This year marks exactly 150 years since British forces looted the Asante Palace, made away with priceless regalia and completely burnt down the Palace and Kumasi under the command of Sir Garnet Wolseley.
As part of events scheduled to celebrate the Silver Jubilee of Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, a symposium was held to commemorate the anniversary of the war that led to the signing of the Treaty of Fomena. As an add-on, a book was launched on the history of the Asantes. The book was authored by Otumfuo Sir Osei Agyeman Prempeh II and edited by Prof. Tom McCaskie.
The Chairman of the Silver Jubilee Planning Committee, Nana Otuo Siriboe II commended Otumfuo Osei Tutu II for advocating for the return of their stolen regalia by the British. He disclosed that Otumfuo Osei Tutu II will receive the returned regalia from the United States of America on Thursday, February 8 at the Kuntunkuni Durbar. The British British Museum will return their regalia at the Akwasidae Durbar on May 12, 2024.
In a keynote address, Prof. Tom McCaskie commended Otumfuo Osei Tutu II for advocating the return of the stolen regalia. He further stated that not only were the regalia taken, the British also looted gold and gold dust from the then Asantehene, Otumfuo Kofi Karikari adding that, the value of the gold is estimated to be worth more than £2 billion.
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He stressed that although the then Asante Kingdom was defeated, she was not annexed and emphasized that Sir Garnet Wolseley’s decision to loot the Asante Palace and burn it down was in line with his personal ambition to lead the British Army.
The Minister of Education, Dr. Osei Yaw Adutwum, lauded the documentation of the history of Asante, saying it would also preserve the history, culture and traditions as well as contribute to research. He encouraged that an easy learning version be published to meet the standard of children.
In a pre-event reception, the Center for National Culture performed a re-enactment of the Sagrenti war which was written and directed by Emmanuel Jewel Peprah Mensah.
