Efia Odo
- Birth name: Nana Barima Kwaku Duah
- Date of birth: May 6, 1950
- Birthplace: Kumasi, Ashanti Region, Ghana
- Occupation: Asantehene
- House: Oyoko Dynasty
Who is Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II?
Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II is the 16th king of the Asante Kingdom, a traditional state in Ghana. He is a direct descendant of Otumfuo Osei Tutu I, the founder of the Asante Empire in the 17th century.
Additionally, he holds the positions of Chancellor at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology and Grand Patron of the Grand Lodge of Ghana. He also holds the prestigious title of Sword Bearer of the United Grand Lodge of England.
Early life and education
Born on May 6, 1950, as Nana Barima Kwaku Duah, he is the third son and youngest of five children of Nana Afia Kobi Serwaa Ampem II, the Queen-mother of the Ashanti, and Nana Kwame Boakye-Dankwa, a noble from Kantinkyere.
He moved into the royal household of his uncle, Oheneba Mensah Bonsu, the Hiahene (a senior chief), at the age of five to prepare for his future role.
He had his elementary education in Kumasi and attended Sefwi Wiaso Secondary School and Osei Kyeretwie Secondary School.
He studied Accountancy at the Institute of Professional Studies in Accra and obtained a Diploma in Management and Administration from the Polytechnic of North London (now London Metropolitan University).
Private sector career
- From 1981 to 1985, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II held the position of senior consultant at the Mutual of Omaha Insurance Company in Toronto, Canada.
- In 1985, he relocated to London and assumed the role of a personnel officer at the HPCC Stonebridge Bus Garage Project in Brent.
- He established his own mortgage finance firm, Primoda Financial Services Ltd and served as its Managing Director until his enstoolment.
- In 1989, he returned to his homeland, Ghana, and founded Transpomech International (Ghana) Limited, a thriving transportation enterprise.
Enstoolment and reign
Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II commands immense respect within the Asante territories and holds a distinguished position as the foremost among traditional rulers in Ghana.
- In October 2012, during his visit to Norway, an incident involving the purported theft of Ashanti crown jewels from a hotel in Oslo brought significant international media attention to him.
- Osei Tutu II celebrated the Akwasidae with the Ghanaian community in the United Kingdom during a short visit in August 2019, with dignitaries including the Ghana High Commissioner to the UK.
- Osei Tutu II lives at the Manhyia Palace, situated in Kumasi, the capital of both the Ashanti region and the Empire of Asante.
- He headed the Committee of Eminent Chiefs instituted by John Agyekum Kufuor to intervene in the 2002 Dagbon chieftaincy crisis, helping to restore peace in the Kingdom of Dagbon.
- Osei Tutu II’s 20th-anniversary commemoration took place in April 2019, attended by dignitaries from various countries.
- He initiated a tree-planting program around Lake Bosomtwe, aiming to plant 2.5 million trees over 400 hectares to protect water bodies and enhance environmental awareness.
Personal life and family
- Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II has seven children.
- He is married to Lady Julia Osei Tutu (née Julia Amaning), whom he married in 2002.
- His siblings include Nana Ama Konadu (Nana Konadu Yiadom III), who is the current Queen-mother of Ashanti, and Barima Akwasi Prempeh, who is a chief in Kumasi.
- His father had other offspring from other marriages.
