OTUMFUO OSEI TUTU II.

The Pillar Behind the Africa Home Coming. THE YEAR OR RETURN 2019 GHANA.

Many hundred years ago, there was in Africa Enslavement of people onto other parts of the world. The great ancestors of Africa descents who became victims of the then inhuman atrocities have lived on physically and spiritual till today at all the places they were brought. Most of them decided not to forget their roots and worked strenuously toward their repatriation back to AFRICA.

There are great men whose names were made mentioned towards fighting for exploitations, freedom, and justice during the enslavement . The slavery caused a lot of divisions among the Black People home and abroad and till today there are sometimes misunderstandings and blame games.

Our great Grandfathers and Mothers who stood above blames and pointing fingers, fought relentlessly to foster unity among fellow black people to hold on to their integrity. There are many of such great people in Jamaica like;

•Paul Bogle (Morant Bay Rebellion)

•Queen Nanny(Nanny Town Rebellion)

•Sam Sharp(Tied the Rope)*I rather die in the Yonder Gallows than to live the life of a slave*

•Tackie( Death treaty, a war which lasted over eighty years.

•Marcus Garvey,(The Black Star Line). 

There are others to be mentioned in Europe and Americas like Kwaku from Suriname (The Chain Breaker) Bonny ( the Magical Fighter from Suriname) and many more.

In America, names like Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, Tubman and other freedom fighters are on the lips of people. There are also other white people who were totally against the slave trade in any form.

Whilst talking about the Western Black enslavement, we cannot overlook the ARABS who were seriously involved in destroying both human and historical institutions in AFRICA before the Europeans.

The Blackman have suffered too much in the hands of other races so we needed a message to ignite the fire in us for Unity. The Wailers Band was formed in Jamaica to produce REGGAE by Bunny Wailer, Peter Tosh and Bob Marley.

Through reggae music, Africans /Blacks were becoming more enlightened about their rights and the damage the days of slavery had caused to us. The Africans in diaspora started tracing their roots by undergoing strong research.

Most of them traced their ancestry to GHANA since it is the place most of the Forts and castle were built than many countries if not all in AFRICA.

 

Some of these powerful musicians travelled to perform in some African countries to keep the quest for freedom higher. Nations like South Africa benefited from the message propagated by the reggae stars drawing international attention to apartheid system and independence for other nations.

The Blackman has kept the struggle which continues unabated but a relief is coming since the KING of Asante, Otumfuo Osei Tutu 11 welcomed the home coming objective and participated in it by visiting some countries in the world.

In the year 2014, in AMSTERDAM, Asante Heritage Foundation was formed to educate the youth and others about our culture and traditions. Eventually , our SURINAME brothers and sisters participated in our activities and started questioning the reasons for the Slave Trade and why Asante has a name in it according to their researches.

It became necessary to fix a date with them and explain why, who, when and where those stories emanates if they are true or not. The first of its kind took place in Amsterdam.

The Asantes tell their part of the story in Amsterdam, the second in Utrecht and finally in Rotterdam. In all the occasions, it was really serious and fearful because many people were angry thinking the ASANTES had a hand in the enslavement.

We gathered courage and explained in detailed by condemning such thoughts and finally started working together with them with great understanding and love. The videos went viral and after sometime, other nations started contacting the Asante Heritage to hear much about the Asantes traditions and culture. There are some people who by sheer ill feelings and jealousy keep attaching the name of Asantes to Slavery even in Ghana but it is untrue. Asantes fought for their freedom and to maintain the kingdom and would die for it.

I was invited to Jamaica to visit the MAROONS and slave centres. In my return, an extended invitation was given to me for Otumfuo to visit Jamaica.

Otumfuo accepted the invitation from Paul Bogle Foundation, Marcus Garvey Political Party and Jah Bunny Wailer .They said, since Emperor Hail SELLASSIE visited them for almost fifty five years ago no other King in that magnitude have come there again. This gave incentives for the Diaspora Home coming.

The video of Otumfuo at Manhyia Palace receiving Jamaica’s documents became a talking point in the Caribbean’s the United States of America and Europe.

However, The United Nations invited Otumfuo to give a speech about the impact of traditional role in governance and peace. The presence of Otumfuo and the powerful message to the word alerted the Blacks in Diaspora to think going back to their roots.

Then, Otumfuo visited Suriname and again gave a speech at their University and spoke about the role of tradition and culture in nation building. He emphasized on welcoming the people to their roots. He also went to Brazil to re-connect with the ancestry, Since that time, all the people of Black descent with the feelings in their hearts towards home coming started the preparations.

However, before a minister in Ghana declared that 2019 was The Year of Return, it was already accepted and tailored physically and spiritually by Otumfuo Osei Tutu ll. The Black Restoration Foundation and Paul Bogle foundation organised fire Baptism in 2017 and 2018 in Kumasi to invoke the spirits of our ancestors who died in the enslavements to pave the way for the home coming.

In 2018, Nana Bantamahene supported the occasion with Atuntufo , and Ateneehene to walk the streets and finally performed the candle vigil at Kumasi Cultural Centre. Also, Black Restoration and the Caribbean Group organised the first time in Ghana a Carnival in Kumasi to mark the home coming.

A monument was raised at the Kumasi Cultural Centre to commemorate and to honour our ancestors, to foster unity among all blacks home and abroad, for cleansing and restoration.

The Black Restoration Foundation is so grateful to Otumfour for paving the way for all people in Diaspora with love for Africans coming to their roots.

The Black Restoration Foundation is appealing to all Black brothers and Sisters to participate in the Candle vigil on 24 of October every year to honour our ancestors to hold on to their integrity . It’s all Africans day so we eat, drink, wear, think , and feel Africa from the morning till 6 0’clock in the evening and observe the Fire Baptism.

I conclude that, Otumfour Osei Tutu 11 is the pillar behind the Home Coming The year of return as a land mark of world history.

Otumfuo has connected us with our brothers and sisters in every part of the world Let’s work it out to expand the good work done for humanity

During his reign, he has introduced Akwasidae festival in abroad by Himself and now ASANTE Culture is felt at all places more than ever.

KWAKU ADU AMPOFO®

Anthropologist

BLACK RESTORATION FOUNDATION www.blackrestorationfoundation.org Kbaako94@yahoo.com +31685817871