Nana Professor K. A. Busia Junior, a Research Fellow and Guest Lecturer at the School of Advanced Studies, University of London, has eulogised the late Nana Owusu Ansah Kokroko II, Krontihene of Wenchi Traditional Area, and a former Clerk of Parliament.
The late Krontihene, who was known in private life as Mr. Rex Owusu-Ansah and was also a former Board Chairman of the Ghana News Agency, died in August 2023 and was scheduled to be buried on January 22, 2024, at Wenchi, in the Bono Region.
Eulogising the late Krontihene, Nana Prof. Busia said he remained an unsung hero of the Wenchi tradition and was known for his principled stance on matters of fairness, equity, unity, and peace in Wenchi.
He added that the late Krontihene was a household name in Wenchi, as he was a distinction for locals with a university education and embodied prestige, inspiring children like himself to aspire to their level.
“Nana possessed unique skills and charm, effortlessly building friendships across the traditional polity’s lines of cleavages, transcending rivalries among the three royal families.”
He said having closer encounters with Nana, who served as the clerk for the Pan African Parliament while he (the eulogist) was a Senior Legal & Policy Advisor for the United Nations, showed that his reputation among representatives (Members of Parliament) from across Africa was evident, with resounding praise for his brilliance and excellence as a clerk of parliament.
“Most MPs will tell me in English and French that my brother Nana is a good “bien,” adding that he consistently receives acclamation as a brilliant and likeable person.”
He said the late Krontihene of Wenchi had high professional standards, leading to his selection as the best candidate for work with the Parliament of Sierra Leone by a panel of experts.
He expressed regret, however, that despite being hailed as a top-notch professional in South Africa, Zimbabwe, Sierra Leone, Ghana, and many other countries and international fora, Nana remained unhonoured in Wenchi, which he noted was a common fate that usually befell great figures in their own homes.
The eulogist said the late Wenchi Krontihene’s international exposure informed his broad outlook on Wenchi’s issues, noting that he was enlightened and ahead of his time and many of his contemporaries.
He described him as objective, a good writer and reader, with a sharp analytical mind detached from a parochial emotional view of things, including issues close to him.
“He had no room for small talk and “pettiness,” and as such treated the false narratives about him with contemptuous laughter,” he added.
He said Nana was a strong advocate for a win-win solution to the protracted chieftaincy problem through a rotational system and shared authority.
GNA
FA/LKA/GRB
17 Jan. 2024
