The King of the Akyem Abuakwa Kingdom Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin II received the 2016 Sprite Ball trophy on Wednesday.
The highly-respected king is the first high-profile personality in Ghana to associate himself with the prestigious competition this year.
In a massive show of support, the iconic Ghanaian figure expressed his delight at the rapid growth of the game in the West African nation and called for massive support from all stakeholders for its sustenance.
The royal king is a crazy basketball fan and played the game during college in the United States of America. Beaming with smiles, the head of the widely-respected Akyem Abuakwa Kingdom received the trophy at his office in Ghana’s capital, Accra and charged the qualified schools to go for the full haul in the true spirit of competition.
“I am particularly happy with the nice gesture. It’s great and what I like about it (competition) is its energy and the enthusiasm from the schools,” he said on TV3’s Fast Break expected to be aired on Sunday December 20.
“If we open up and give the young people the chance to play, I think we’ll go places.” The trophy tour, first of its kind this year, has seen the trophy visit several schools in Greater Accra and Eastern regions.
Sixteen (16) boys and 10 girl schools will slug it out for the prestigious trophy between January 3-7, 2016.
Brief history of Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin II
Okyenhene is the title of the king of Akyem Abuakwa (also styled Okyeman), an ancient kingdom in the Eastern Region of Ghana. The Okyenhene is also referred to as the Kwaebibiremhene as his traditional territory is an area of a dense forest. Again, the Okyenhene is considered the head of the Asona clan in Ghana (Asona Piesie). The asona clan is the largest among the eight clans of the Akans which includes the Oyoko, Agona, Asakyire, Bretuo, Ekuona among others.
On the death of an Okyenhene, it is mandatory for all Asona Chiefs in Ghana to partake in the royal burial dubbed “doteyie” and funeral also called “Odupon ayie”. These ceremonies normally lasts seven days each. The Okyenhene’s throne is called the Ofori Panin stool. He presides over his kingdom through his divisional chiefs as well as other numerous chiefs and sub chiefs.
The current Okyenhene, Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin II ascended the Okyeman Ofori Panin stool on October 4, 1999 after the death of his predecessor Osagyefuo Kuntunkunuku II.
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