Afua Asantewaa O. Aduonum and King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II are set to grace the Ohio Ghana Festival 2025, organizers have confirmed.
The highly anticipated festival is scheduled to take place from July 31 to August 3, 2025, at the Discount Mall, 2765 S Hamilton Road, Columbus, Ohio. It promises to be a grand celebration of Ghanaian heritage and culture.
Guinness World Records (GWR) contender Afua Asantewaa, also known in traditional circles as Nana Asantewaa Anomatsewaa I, will be among the distinguished personalities at the event. She will be performing at the festival, alongside King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II, a key figure in Ghanaian chieftaincy and tradition.
Themed “Bridging Cultures, Celebrating Heritage: Our Ghana Beyond Borders,” the four-day festival aims to bring together individuals, families, and communities to celebrate Ghanaian traditions through cultural performances, music, dance, food, and educational activities.
Speaking about the festival, Afua Asantewaa expressed her admiration for the initiative.
“I must commend the organizers for putting together such a brilliant project. Indeed, it is an honor to be part of this festival. The theme sums up what we have been discussing over the years. I believe participants will leave the event empowered to transform their respective spheres of endeavor. And it is my prayer that the organizers make it an annual event,” she stated.
The Ohio Ghana Festival is more than just a cultural event—it is a celebration of heritage, unity, and the vibrant African spirit. It offers an immersive experience for Ghanaians, the diaspora, and lovers of African culture, fostering cultural pride and appreciation.
Ga Mantse, King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II,has urged the government to dedicate itself to creating films that highlight some of Ghana’s overlooked narratives.
In a speech delivered by Joy FM sports journalist Nathaniel Attoh at the second edition of the Africa Cinema Summit held at the Mövenpick Hotel in Accra, the traditional leader emphasized the importance of cinema in preserving cultural heritage.
Additionally, he requested that the government produce a film chronicling the life and achievements of renowned Ghanaian boxer Azumah Nelson.
“One random [story], considering that we are on Ga and Ga-Adamgbe land and considering that he is a custodian of the Ga Adamgbe culture, is the story of one of the most achieved athletes on the African continent, Barima Professor Azumah Zumzum Nelson, who is a son of the Ga soil.
His story has that of culture, inspiration, and projection for the future, the African way. This is one of the many stories that can be pursued in a very vigorous way by the government that takes over in the year 2025,” he said.
Azumah Nelson is a former professional boxer from Ghana who competed from 1979 to 2008. He is a two-weight world champion, having held the WBC featherweight title from 1984 to 1987 and the WBC super featherweight title twice between 1988 and 1997. Additionally, he made a bid for the unified WBC and IBF lightweight titles in 1990.
On a regional level, he secured the ABU and Commonwealth featherweight titles from 1980 to 1982. Nelson is widely regarded as one of the greatest African boxers in history.
In discussing the future of African cinema, the King expressed optimism and highlighted how foreign media often emphasize negative narratives about the continent.
“We also remember with a lot of pain the images that have been projected in the foreign media away from the African continent, and we all do know what we are talking about.
Those unfortunate images of people who are distressed and woken by the sides of the streets were in actual fact the people in Rwanda and their leadership under His Excellency President Kagame, looking at a future or they were looking at a day like today,” he said. King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II, therefore, admonished Africans to take advantage of film as a tool for social change.
“As we embark on this journey at the Africa Cinema Summit, let us reaffirm our commitment to cinema as a vital tool for cultural preservation, economic empowerment, and social transformation. The relevance of cinema cannot be overstated. It is a reflection of our past, and the representation of our present, as well as a projection of our future,” he further noted.
The four-day summit commenced on October 7, 2024, and is scheduled to conclude on Thursday, October 10, 2024.
This year’s program emphasizes enhancing the quality of local content production and consumption, advocating for increased investment in the cinema sector.
The inaugural edition of the summit attracted filmmakers from 20 African nations to Ghana, facilitating discussions on advancing cinema across the continent.
This year’s gathering is even larger, featuring more dynamic conversations aimed at further solidifying the advancements achieved in the African cinema industry, while promoting collaboration, innovation, and sustainable growth.
Notable attendees include Idris Elba, the British actor of Ghanaian heritage, who was a prominent figure at the event’s opening.
Among the planned activities for the 2024 summit is a Legacy Award ceremony set for Wednesday, October 9, 2024, at the Mövenpick Hotel.
Ga Mantse, King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II, has declared that the Greater Accra Region will play a crucial role in the outcome of Ghana’s 2024 elections.
He made this statement during a courtesy call by Nana Kwame Bediako, the leader of the New Force Movement, who sought the King’s permission and blessing before beginning his tour of the region.
Emphasizing the significance of the upcoming election, which he described as the most important in the history of the 4th Republic, King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II called for a peaceful electoral process.
“This year’s election, Accra will decide, Accra will decide and I want to say that it is the most important election in the whole of the 4th Republic but we need to understand that we are Ghanaians and we need to understand that we must restrain ourselves from being used to hurt each other.
The Ga Mantse emphasized the need for peaceful and respectful campaigning, highlighting the importance of unity and cooperation among all political parties.
He urged citizens to actively participate in the electoral process to ensure their voices are heard and their votes are counted.
Nana Kwame Bediako, the leader of the New Force Movement, sought the Ga Mantse’s blessingsand pledged to promote peace and unity throughout his campaign.
Speaking on the occasion of this year’s Fathers’ Day during a visit to renowned Ghanaian prophet and philanthropist Bernard ElBernard Nelson-Eshun, King Tsuru emphasized the crucial role prophets play in governance and leadership.
Highlighting the historical significance of prophets, the Ga Mantse stated, “There can never be a king without a prophet. If you look through the quarters of the Bible and throughout history, it will tell you that the prophet made nations and broke nations. They’re the mouthpiece of the Supreme Authority of God. A king needs the voice of the prophet. A king must listen to a prophet because a prophet is the mouthpiece of God.”
Despite the controversies and instances of charlatanism associated with the prophetic ministry over the years, King Tsuru underscored that true prophets are invaluable assets to leaders for the supernatural insights they provide.
The visit to Prophet Nelson-Eshun was not only a gesture of gratitude but also a celebration of the pivotal role the prophet played in King Tsuru’s journey to becoming the leader of the Ga people.
The King recounted how Prophet Nelson-Eshun was the first to prophesy about his future as the Ga Mantse, a revelation that provided him with clarity and direction at a young age.
Prophet Nelson-Eshun
King Tsuru expressed his heartfelt thanks to Prophet Nelson-Eshun, attributing his eventual enthronement to the prophet’s guidance and support.
“My continued association with the founder and General Overseer of the SpiritLife Revival Ministries is what finally led to my enthronement as the leader of the Ga people,” he shared.
The remarks by King Tsuru were met with enthusiastic applause from the congregation present at the SpiritLife Revival Ministries. The Ga Mantse, adorned in his traditional regalia, was accompanied by his linguist and other functionaries of his royal court.
Additionally, King Tsuru used the occasion to urge Christians and the general populace to work diligently towards ensuring a smooth, peaceful, and transparent election on December 7.
He emphasized that such efforts are crucial for maintaining the country and the Ga State on a sustained path of progress.
The event highlighted the profound relationship between spiritual guidance and leadership, reaffirming the belief in the transformative power of prophetic insights in shaping the future of communities and nations.
Ga Mantse, King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II,has expressed strong disapproval over the recent scandal involving the former Minister of Sanitation, who was discovered with large amounts of cash at home.
He stressed that such behavior is unbecoming of a public official and should be condemned by all responsible Ghanaians.
In an interview with Citi FM on Sunday, June 2, King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II emphasized that those engaging in such conduct do not have the nation’s best interests at heart.
He asserted that these behaviors reveal a lack of patriotism and disregard for the country’s welfare.
The King firmly stated that individuals exhibiting such self-serving tendencies are unfit for leadership positions.
He expressed concern that permitting such individuals to lead would lead to further exploitation of state resources for personal gain.
“It beats my mind how someone who says they love this country so much could stash so much money in their room.
“Corruption is everywhere. I believe that the government must find a way to stamp its authority on corruption.”
King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II also highlighted the initiatives of the Ga Mantse Foundation in supporting education in Accra.
He mentioned that his office has donated thousands of starter packs to school children, aiming to enhance their educational experience.
“I could’ve used all that money to live in luxury, buy a V8, or do whatever. But I’m interested in the welfare of my people,” he added.
