Former President John Dramani Mahama made an appearance at the 3rd Akwasidae celebration for 2023, an event that took place on Sunday, April 30, 2023. Mahama was seen being greeted by chiefs and queens as he was mobbed by the crowd at the event, as shown in a video shared by Opemsuo Radio.
Accompanied by leading figures of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), including the Ashanti Regional chairman of the party, Augustus Andrew Nana Kwasi, former Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Betty Mould Iddrisu, former Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, and former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Professional Studies, Joshua Alabi, Mahama was in attendance to pay homage to Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II and the people of the Ashanti.
The Akwasidae festival, which commemorates the time that the Ashanti Golden Stool was magically brought down from heaven, is celebrated once every six weeks on a Sunday. While every paramount chief in Asanteman (Ashanti Kingdom) observes the Akwasidae in his own jurisdiction, the main event is held at the Manhyia Palace in Kumasi, where the Asantehene sits in state for his subjects and other visitors to pay him homage.
Mahama’s presence at the event signifies his support for the Ashanti culture and its people, and is also seen as a political move to gain the favor of the Ashanti voters, a key demographic in Ghana’s political landscape.
The former president’s appearance has been lauded by some as a show of unity, while others have criticized it as a mere political stunt. Nevertheless, Mahama’s attendance at the Akwasidae celebration has garnered attention and sparked conversations about his potential candidacy in the upcoming presidential election.
watch the video below:
Former President John Mahama & Entourage At Manhyia To Celebrate The 3rd Akwasidae Of The Year 2023. #opemsuoradio #asanteheneat24 #akwasidae23 pic.twitter.com/2UEWniHyxA
— Opemsuo Radio (@OpemsuoRadio) April 30, 2023