely connected to their cultural heritage and to contribute meaningfully to national development.
“Ghana is open for business, open for tourism, and open for collaboration,” he declared, urging members of the diaspora to serve as ambassadors for the country wherever they reside.
