[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 71 (Tuesday, May 22, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E896]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     WELCOME TO NEWARK, OTUMFUO OSEI TUTU II, SIXTEENTH ASANTEHENE

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. DONALD M. PAYNE

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, May 22, 2001

  Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday, May 22, my home city of Newark, 
New Jersey will have the privilege of hosting Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, 
sixteenth Asantehene, direct successor to Opemsuo Osei Tutu I from 
Ghana. I would like to ask my colleagues here in the United States 
House of Representatives to join me in welcoming the leader of Ghana to 
New Jersey. Our nation has a special relationship with Ghana, which in 
1957 became the first country in colonial Africa to achieve 
independence. Kwame Nkrumah, the first president of the Republic of 
Ghana, earned a college degree from Lincoln University in Pennsylvania 
in 1939, creating a close bond between the people of Ghana and African 
Americans. When I had the great honor of accompanying President Clinton 
on his historic trip to Africa, we received a warm and enthusiastic 
welcome when over 500,000 Ghanaians came out to greet us.
  Otumfuo Osei Tutu II has won admiration for the unique leadership he 
has provided the people of Asante and Ghana in general since he assumed 
the high office of Asantehene and the heavy responsibilities that go 
with the position. This dynamic, personable king has succeeded in 
refocusing the attention of the Asante nation and Ghana, on the 
development of the country's most valuable resource--its people. It is 
for this reason that his vision encompasses education, health and 
industry. A healthy people equipped with the requisite technical and 
scientific skill and knowledge constitute an invaluable asset to any 
community, any nation that aspires to achieve maximum 
industrialization.
  Born on the 6th of May 1950 and named Barima Kwaku Duah, Otumfuo Osei 
Tutu II is the youngest of the five children of Nana Afua Kobi Scrwaa 
Ampem II, Asantchemaa (Queen Mother of Asante). Under his Majesty's 
leadership and direction numerous and very drastic efforts have been 
made to assess and redefine traditional roles, integrating some into 
global standards based in practicality, sustainability and 
functionality. What has emerged is a much better administrative design 
of six strategically functional and articulate units of the system.
  As part of mobilization efforts to relax some aspects of Asante 
culture to embrace development and progress, Otumfuo has embarked on a 
drastic overhaul of the Kingdom and its logistics to enable the Manhyia 
Palace to better equip and prepare itself and its traditional leaders 
to accommodate the impeding challenges of development. By liberalizing 
various aspects of the Kingdom, Otumfuo has enhanced governance and 
emphasized development.

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