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President Kohler Savours Rich Asanteman Culture |
1/13/2007 |
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Culture was at its best yesterday, at the Manhyia Palace as Asanteman hosted the president of the Federal Republic of Germany, Mr. Horst Kohler, to a colourful durbar of chiefs.
Accompanied by his wife Eva Luise, President Kohler and his entourage were led to the Manhyia Palace by Defence Minister Kwame Addo-Kufuor amid fontomfrom drums and displays by Frafra and Wangara traditional troupes.
On the route to the palace, school children carrying miniature flags of Ghana and Germany lined up the streets to welcome the visiting President.
Apparently impressed by the rich display of culture, President Kohler said "Germany is a country with tradition but our festivals cannot compete with that of Asante."
Before taking their seats at the durbar ground, Mr. Kohler and his entourage, visited the Manhyia Archives Royal Gallery, which the German Embassy contributed to develop. The embassy had, among other things refurbished the gallery by providing storage and preservation equipment.
Among the large crowd at the durbar were the clergy, traditional rulers and heads of departments.
Otumfuo Osei-Tutu II, in a speech read on his behalf by Mamponghene, Nana Osei Bonsu II, commended Germany for its immense assistance to Asanteman and Ghana, citing projects like the Neoplan plant in Kumasi, the Manhyia Archives and others at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. Otumfuo Osei Tutu appealed to Germany to assist, nurture and maintain our young democracy by continuing to support us in the fields of agriculture, mining, industry, eco-tourism, technology transfer and educations.
"I eagerly look forward to the day when German technology would splash across the length and breath of Asanteman and be felt in every hamlet," he said.
Otumfuo Osei Tutu, said though Mr. Kohler’s visit was brief "it is going to open the floodgates for future collaboration and cooperation."
President Kohler said that the Asante kingdom is one of the best known on the continent of Africa and the world at large.
He stressed the need to uphold traditional values and not to discard them.
Mr. Kohler who arrived in the country on Thursday, for a four day visit would tour the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, where he would discus the issue of brain drain at a forum with students.
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