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Wholly owned Ghanaian carrier, Goldstar Air, Executive Chairman/CEO Mr. Eric Bannerman together with his team paid a courtesy call on the occupant of the golden stool, His Majesty Otumfuo Osei Tutu II on Wednesday December 23, 2020 and bestowed an honor on him at a ceremony in his plush Manhyia Palace conference room.
The Ghanaian airline presented a Citation of Honour to the King of Asanteman His
Majesty Otumfuo Osei Tutu II in commemorating the 20th Anniversary on his Enthronement and the 16th occupant of the golden stool.
Mr. Eric Bannerman presenting the plaque read the commemorative inscription or words which recognizes the bold, proactive, and decisive and remarkable leadership skills of
the Asantehene for putting the Asanteman Kingdom on the world map.
The Executive Chairman said the honour represents the company’s love to him for ensconcing himself as one of the most revered monarchs in the world and further declared that the decision to honour His Majesty Otumfuo Osei Tutu II stems from his overwhelmingly successful headship, direction and great achievements in accelerating Asanteman’s steps forward at an unprecedented pace.[ads1]
Mr. Eric Bannerman touting the rock-solid achievements of the occupant of the
golden stool and Asantehene reckoned that when you talk about Asanteman
today, His Majesty’s eyes light up and he swells with pride of the progress Asanteman is making. It is on the basis of these achievements that Goldstar Air
came to bestow on him this honour by naming one of our aircrafts after him.
The Ashanti Region is the cultural heartbeat of Ghana. The picturesque and undulating Kumasi is the regional capital, the second largest city in Ghana and is about 150 miles inland from the Gulf of Guinea.
The Asantes (Ashantis) constitutes the largest of the various subgroups of the Akans, who trace their origins partly to Bono-Manso and Techiman, in presentday Brong Ahafo Region. The Asante kingdom was founded by the great King Osei Tutu in the eighteenth century. His fetish priest, Okomfo Anokye unified the Asante states through allegiance to the Golden Stool, which miraculously descended from heaven. Okomfo Anokye planted two trees in the forest and predicted that one tree would live and become the capital of Ashanti. Hence, the name Kumasi (the tree that lived); the place in which the other tree was planted became Kumawu (the tree which died).[ads2]
Although located in the heart of the forest, Asantes dominion was extended by military action and political skill towards the European occupied castles on the
coast to the south, and also into the dry savannah lands to the north. This led to
various wars with Britain. Kumasi was captured by the British Army in 1873 (as a result of which much of the magnificent Asante gold regalia can be seen in London in the British Museum). After a final uprising in 1901, led by the Queen Mother of Ejisu (Nana Yaa Asantewaa).
Asante came under British protection and finally became a region of the Gold Coast colony. In 1957, after a period of internal self-government, the Gold Coast
became the first African colony to achieve independence under the charismatic leadership of Kwame Nkrumah. The Ashantis often call their homeland Asante.
The name Ashanti is an English language pronunciation misnomer for the Ashanti
people. The Ashanti ethnic group is pronounced Asantefoↄ in Ashanti language.[ads1]
Ashanti literally means “because of wars” (Asa – wars; Nti- because [of].
Nana Yaa
Asantewaa Queen Mother of Ejisu.
Location and Size Ashanti Region is located in the middle belt of Ghana occupying
a total land surface of 24,389 km2 (9,417 sq m) situated on the semi-island exclave Ashanti land. The indigenous people of Ashanti (Ashanti region) are known as Asantes.
The region occupies 10.2% of the total land area of Ghana and
is the third largest of 10 administrative regions. It lies on longitude 0.15W and 2.25W, and latitudes 5.50N and 7.46N.
ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES
The Ashanti Region is largely driven by the export of gold, manganese ores,
bauxite, timber and agricultural commodities such as cocoa and yam.
The aerospace with automotive manufacturing and repair of motor vehicles and
motorcycles (25.2%), manufacturing (10.5%), other service activities (6.3%) and
accommodation and food service activities (6.0%).
The Kumasi Central Market which is the popular market is where most commercial activities take place. All the towns in Ashanti have their local markets.[ads4]
Kente in the month of August in Bonwire, (Ejisu-Juaben)- Commemorates the
origin of the Kente cloth, Bonwire, over 300 years ago. The festival also seeks to assert the influence of the Kente as an exclusive cloth from this part of the world.
Yaa Asantewaa In August in Ejisu, (Ejisu-Juaben)-To commemorate the bravery of heroine Yaa Asantewaa I, for resisting attempts by the British Forces to capture
the Ashanti Golden Stool by leading the famous uprising in the late 1690’s.
Nkyidwo November Essumeja, Ashanti Region-Celebrated on the last Monday in
November or the first Monday of December at Essumeja in the Ashanti Region. It
is a festival which marks the emergence of the first seven Ashanti ancestors from
a huge hole in the ground.
Mmoa Nni Nko in the month of October in Offinso – To celebrate the bravery and
wisdom of Nana Wiafe Akente I, who chose a large piece of land instead of
jewelry, when the King was rewarding the various divisions after war against the
Dormaas of the Brong Ahafo region, which the Ashantis won.
Papa in the month of March in Kumawu, (Sekyere East)- The festival reminds the
chiefs and people of the Kumawu traditional area of the bravery of their
ancestors, especially, Nana Tweneboah Kodua I, who offered himself as ransom in
order that the Ashantis emerged victorious in the battle of independence fought
against the Denkyiras.
The festival also seeks to purify the state by driving off evil
spirits, which may hinder the search for elephant tusks, which are important
paraphernalia of the royalty.
TOURIST SITES IN THE ASHANTI REGION
Ashanti region is blessed with many Attractions be it natural or historical which people across the length and breadth of the country wish to travel for recreation,
leisure, education or business purposes.
THE MANHYIA PALACE MUSEUM/OKOMFO ANOKYE SWORD
The seat of the Ashanti King which houses a Royal Museum stocked with unique
paraphernalia and life-size statues of notable Ashanti Kings and Queens, as well as
a Gift Shop and Art Gallery.
The Manhyia Palace Museum was created within the Old Residence of Otumfuo
Agyeman Prempeh I and Otumfuo Sir Osei Agyeman Prempeh II, the thirteenth
and fourteenth Kings of Ashanti respectively. This historic building, which was built in 1925, was rehabilitated in 1995.
The Museum was officially opened on August 12, 1995 by Otumfuo Opoku Ware
II, the 15th King, as part of activities marking the Silver Jubilee of his ascension to
Sikadwa (Golden Stool). Okomfo Anokye Sword.
GHANA ARMED FORCES MUSEUM (KUMASI FORT) # 22, STEWART AVENUE,
ADUM, KUMASI:
The present Kumasi Fort was built by the British government in 1897 from a reconstruction of an old Fort built by Asante’s in 1820. The old fort was built by Nana Osei Asibe Bonsu and used as his palace (Nana Bonsu Aban).
He fought the Fante Wars of 1806-07 that took him to the Coast where he saw
the castle in Cape Coast. He decided to build a fort like that occupied by his white
friends in Cape Coast where he could live like the British Governor of Cape Coast.
He more importantly admired the brown color of the granite used to build the
castle in Cape Coast, so he made people carry head loads of granite from the
Coast to Kumasi, molded them into bricks for the construction of the fort.
However, it was mined and destroyed by Sir Garnet Wolseley’s expedition in
1873/74. After the arrest and deportation of Asantehene Prempeh I, the British
saw the wisdom in the old fort and reconstructed it to the plans of Captain Phillips
of the Royal Engineers and named King George’s Fort.
The Museum was officially
established in 1952 and it was then known as the Gold Coast Regimental
Museum.
But due to the tri-service nature of the armed forces in 1959 (Army, Navy, AirForce), the name was changed to Armed Forces Museum. Now the museum has
about 2,000 collections displayed in 10 halls covering Ashanti history, British
colonial administration, and the military tradition of Ghana. The museum has a
condemn cell where Yaa Asantewaa was detained before she was exiled to the
Seychelles Island, and the spot the British kept the Gold weight of Nana Prempeh
I.
THE RATTRAY PARK-KUMASI CITY
Welcome to Rattray Park-Kumasi city, a modern-day garden with state-of -the-art
recreational facilities and the best of serene natural environment located right in
the heart of Kumasi, the “Garden City of West Africa”. The park provides
43,252.18m2 (10.69 acres) of open space located within 2km of the city centre
and boasts of an international collection of flora from around the world.
In addition to its purely botanical and floral nature, the park has a huge passive
recreation and picnic area and facilities for families, business executives, schools,
organized groups and individuals. The park is named after Robert Sutherland
Rattray, CBE, known as Captain R. S. Rattray (1881-1938). As an early Africanist
and a student of the Ashanti kingdom, he was one of the early writers on Oware
and Ashanti Gold weights.
THE PREMPEH II JUBILEE MUSEUM
It is located in the centre for national culture grounds. The museum houses a
fascinating collection of Ashanti history such as memorabilia of Okomfo Anokye,
including the over 300 years old antique treasure bag which he forbade anyone to
open and a picture of the real golden stool which rarely appears in public.
ROYAL MAUSOLEUMS AND MUSEUMS
The final resting place of the Ashanti Royalty (Bantama and Breman) may be visited with consent of the Manhyia palace.
LAKE BOSOMTWE
It is located 31 km southeast of Kumasi. .It is regarded as a sacred water body by
the Ashantis.
This picturesque Crater Lake is surrounded by dozens of fishing and
farming villages. The lake basin is ideal for mountaineering, diving, swimming,
fishing, hiking, building and relaxation. Tradition forbids fishing on the Lake on
Sundays.
The use of dugout canoes and paddles on the lake is also forbidden. It is by far the
most expensive and deepest (90 m) natural fresh water body in Ghana with a
surface area of around 25 km. Accessible by road from Kumasi.
THE ASHANTI TEMPLES AND SHRINES
There are several of these and all have interesting things that can make your visit
worthwhile.
OWABI WILDLIFE SANCTUARY
15km North East of Kumasi. An ideal habitat for winter migratory birds and
hundreds of endangered Mona Monkeys.
Knowledgeable guides are available to
assist visitors through this tropical forest along meandering hiking trails around
the Owabi River.
THE BOMFOBIRI WILDLIFE SANCTUARY
About 80km north east of Kumasi. The reserve showcases a tropical landscape,
vibrant waterfalls and a wide variety of birds and animal life. Assistance and
clearance are available at the wildlife division.
BOBIRI FOREST RESERVE AND BUTTERFLY SANCTUARY
About 20km on the Kumasi – Accra highway. A quiet research centre for the
Forestry Research Institute showcasing an arboretum, forest hiking trails and a
butterfly sanctuary. Guiding and interpretative materials are available.
KOGYAE NATURE RESERVE
Kogyae strict nature reserve is a natural preservation area setup to protect the
ecology and promote scientific research particularly on how nature revitalizes
itself after major disasters. Historically the area constitutes the sites where the
two traditional areas Kumawu and Kwaman, by treaty joined forces to fight
invading enemies in one of their last victorious tribal wars.
DIGYA NATIONAL PARK
Occupies 3,478 square kms of undulating terrain on the western shore of the
Volta Lake. Made up of predominantly Guinea Savannah woodland and gallery
forest along the major rivers, complete with sandstone inselbergs.
Has at least six
primate species, black and white colobus monkeys, elephants and a variety of
antelope species, manatees and clawless otters.
THE ATWEA MOUNTAIN
Located 12 km from Nsuta and 52 km from Kumasi, it offers a beautiful view of
Kumasi and the countryside.
MFRAMABUOM CAVES
These caves can be found at Kwamang, 53 km from Kumasi.
ASHANTI GOLDFIELDS
This gold mine is located at Obuasi, 50 km southwest of Kumasi. It is one of the
richest gold mines in the world and listed on the Johannesburg, Paris, Brussels,
London, New York, Sydney and Ghana stock exchange. It has been merged with
the biggest mining company in South Africa, AngloGold to become Anglogold
Ashanti Ltd.
THE CRAFTS OF THE ASANTES
A dozen artisanal villages, specializing in a variety of cultural craft items and
indigenous textiles are located in the vicinity of Kumasi. These are: PANKRONO
8km on Mampong Road. Renowned for its distinctive and colorful pottery created
through tradition processes without the use of the potter’s wheel. AHWIAA 9km
on Mampong Road. Specializes in wood carvings such as stools, masks, fertility
dolls and linquist staffs. NTONSO 18km on Mampong road.
A settlement of Adinkra textile printers using traditional motifs and symbols
which are an expression of religious, political and socio-cultural philosophies of
the Asante. BONWIRE Bonwire is the leading town for the production of Kente.
A settlement of hundreds of Kente weavers. A wide variety of hand-woven Kente
fabrics are obtainable in many of the local shops. 20km on the Antoa Road.
ADANWOMASE KENTE VILLAGE
Strip-weaving has existed in West Africa since the 11th century and the village of
Adanwomase has been weaving the cloth known today as Kente since the 17th
Century. It has served as the royal weaving village for the Asantehene (Asante
King).weavers create customized designs for clients. kente is used in worship and
in ceremonies related to birth, marriage and death.
ASUOFIA-ASAMANG
15km south of Kumasi on Barekese Road. Significant for the production of glass
bead ornaments.
AMPABAME-KROFROM 15km on Old Bekwei road. Specializes in
brass casting through the lost-was process. The home of the Ashanti gold weights.
ASANTE TRADITIONAL BUILDINGS
Unique Ashanti architecture constructed with
local materials and decorated with immensely interesting and educative motifs
and symbols.
Classical examples of Ashanti traditional buildings/shrines can be found at
Kumawu- Bodomase, Edweso, Patakro, Edwenase, Adako-Jachie, Kentinkrono,
asenemaso, Saaman and Berem.
NIGHTLIFE
The Ashanti region is vibrant on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. People go out to
entertain themselves to the beat of highlife, liveband, hiplife, afropop and RnB.
Street bars and pubs line the roads and revelers go into the night in search of a
good time, from chic cocktail bars to jam- packed nightclubs.
ACCOMMODATION
Kumasi’s position as Ghana’s second larest city is amply demonstrated in the
range of top quality accommodation facilities available to the visitor.
From
MODEST BUDGET ACCOMMODATION UNITS OFFERING BASIC but clean lodgings
to exquisitely furnished small luxury guest houses, full service hotels with casinos,
jazz pubs, swimming pools and gyms, the Ashanti Region will meet the needs of
every guest.
RESTAURANTS AND LOCAL EATING PLACES
Restaurants and fast food outlets provide both international and Ghanaian dishes.
Visitors may sample tasty indigenous Ghanaian meals, indian or Chinese delicacies
as well as continental dishes. Local eating places (or chop bars) are found in most
parts of the Region.
According to Mr. Bannerman, Goldstar Air is a wholly owned Ghanaian airline and
will be initially flying to twelve destinations including London, Baltimore,
Washington International Airport, Dubai, Providence International Airport and
Guangzhou. Others are Dakar, Lagos, Monrovia, Abidjan, Freetown, Conakry,
Banjul, Atlanta-Georgia, Chicago-Illinois and Houston-Texas.
The Goldstar Air CEO revealed that his company is also projecting a fleet of more
than one hundred (100) modern aircrafts to a network of more than ninety (90)
key business and leisure destinations across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia
Pacific, Caribbean and North America.
He reaffirmed Goldstar Air’s commitment to rise to the occasion by ensuring a
robust and effective strategy designed to make the aviation industry viable in
Ghana, coupled with creating more jobs for the youth in Ghana and the continent
as well.
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