Seychelles vice president calls on
Asatehene
Kumasi, July 4, Ghanadot/GNA - Otumfuo Osei Tutu II,
Asantehene, has accepted an invitation to pay a visit to the
Island of Seychelles at an appropriate date to be announced
soon.
The Seychelles Vice President, Joseph Belmont, who attended
the African Union Summit which ended in Accra on Tuesday,
announced this when he paid a courtesy call on the
Asantehene on Sunday.
He said: “My President has asked me to extend an invitation
to you to visit his country at an appropriate date. I have
deep feeling to be here even though the moment for me to be
here is short.”
A statement from the Manhyia Palace said Mr Belmont was met
by the sons of the Asantehene (Ahenema) led by Oheneba
Adusei Poku, Akyempimhene of Kumasi and ushered in to meet
Otumfuo Osei Tutu II.
Mr Belmont said some of Asantehene’s descendants were still
in Seychelles. He was introduced to Mr. Lewis Prempeh aged
65 and Ms. Molly Prempeh, 55, both surviving descendants.
Otumfuo Osei Tutu II said the visit of the Vice President
reminded him of his forefathers who were exiled to
Seychelles by the British.
He said in spite of the desire of the Ashantis for an
honourable settlement, the British made impossible demands
and in the end Nana Prempeh was taken away to Elmina.
The Asantehene recalled that when the British saw that the
Ashantis were making inroads to get their King back, they
sent him to Sierra Leone and finally to Seychelles where he
stayed for about 25 years.
He said when the Nana Prempeh returned from exile, Ashantis
had profound memories of the Seychelles because he came back
as a happy King.
Otumfuo Osei Tutu said: “I keep on reminding the British
that we still have bitter memories of the exile.”
The Asantehene said he had accepted to visit Seychelles, but
this time not as an exile, adding that he would name where
his forefathers stayed as Manhyia Palace.
Mr. Belmont presented a book about the development of the
Island of Seychelles to Otumfuo the Asantehene.
The Seychelles Vice President was accompanied to the Manhyia
Palace by Mr Emmanuel Owusu Ansah, Ashanti Regional
Minister.
GNA
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