The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has called for an end to partisan politics in the country’s educational institutions.
Consequently, he has challenged academia to wean itself from gross partisanship and cultivate a culture of rigorous objectivity.
“This should allow the university as a collective responsibility to establish the right mechanism for rigorous continuous evaluation of performance of national institutions and help inject some efficiency into the system,” he stated.
Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, made the call after receiving an honorary Doctor of Laws Degree (LLD Honaris Causa) from the University of Cape Coast (UCC) yesterday.
The award was in recognition of his contribution not only to his area of jurisdiction but other regions that had resulted in a number of transformation to the cause of humanity in diverse areas.
In a citation, the university acknowledged the Asantehene for his meritorious and distinguished service to the nation, particularly his commitment to promoting unity and development in Asanteman and other regions as well as his significant contribution to humanity in the area of water and sanitation, health, education, entrepreneurship, culture and heritage.
“Purveyor of traditional jurisprudence, advocate of rule of law, promoter of peace and stability, and generational thinker, entrepreneur, guardian of culture and heritage, statesman, distinguished traditional leader and a role model,” the citation stated.
Otumfuo Osei Tutu II noted that, the weaning of academia from gross partisanship, would help the country inspire a new era which the achievement of measurable national things take precedence over the pursuit of personal gains.
He indicated that, one reason the role of academia had had been downplayed was that, abrasive political division had permeated campuses.
“We have turned them into battle ground for partisan combat instead of having it for reviving and dispensing knowledge,” he said.
The Asantehene called for a special relationship between academia and state, saying “you are the teachers who are preparing and mentoring the men and women who are taking control of our lives as political leaders, judges, economists, bankers, and military officers among others.”
“As teachers, you are like parents who should have a life time interest in the performance of their students as their success inspires you, so their failures should burden you. We can begin fashioning a new relationship between state and academia that engages the experts of academia in the process of policy formation,” he said.
He noted that, it would be beneficial for the country to create a unique quadrangle involving professors from the academia, business leaders, traditional leaders and government that would address the seemingly protractible governance of the economy.
That, he indicated, would be the beginning of a continuous collaboration between academia, the state and captains of industries in finding solutions to the many of the country’s problems.
He said with the combined natural resource and human resources available and the heritage at the nation’s disposal, the country cannot afford to fail, saying “we will only fail if we want to and I don’t believe that there is any Ghanaian who contemplates failure anytime.”
Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, therefore, called on Ghanaians not to give heed to any doctrine of despair but work towards a new era for the nation.
In his remarks, the Chancellor of UCC, Sir Sam Jonah, said the Asantehene had distinguished himself in many fields and navigated a number of issues with skills.
He said that, his nonpartisanship stands, remain a stabilising force and commitment to peace, unity and justice was very unique towards improving the lives of people.
He said the role of the Asantehene as the Chairman of Eminent Chiefs in bringing peace to Dagbon which lead to a historic peace agreement between the Abudu and Andani gates.
The Vice Chancellor of UCC, Prof. Johnson Nyarko Boampong, said the leadership and vision of Asantehene had impacted not only in Asanteman but beyond to other areas
He appealed to the Asantehene to join forces with other stakeholders in ensuring peace within the university.
FROM DAVID O. YARBOI-TETTEH, CAPE COAST