The story
During Akwasidae celebrations on 26th April 2026, Professor Thomas Agyarko-Poku, Director of the Asante Cultural and Traditional Institute (ACTI), was captured presenting the Institute’s maiden book, “Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, The Making of Asantehene in the 21st Century”.
The publication offers a personal account of a reign shaped by tradition and the demands of modern leadership. Drawing on service, close observation and encounters since Otumfuo’s enstoolment in April 1999, the author reflects on how Asante kingship has served as a platform for education, peace and development.
Central themes include the Otumfuo Education Fund, Otumfuo’s leadership in the mediation of the Dagbon conflict, and international engagements that have expanded the visibility of African traditional leadership. The account also acknowledges difficult realities, including illegal mining and succession disputes, giving its tribute a thoughtful awareness of the challenges surrounding authority.
Akwasidae provides a fitting setting for this contribution to cultural knowledge. The richness of Asante culture finds expression in its language, ceremonial arts, customary wisdom and enduring communal values. Through ancestral remembrance, royal traditions and communal homage, the festival affirms the bonds linking Asanteman’s past, present and future.
The book extends that remembrance into written testimony. It invites young people, scholars and wider audiences to understand the responsibilities beneath the splendour of kingship.
For ACTI, the publication represents an opportunity to advance excellence in cultural education through accurate documentation, respect for oral knowledge and accessible interpretation. Its message is that preserving Asante heritage requires both celebration and learning, with service, integrity and informed pride guiding future generations.
NB: Find the real-time book presentation event in attached video time of 2:08:50 to 2:14:52.