A group known as the Asante Professionals Club, is incensed about some comments made against the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, by the founder and leader of the Lighthouse Chapel International, Bishop Dag Heward-Mills.
The group’s outrage about the “disparaging comments” stems from what they say was the Bishop’s “complete ignoramus utterances.”
In a viral audio, the renowned global evangelist in a sermon about kingship cited the Asantehene as an example and questioned his impact and legacy beyond the yearly celebrations of his reign.
Not only has the message offended the King’s subjects amidst social media anger, but there are also some persons who have threatened to attack Lighthouse Chapel branches in Kumasi, the seat of the Asantehene.
However, Bishop Dag Heward-Mills has apologized to the Asanehene explaining that the offensive sermon was preached 20 years ago.
He also thanked the King for handling the matter “graciously”.
But in a statement to set the records straight, the Asante Professionals Club maintained that since Otumfuo’s enthronement in April 1999, he has been an agent of peace and development in Asanteman and beyond.
Key amongst Otumfuo’s unmatched achievements the group says includes the following:
- Establishment of the $45 million Bodukwan Multi-Fruit Processing Factory
- Establishment of the $95 million Kumasi Mall
- Establishment of $100 million Asanteman Development Fund
- Otumfuo Education Fund providing scholarship to brilliant but needy students
- Support to the Government of Ghana in engaging the Bretton Wood institutions and other investors
- Otumfuo Osei Tutu II Foundation supports rural communities with educational infrastructure, computers and healthcare.
- Securing $174million to support Ghana’s educational sector
- Otumfuo undertook the Manhyia Palace COVID19 Humanitarian Relief valued at $1million
- Conflict resolution under the 2002 Dagbon Chieftaincy Crisis
- Institutionalization of the Kumasi Declaration in the 2012 Presidential & Parliamentary elections
- Establishment of the Asanteman Broadcasting Cooperation (ABC)
That’s not all, the Asantehene is said to have provided educational assistance to hundreds of thousands of young Ghanaians to become the doctors, engineers, and other technical experts the country desperately needs.
“In particular, under Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, over 600,000 students have benefitted from full scholarships and financial support through the Otumfuo Education Fund.
Additionally, close to one (1) million desks and another one (1) million school materials have been distributed to students across the country.
According to the group, “What is interesting to note is that the beneficiaries of all of these social interventions are not limited to Asantes but drawn from all the ethnic groups across the country”, the statement read in parts.
In his apology statement however, Bishop Dag Heward-Mills Mills also acknowledged the achievements of the Asantehene over the years.
