My mom said she wouldn't have birthed me - Asantehene recounts journey to kingship

The Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II has shared an extraordinary tale of his journey to the throne, disclosing that he had no inkling of his royal lineage until fate summoned him to ascend as king.

Marking his silver jubilee as the sovereign ruler of the Ashanti land, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II recounted the intricate manoeuvres undertaken to keep him oblivious to his regal destiny, ensuring his upbringing far from the corridors of power at the Manhyia Palace.

In a remarkable revelation during his 74th birthday thanksgiving service, the monarch divulged that his mother, in a candid disclosure, had expressed intentions to not bring him into the world due to marital strife fueled by allegations of infidelity against his father. It was only through the intervention of his uncle, the late Asantehene Osei Tutu Agyeman Prempeh II, that his mother was persuaded to stay.

"My mum told me that she would not have given birth to me at all. My mother said my dad was a womaniser, so she wanted to leave their marriage after the birth of my sibling whom I come after. She told me that the then Asantehene, my uncle, Osei Agyemang Prempeh… told her that there was something he wanted from her and would not allow her to leave," the Asantehene recounts.

In an elaborate scheme orchestrated with family members, Osei Tutu Agyeman Prempeh II meticulously shielded the young prince from the trappings of royalty, diverting him away from the customary path of succession. Notably, Otumfuo revealed how his uncle redirected him from attending his preferred institution, Prempeh College, and instead enrolled him in Sefwi Wiawso Secondary School, where rigorous discipline was enforced under the watchful eye of a strict teacher.

Following his secondary education, Otumfuo embarked on a journey abroad for further studies, living with relatives of his father. It was during this phase of his life that the grand design of his ascension to the throne gradually unfolded.

Reflecting on his unconventional upbringing and the orchestrated steps leading to his kingship, Otumfuo remarked, "It was after this that everything was brought to bear, and I am where I am today."

The revelation of Otumfuo Osei Tutu II's extraordinary journey to kingship sheds light on the intricacies and hidden narratives that shape the destiny of royalty in the Ashanti land. As the celebrations of his silver jubilee continue, the Asantehene's narrative serves as a testament to the enduring legacy of tradition and the profound intricacies of royal lineage in Ghana's rich cultural landscape.