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 people of Ghana, stressing that his role is to support national leadership irrespective of political affiliation.
Speaking in Toronto, Canada, the Asantehene said 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 King offered a rare reflection on his decades of engagement with Ghana’s political leadership.
He explained that since his ascension to the throne, he has consistently offered 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 continued to provide advisory support to Presidents John Agyekum Kufuor, John Evans Atta Mills, John Dramani Mahama during his first term, and Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. Following Mahama’s return to office, he said, the 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 frankness. “But I won’t say it in public that a President didn’t listen to my advice.”
He also addressed recurring public perceptions about his political leanings, noting that his willingness to engage with all administrations often leads to speculation about partisan alignment.
“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 the diaspora audience, highlighting the Asantehene’s continued popularity and his reputation as a unifying national figure beyond partisan lines.
Otumfuo Osei Tutu II’s visit to Toronto formed part of a broader Canadian engagement aimed at strengthening ties in trade, investment, green energy, and institutional cooperation between Ghana and Canada.
He also used the opportunity to encourage Ghanaians living abroad to remain closely connected to their cultural heritage and to actively contribute to national development.
“Ghana is open for business, open for tourism, and open for collaboration,” he declared, urging the diaspora community to serve as ambassadors for the country wherever they reside.
