I had the unique experience of meeting for the first time, His Majesty the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, at the 75th Speech and Prize Giving Day of T.I. Ahmadiyya Senior High School in Kumasi, on Saturday the 28th March, 2026.
I’ve long admired Asantehene, so you can imagine my level of excitement when I greeted him, and he responded by first saying my name: Clement, he said, how are you? I responded, “I’m well, sir.”
As we sat on the stage waiting to play our various roles assigned to us by the 75th anniversary celebration committee of REAL AMASS, I couldn’t restrain my thoughts from generating questions.
But for the holistic power of education, would I have had the opportunity to represent my constituents, serve in John Dramani Mahama’s government, and meet the Asantehene?
The Asantehene and I sat next to each other, and as the event progressed, we exchanged a few ideas. His words of encouragement were reassuring.
I was billed to make my comments on behalf of my minister and government before Asantehene’s address. But the event was running late, and Asantehene had another scheduled event.
To make room for Otumfuo Asantehene to address the gathering before leaving the durbar ground, the event organisers persuaded me to keep my comments short when it came to my turn.
The adjustment was to allow Asantehene to speak and then commission a girls’ dormitory built by his friend in honour of his late mother before heading to the other scheduled event.
When the organisers and his team presented this proposal to him, to my surprise, he turned it down. Otumfuo turned towards me and said:
“My son, present your speech in full. I will no longer speak. I want to hear everything you have to say. I will wait for you to finish, and then we will go together to commission the dormitory before I leave.”
I couldn’t believe it. And true to his word, that is exactly what he did.
I finished my speech, joined him, the Ameer of the Ahamadiyya Mission, and Ashanti Regional Minister, Dr. Frank Amoakohene, to cut the anniversary cake. After that, we walked in a procession to commission the new girls’ dormitory in honour of the late Asantehemaa, Nana Afia Kobi Serwaa Ampem II, before he departed.
I returned to the event grounds in the company of the Ameer for the third phase of the event after Asantehene’s departure, which was the presentation of awards to deserving individuals.
On my way to the airport, as I sat at the airport, as I sat in the aeroplane, one thought occupied me: the humility of the Asantehene. It’s only humility that can explain his decision to decline addressing the gathering so that I could present my speech in full.
Otumfuo could have decided otherwise or even left the event sooner, in light of the other scheduled event. But he stayed and patiently listened to me.
I arrived home convinced now more than ever that:
- Education is the most transforming force. But for education, what would be the chances of a Builsa man from Doninga sharing a stage with His Majesty the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II in Kumasi?
- Humility is the true mark of greatness. But for his humility, why would His Majesty the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, yield to me and sit to listen to me present my statement in full?
Indeed, education is the most powerful transformative force, and humility is the true mark of greatness.
I had no choice but to share my exciting and thought provoking interactions with His Majesty the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, at the 75th Speech and Prize Giving Day of T.I Ahmadiyya Senior High School.
Yours truly,
Dr. Clement Abas Apaak
MP Builsa South and Deputy Minister of Education
