I am not sure I am comfortable with the idea of Otumfuo (or any other traditional ruler, for that matter) on facebook actively engaging with his friends. There is a certain expectation of mystique and distance that comes with the position and which makes it revered. Dilute it and try to be ordinary and everyone treats you as ordinary. The essence of your position is thereby severely compromised. There is a reason a chief in Asanteman does not play damey in public. There is a reason his underlings open up their cloths and surround him in public when he rises to adjust his cloth. There is a reason he does not eat in public and has so many other restrictions placed on his public conduct. Break down these walls and you lose something magical. The Netherlands may have their friendly , walkabout, bicycling monarchs but the Japanese have a very strict and very conservative Imperial Household. And this is partly because of the special spiritual role of the Emperor, which is not far from that of say, the Asantehene. I dont want to see Otumfuo as ordinary, answering questions and taking comments from his friends on facebook. Some insults might even come his way. He might end up arguing with some. And I dont think that is proper. It is undignified. We should not see him by heart. Some stuffiness is in order, even in the 21st century. After all, this country is hardly in the 21st century, come to think of it... Let Manhyia keep a page on facebook to provide information. Thats it.
Posted on: Sun, 11 May 2014 16:18:41 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015