Okyenhene, Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin, is calling for the prosecution of traditional rulers found guilty of promoting female genital mutilation (FGM).
At a durbar at Kyebi over the weekend organised in honour of 50 beautiful women selected for the Exquisite Face of the Universe beauty pageant, the Okyenhene described FGM as outmoded, inhuman and a brutal criminal act against womanhood.
The beauties paid a courtesy call on the Okyenhene and other traditional leaders of the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Area who organised a dinner for them. The occasion also marked the ninth anniversary of the enstoolment of the Okyenhene.
The IBF World Welterweight Boxing Champion, Joshua Clottey, was also present to show his title belt to the Okyenhene.
According to the Okyenhene, for the country to keep pace with modernity, progressive cultural practices should be kept and enhanced, while those found to be detrimental to the people, especially women and children, be abolished.
“It is for this reason that I call for a strong will and courage to drop outmoded cultural practices which should be completely outlawed,” he stated.
In his opinion, it was also time the world changed its perception of women to enable them to effectively and efficiently play the role expected of them in society.
On education, the Okyenhene said since the world had become a knowledge-driven one, it was important to ensure that every Ghanaian child had access to education to develop his or her potential.
“We believe that for our nation to keep pace with the rest of the world, every child, regardless of his or her geographical location and parental status, should have access to education to enrich his or her mind and enhance his or her God-given potential,” the Okyenhene stated, adding, “No country can fully make use of its resources and wealth without applying the knowledge and ideas of its people.”
On poverty, he said there were too many resources in the country and that Ghanaians should work hard to ensure that their children were provided with the necessary support, just like others in other parts of the world.
He was of the opinion that if the nation was to witness any meaningful development, the country must have a crop of leaders who would be committed to the welfare of the people.
“If we are to ensure the rapid development of our country, we must have selfless leaders who are committed not only to ensuring financial stability for themselves but also the development of their people and country,” Osagyefo Ofori Panin emphasised.
The Okyenhene bemoaned the practice of polygamy, which he said had contributed to high population growth, with a negative impact on the environment, and impressed on men to develop a preference for monogamy.
He appealed to the beauty queens to be gender ambassadors and help address various issues affecting women and children in their respective countries.
In his welcoming address, the Apagyahene of Akyem Abuakwa, Nana Asante Bediatuo, recounted the achievements of the Okyenhene since he ascended the throne nine years ago, which he said, included the establishment of the Okyeman Environmental Foundation to address environmental issues such as forest reserves and a scholarship scheme to support brilliant, needy children.
Others, he said, were the Okyeman AIDS Foundation to promote safe sex, voluntary counselling and testing (VCT), the institution of an annual Christmas party for children across the country to enable them to learn about their culture, as well packages for children who excelled academically.
Miss Lebanon and Miss Tanzania, on behalf of their colleagues, thanked the Okyenhene and his sub-chiefs for the hospitality and for offering them the opportunity to learn about the rich culture of the Akyems.
Story by Nana Konadu Agyeman