The purported invitation of the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, to attend today’s funeral of Queen Elizabeth II in the United Kingdom (UK), has turned out to be a dirty hoax, with his name missing from the officially invited monarchs who are to grace the event, which has King of Lesotho, Letsie III, as the only monarch from Africa, attending.
The said invitation to the Otumfuo, which has been in circulation since last week, had seen a presidential staffer, mockingly knocking the head of Togbe Afede XIV, the Agbogbomefia of Asogli State, against that of the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II.
The Presidential Staffer, Samuel Bryan Buabeng, posted a photo of Otumfuo’s invitation with a caption that read: “The local champion Efo James and his subjects should continue fighting people over Yam festival donations.”
But it has turned out that, Asantehene’s name is not included in the host of world leaders, including heads of states and royalties expected to attend the state funeral for Queen Elizabeth II scheduled for today, Monday, September 19, 2022.
It is presently unclear, what happened or who perhaps faked Otumfuo’s invitation, which The Herald spotted on the Facebook wall of Kofi Ofosu Nkansah, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Entrepreneurship and Innovation (NEIP).
According to reuters.com, the President of Ghana, His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, is one of three leaders from the African Continent that will be attending the state funeral.
The other leaders from Africa, include the President of South Africa and the President of Gabon Cyril Ramafosa and Ali Bongo, respectively.
Togbe Afede’s private name is James Akpo, and he has in recent years become an object of political ridicule for elements of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP).
He is not invited to state functions where President Nana Akufo-Addo is present. The President’s recent visits to the Volta Region, had seen him visiting other chiefs aside Togbe Afede, whom he used to enjoy a cozy relationship with.
He had spoken against the Agyapa Royalties deal, rejected an outrageous ex-Gratia payment made to him as member of the Council of State, spoken about economic hardship as well as corruption in the government and had incurred the displeasure of the government which had sponsored his defeat as President of the National House of Chiefs.
Samuel Bryan Buabeng’s references to ‘Yam festival donations’ was about the recent incident where the Asogli State Council, publicly rejected donations by the NPP Assin Central Member of Parliament at the Te Za, annual Yam festival.
Kennedy Agyapong, despite having been formally invited, saw his donations rejected with the later excuse that he had been mistakenly invited.
The said invitation had claimed that the Asantehene had been officially invited to the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II by the new British monarch, King Charles III.
Those circulating it, had claimed the invitation was delivered by the Protocol Directorate of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office of the British government on behalf of King Charles III, which indicated that Otumfuo was invited to the lying-in-State of the late queen, as well as the King’s reception, state funeral service and the foreign secretary’s reception.
It added that, the Asantehene, could attend the state funeral with his spouse or a partner, however, the Asantehene’s name is missing from the list of royals, including the Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako of Japan, as well as King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands expected to attend.
But the Asantehene, appears to be in good company, as no one from the House of Saud, the ruling royal family of Saudi Arabia was invited. There is no rep also from the United Arab Emirate either.
Below is a list of some world leaders who are expected to be attending the state funeral:
ROYAL ATTENDEES
- Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako of Japan
- King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands
- King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain
- King Philip and Queen Mathilde of Belgium
- Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary
- King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden
- King Harald V and Queen Sonja of Norway
- King of Bhutan, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck
- Sultan of Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah
- Jordan’s King Abdullah
- Crown Prince of Kuwait, Sheikh Meshal al-Ahmad al-Sabah
- King of Lesotho, Letsie III
- Hereditary Prince Alois of Liechtenstein
- Grand Duke of Luxembourg Henri
- Malaysian Sultan Abdullah of Pahang
- Prince of Monaco, Albert II
- Crown Prince of Morocco, Moulay Hassan
- Sultan of Oman, Haitham bin Tariq al-Said
- Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani
- King of Tonga, Tupou VI
NATIONAL LEADERS
AMERICAS
- Joe Biden and Jill Biden, President and first lady of the United States
- Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada
- Jair Bolsonaro, President of Brazil
- Paula-Mae Weekes, President of Trinidad and Tobago
- Sandra Mason, President of Barbados
- Andrew Holness, Prime Minister of Jamaica
- Floyla Tzalam, Governor General of Belize
- Susan Dougan, Governor General of St Vincent and the Grenadines
EUROPE AND MIDDLE EAST
- Emmanuel Macron, President of France
- Frank-Walter Steinmeier, President of Germany
- Sergio Mattarella, President of Italy
- Michael D. Higgins, President of Ireland
- Micheál Martin, Taoiseach (prime minister) of Ireland
- Alexander Van der Bellen, President of Austria
- Katalin Novak, President of Hungary
- Andrzej Duda, President of Poland
- Egils Levits, President of Latvia
- Gitanas Nauseda, President of Lithuania
- Sauli Niinisto, President of Finland
- Katerina Sakellaropoulou, President of Greece
- George Vella, President of Malta
- Nicos Anastasiades, President of Cyprus
- Charles Michel, President of the European Council
- Ursula von der Leyen, President of European Commission
- Jens Stoltenberg, Secretary General of NATO
- Mohammad Shtayyeh, Palestinian Prime Minister
AFRICA
- Cyril Ramaphosa, President of South Africa
- Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, President of Ghana
- Ali Bongo, President of Gabon
ASIA
- Droupadi Murmu, President of India
- Wang Qishan, Vice President of China
- Ranil Wickremesinghe, President of Sri Lanka
- Sheikh Hasina, Prime Minister of Bangladesh
- Jacinda Ardern, Prime Minister of New Zealand
- Anthony Albanese, Australian Prime Minister
- Yoon Suk-yeol, South Korean President
