Nana Otuo Siriboe marks 50 years on stool
The Omanhene of the Juaben Traditional Area in the Ashanti Region, Nana Otuo Siriboe II, yesterday commemorated the 50th anniversary of his accession to the stool with a thanksgiving service.
Yesterday marked exactly 50 years when the then Peter Yaw Boakye Amponsah was enstooled as the Juabenhene, and he marked the day with a service at the recently inaugurated Prof. Adu Boahen Memorial Square at Juaben to begin the Golden Jubilee celebration, which is expected to be climaxed in December.
The Mass was celebrated by the Emeritus Archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Kumasi, the Most Rev. Peter Akwasi Sarpong.
Fifty years on a stool is significant, and that was exactly what it was for the Juabenhene, as his traditional area was one of the five founding member-states of the Ashanti Kingdom.
Consequently, in spite of the event being a church service, it was a regal affair, as hundreds of guests showed up to honour the Juabenhene, who is also the Chairman of the Council of State.
The celebrant himself, apparelled in a rich black and white Kente and adorned in silver and a big gold ring, which is also a symbol of his authority, walked majestically from his palace to the service grounds, followed by a retinue of sub-chiefs and traditional horn blowers.
Although the colours for the celebration were either pure white or black and white, some guests also showed up dressed up in rich colourful Kente, displaying the culture of the Ashantis and adding more colour to the beautiful, calm atmosphere.
The colours were to celebrate the feat chalked by the Juabenhene and also remember those who had departed this world and celebrate their contributions to the current state of Juaben.
Among the guests who graced the occasion were some members of the Council of State, led by Mr Sam Okudzeto; the acting Inspector General of Police, Dr George Akuffo-Dampare; the Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Dr Ernest Addison; the Chief Justice, Justice Kwasi Anim Yeboah, and the Majority Leader and MP for Suame, Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu.
The rest were the Omanhene of the Techiman Traditional Area, Oseadeayo Ameyaw Akumfi IV; the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Dan K. Botwe; the Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto; the Minister of Education, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, and a host of others.
Background
Nana Otuo Siriboe II was enstooled in August 1971, aged 26 years.
An alumnus of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), where he studied Electrical Engineering, he had earlier attended Opoku Ware School (O Level) and Achimota School (Sixth Form).
After his university education, he worked briefly with the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) before being enstooled.
As the Juabenhene, Nana Siriboe performs several assignments with and for the Asantehene and the Asante Kingdom.
In February 2017, he accompanied the Asantehene to The Seychelles, where they met the President of that country, James Michel.
source:graphiconline
