Friends, I would like to change my style a little bit by doing some history of the Fante people. Currently, Fantes number about 3 million, and they are the third largest grouping of the Akan people.
Fantes are not fools, they are very smart! Ajeeeei, this word dey remind me of something paa. When the Europeans arrived many years ago in Cape Coast they prevented them from venturing inland and leased properties for White trading missions, and also served as middlemen in the commerce between the interior and the White traders on the coast.
In the early 18th century, the Fante Confederacy was formed, with the aim of establishing themselves as a nation to be taken seriously by their European counterparts. So in 1844 a bond was written between the Fante, on behalf of the Gold Coast.
Additionally, Fantes have produced numerous illustrious and prominent people, notable among whom are Kofi Annan, former UN Secretary General, British journalist and writer Ekow Eshun; Sam Jonah, ex-CEO of AngloGold Ashanti; John Atta Mills, Ghana’s late former president, Cardinal Peter Turkson who was once tipped to be the Pope, and a number of the advocates of independence, not only in Ghana but also in the West African sub-region, such as John Mensah Sarbah, James Kwegyir Aggrey and J. E. Casely Hayford.
Against this background it is absurd and unbelievable for anybody to imagine that anyone with Fante blood in him or her is a fool. Yet, Eugene Boakye Antwi, an NPP 2016 Parliamentary Aspirant for the Subin Constituency in the Ashanti Region and an aid to the Flag bearer of the NPP, Nana Akufo-Addo has done the unthinkable! Hear him: “Hon. Isaac Osei, MP for Subin Counstituency is behaving like a fool because he has Fante blood in him!”
What Eugene is saying is simple: that “taflatse” all Fantes are fools. The most shocking thing is that the NPP Flag bearer has not come out to condemn the preposterous statement of his mentee, giving some people the impression that he is in support of that unfortunate statement, and has given his full blessing to it.
But walahi, this has not gone down well with chiefs and people of Fanteland oo. Their eyes are red papa! A press release signed by Nana Appedontwe IX, chief of Nkusukum Duadze and Akwamuhen of Nkusukum Traditional Area did not mince words on the issue at all. The chiefs, according to the release are hurt by the silence of Nana Akufo-Addo. Kindly read portions of the statement below:
“Your aid refer to his MP whom he is contesting as a fool because he has Fante blood in him and you are quiet about it, is it a tacit approval?”
“We believe some of these regrettable comments are becoming one too many from frontline politicians which defeats the dreams and aspirations of our founding fathers…we Fantes are unapologetically so proud of our culture, tradition as well as the enviable and unparalleled contributions of our sons and daughters right from precolonial days to date….”
Chai, Chinekeee! Matter don’t come oo! Awwwww, Nana, sorry ooo, is this your destiny or what? Any time you begin making inroads in your dream of becoming president, yourself or people around you do or say things that will scuttle your chances. Hehehehe, do you remember “Yen Akanfuo” and all-die-be-die’? Anyway, as a fellow Akyemkwaa who also drinks from the Birim River, my advice to you is that please don’t be “twaaan” like chewing gum, issue a statement condemning your aid’s unfortunate utterance or there is going to be kikikikikiki. A word to the wise is enough, ayoo!
