Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II has guaranteed his undeterred support to the Director of the Institute of African Studies, Professor Samuel Aniegye Ntewusu and the new head of the Manhyia Archives, Mr Francis Odonkor in making the facility “more powerful and more functional”.
As indicated by him, some people have turned to taking away records they consider ominous to their sort and hence the need to put in place stricter security.
“I feel people are pilfering our archives so we need also to be very careful. People do their research and take away some of the information that is unfavourable to them. We need strict security and supervision there also. I asked for CCTV cameras to be installed in there and I will come there to inspect one of these days.”
One more worry for Otumfou Osei Tutu II is the untranscribed video files of cases settled.
He demonstrated that some chieftaincy clashes which have been calmly settled radiated from twisted traditions. As such he stated that keeping deciphered and interpreted Archives or records of these will act as future references.
“For the past 24 or 25 years, cases we have adjudicated haven’t been transcribed so we need to look at how to transcribe and set up a proper system to file all these documents. There is quite a lot for us to do and I will give you all the support. We need translators…we need to make it more functional and more relevant”.
He made these statements when the new Director of the Institute of African Studies, Professor Samuel Aniegye Ntewusu introduced himself to him at the Manhyia Palace during the eighth Awukudae of the year on November 8, 2023.
“We have a tradition that once you are made the Director of the Institute of African Studies, you are supposed to come to Otumfuo for blessings so I am here for that purpose. The reason why we need your blessing is that as an institute that was established about 60 years ago, we researched and we teach African traditions and histories and we know the embodiment of all these and therefore there is no way we can continue without coming to you,” he said in his address.
He additionally presented Mr Francis Donkor as the new Head of the Manhyia Archives which was laid out as a component of the Ashanti Research Project by the Institute of African Studies of the University of Ghana in May 1963 with the approval and aid of the then Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Agyeman Prempeh II.
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According to the IAS website, the Manhyia Archives was set up to provide efficient and reliable professional records and archives management services to promote democracy, human rights, justice, accountability, good governance, development and the study of the country’s history, culture and national identity.
credit: Manhyia Castle
